[AKidsRight.Org] Meeting with Senator Clinton / Mother's Day / Chalk & I LOVE YOU

jmurtari@AKidsRight.org

Good People & People of Faith,

The last few weeks at the Syracuse Federal Building have been
surprisingly uneventful.  After an arrest that occurred a few days
earlier, I returned to the building on April 13th, with chalk in
hand and started to write "Dom I LOVE YOU - Senator Clinton Please
Help Us!" on the wall. I fully expected another arrest and jail
time.  It didn't happen that way.

Two Federal Police officers approached me, took my chalk, and said,
"John, you can go."  I walked a little further and wrote on the wall
again -- they took my chalk and let me go.  I did it again -- they
took my chalk and let me go. No ticket, no arrest, no threats -- we
are ready to keep taking your chalk as long as it takes....

The web site has full details,
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionc_syr, and I have included some of
the content at the very bottom this message.

Why?
----
Well, what else, the Power of Goodness perhaps?  Most of you have
read the FEEDBACK.  There were people who wanted me to write a nasty
message about Senator Clinton or the 'system' on the wall.  Others
thought I should 'make a fuss' and yell at the cops.  Funny thing,
none of them showed up to take their own advice?  This is no game.
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/civil.htm

If my motivation was anger, revenge, hatred -- where would I be
right now?  In a jail cell (and deservedly so).

One message (which missed being posted to FEEDBACK) said I should
carry a small spray bottle and a brush with me. After getting
arrested I should say I was getting ready to clean it up myself when
the police arrested me -- imagine that?

If you wrote "I LOVE YOU" -- would you clean it up?  How many of us
when the Judge looked down from the Bench and pronounced the words
that would separate us from our kids -- just nodded and walked away? 
Some of us showed how SERIOUS we were about the injustice and filed
some appeal paperwork.  That'll show them who's boss!

I don't have thousands of dollars to contribute to a campaign.  I
don't have thousands of parents willing to march for reform.  But
what I do have is a great love for my child.  I have the Faith that
my willingness to write "I LOVE YOU" (no matter what the system does
to me), is one of the most powerful things I can do to help make
real reform happen....

What is Next in Meeting Senator Clinton?
----------------------------------------
As a group we are moving closer to getting that face-to-face meeting
between some of our mothers and fathers and Senator Clinton.  I'm
starting to prepare a draft Agenda for a meeting.  It should help
the Senator's staff feel more comfortable about a meeting and also
help us think about who we are and what we want.

Next week (May 6th), on the Friday before Mother's Day, I
especially welcome Mothers and Fathers to join me at the Federal
Building to help Senator Clinton see how important reform is.
Please bring a brief (two page) summary of what the "system" did to
your family.  Make sure to include a color picture of you and your
kids.  As a group we will drop those off at the Senator's offices
on the 14th floor.

We will then return to the Federal Plaza and those who wish can take
some children's chalk and write "I LOVE YOU" to their kids and
"Sen. Clinton - Help Us!" on the ground.  We hope to fill the Plaza
with heartfelt messages and have a repeat of TV coverage from a
prior event (http://www.AKidsRight.Org/video.html)

TV News will be looking for Mother's day stories.  Let's give them a
nice one.  Do you feel a bit like a superhero?  I'd welcome any mom
willing to dress as "Wonder Woman" and keep us company.  A good
turnout will certainly help encourage the Senator and move our
meeting date forward.

Event details and registration at
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionc_syr

Need/Want a Ride to Albany, May 3rd, for LEAD
---------------------------------------------
I live between Rochester and Syracuse and would like to hook up with
some people who would like to share a ride to the event:
http://www.fafny.org/News_Notices_press02.htm

I can pick you up, or join you, at any point near the Thruway
between Rochester and Syracuse.  Please send me an email, or call at
my office number below.

Best regards (BLOG excerpts below my signature)!

                                       John Murtari
____________________________________________________________________
Coordinator                            AKidsRight.Org
jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org                "A Kid's Right to BOTH parents"
Toll Free (877) 635-1968(x-211)        http://www.AKidsRight.Org/

Recent excerpts from web site BLOG, most recent material at 
top (http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionc_syr)
==================================================================

4/26 & 4/28 - John plans on returning to the Federal Building at 2
pm to stand in quiet petition.  He  also plans on writing on the
ground using kid's chalk in a couple of locations on the Federal
Plaza: "Dom I Love You - Sen. Clinton Help Us". 

4/21/05 -  John returned to the Federal Building at 2 pm to stand in
quiet petition.  He  also wrote on the ground using kid's chalk in a
couple of locations on the Federal Plaza: "Dom I Love You -
Sen. Clinton Help Us".  About 10 minutes later a building
maintenance person came out with a bucket of water and cleaned off
the writing.   A while after that John wrote the same message in a
couple of more places with chalk.  He left about 40 minutes
later. The messages were still there. 

4/13/05, 4/14/05, 4/15/05, 4/18/05 - Effort scheduled to
resume. John plans on returning to the Federal Building each day at
2 pm.  He will first try to enter the building carrying our petition
for the Senator's help (see below, he has been blocked from entering
in the past).  If not allowed entry he plans on writing "Dom I Love
You - Sen. Clinton Help Us" on the outside wall. Check here for
updates.  Your participation and presence is welcome! 

  NOTE: The sequence below is unusual in that John was not arrested
  at that moment.  Obviously, officials still have the option of
  charging him on these activities at a later date.

  John went to the building on the 13th and was denied entry to
  'petition Senator Clinton for reform'.  He then walked around the
  side of the building and had just finished writing "Dom I Love
  You" with chalk when two Federal police officers approached him
  and took the chalk from him.  One of the officers then frisked him
  for more chalk.  They took a picture of the wall. He was then told
  he was free to go.  He was not arrested.

  He then walked around another corner of the building and started
  writing again with chalk and got as far as, "Dom I Love You,
  Senator Clinton Help" when the two officers approached again, took
  his chalk, frisked him, took a picture, and then said he was free
  to go.  John walked away from the building to pick up more chalk
  he had left on the street.

  John then returned and started writing the same message again on a
  wall near a walkway to the building.  The two officers then
  returned and the sequence was repeated.  At that point John left.
  He plans on returning according to the schedule above.

  He returned to the building on the 14th with conduct similar to
  the above.  After writing on the wall one time; however, John had
  walked away from the building to pickup more chalk when he decided
  that the one action was enough.  The two Federal Police offers
  were patrolling in front of the building and it seemed unnecessary
  to play a cat & mouse game with them and take their time away from
  other duties.  He approached the officers and told them he would
  be leaving, but returning the next day.

  He returned to the building on the 15th with conduct similar to
  the above. After writing on the wall one time, John had his chalk
  taken away.  He then returned to the front of the building to
  quietly petition for the next half hour.  He also went back on
  Monday, the 18th.  There had been a change in staff schedules and
  at their request -- John kept things simple and just stood in
  front of the building.  That completed the planned sequence.

4/7/05 -  John Murtari was arrested and taken into custody today
when he returned to the Hanley Federal Building in Syracuse, New
York. John attempted to enter the building and was denied entrance
by a Federal Police officer.  John then went to a nearby wall and
started to write "Dom I Love You - Senator Clinton Help Us!" on the
outside wall of the building using chalk. He was told not to write
anything and he only finished the first few words before being
arrested. He was charged with "disobeying an officer" and
"vandalizing gov't property/graffiti". (Click here for images of
tickets). He was then released. At present John plans on returning
to the building Wednesday, April 13th. Your presence is welcome! 

  Today's action was part of an ongoing effort to convince Senator
  Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) of the importance to many parents of
  Family Law reform.

4/7/05 -  After a delay, John plans on returning to the Federal
Building again at 2 pm.  He will first try to enter the building
carrying our petition for the Senator's help (see below, he has been
blocked from entering in the past).  If not allowed entry he plans
on writing "Dom I Love You - Sen. Clinton Help Us" on the outside
wall. Check here for updates.  Your participation and presence is
welcome!   

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