[AKidsRight.Org] NonViolent Action & your help for a $60, 000 deadbeat -- Not!

jmurtari@AKidsRight.org

Good People & People of Faith,

Can you believe a $60,000 deadbeat?  In your wildest dreams could
there be any justification for that?  There's even a Court decision
calling this person 'callous' towards their child.  In a world of
sound 'bites', can you 'spin' a headline like that and make it a focus
for reform?  Do you want to help a lost cause?

I sure hope so!  That callous deadbeat is me and I expect a six month
jail sentence in April. Six years ago the same person (Judge David
Klim) gave me six months and told me I "needed a wake up call
regarding my responsibilities as a parent."

As a group we don't focus on money & support issues. Our goal is our
right to be fit & equal parents. Take care of that first and the money
issues should fall into place. But, how to respond to a six month jail
sentence? What about NonViolent Action, can it help here?.

Still -- $60,000 dollars behind - what about that!?
---------------------------------------------------
Well, it's easier than you think.  Just imagine an initial support
level based on twice your income. Imagine your five year old child
then being relocated to the other coast and being given 'visitation.' 
Now, add a former spouse that blocks phone contact.  Between airline
tickets, accommodations, rental car & expenses -- each 'visit' is
almost $1000.

Include three times a year when your child is home with you, but you
fly with them back & forth -- three sets of tickets, about another
$1000.  Pretty soon you are talking real money!

But what about your needy child?  Aren't shoes & food more important
than plane tickets?  Suppose your former spouse's family are almost
millionaires -- your kid doesn't want for material things, just you.

Lastly, repeatedly file for support modifications, but have them
thrown out of Court because the local 'officials' know you and don't
want to change anything.  Be assigned a public defender (Mr. William
Bartholomae) who tells you, "John, just pay the money -- you'll see
your son when he's 18."

I've actually spent about $60,000 in support of my child on much less
actual income -- but it doesn't count at all? For complete details,
legal documents, see http://www.AKidsRight.Org/support_jm.htm

NonViolent Action & response to injustice
-----------------------------------------
I had suspended NonViolent Action whose goal was to bring Senator
Clinton to a meeting with parents regarding protecting the Civil
Rights of families (http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionc_syr). My Mom
passed away at the end of January and I had hoped to resume efforts in
April -- but now this.

What about jail in this case?  How should that be handled?  Normally,
I have been very cooperative with authorities once an arrest occurs.
A voluntary sacrifice of my freedom to show how deeply I love my child
and believe in our cause.  It has happened many times and you can find
a history at http://www.AKidsRight.Org/events.htm

But this is different. I'm not asking for jail here. I hope I have
addressed the support issue with honesty and Faith.  I have nothing to
hide.  What do I do?  It's a question many of us have faced.

How many of you have relocated children and faced the decision of how
to keep a strong relationship with them in the face of not only
financial pressures -- but also the risk of having driving and other
professional licenses revoked?  How can one person even begin to
respond?  Many of you reached different decisions than I did & that is
fine.  This is not 'one size fits all', we each have to follow our
conscience.

But how do we change the 'system' -- not with anger, but with Faith,
love & sacrifice.

Noncooperation in Jail
----------------------
I've talked about this with a few people and I think I may have a
plan. If the Judge says, "Go to jail."  I will just lay down on the
floor and be polite, but passive. I will talk to them, but I won't
help in any way or answer any processing questions. Anywhere they want
me, they can carry me (and probably drop me - ouch!).

In my jail time I've seen how they handle uncooperative prisoners. 
They limit communication, use of the phone, and put you by
yourself. It doesn't bother jail officials that much, nor me.

But I will also make them feed me and keep me hydrated.  I'm not going
to cooperate by eating or drinking for them -- they can use an IV and
feeding tube.  I'm their total responsibility.  PLEASE UNDERSTAND this
in no suicide wish or hunger strike.  My goal is not to hurt myself,
but to make them expend an uncomfortable amount of effort to keep me
in custody.  Most small jails can't run an IV and they would have to
move me to some type of hospital setting.

Risks, Sacrifice & Reward
-------------------------
How long will this noncooperation go on?  I don't know.  I just plan
on taking it one day at a time. Depending on how they 'care' for me
there are risks involved.  Any medical procedure can cause a problem.
Severe dehydration could cause irreversible organ damage.

As the primary Coordinator for the group, you can certainly say I've
got an obligation to 'practice what I preach.'  I'll be quite honest
that I see a difficult road ahead with possibly devastating
consequences in my personal life.  I'm very glad my son, Domenic, is
13 years old and can understand what is happening and why.

Amazingly enough, I feel quite comfortable with this decision. It
feels right.  Oh, I'm sure there will be some painful moments -- but
will anything bad(evil) happen.  No. I am quite sure of that.

Faith in a Loving God
---------------------
A key part of the historical participants in NonViolent Action has
been a sense of Faith, http://www.AKidsRight.Org/civil_back.htm -- I
certainly feel that now.  The part of me that is an analytical, a
former Air Force pilot and engineer, is totaling up the pluses &
minuses of this and not liking the answer.

The part of me that has Faith in the loving God, 'Abba', Daddy
described by Jesus of Nazareth is not so worried.  I know that in my
heart my Love for Domenic is a burning fire that does not go out.
When I think of a Divine Daddy whose heart burns with an even greater
love for me -- why worry?

Like many of you my Faith isn't in concrete.  Sometimes I find it easy
to believe, sometimes not.  I like to 'think' I believe most of the
time.  Certainly, we expand our Faith when we take physical actions
that only make sense if the Faith is real. I feel that here.

Your Help 
--------- 
Your FEEDBACK is welcome. Certainly publicity and public attention
will help bring a positive outcome.  You can expect more details in a
future message.

Right now the scheduled Court date is April 3rd in Syracuse Family
Court, Judge David Klim.  I am very fortunate to be represented by a
very capable attorney in this matter: Mr. Charles Keller, a former SU
Law school faculty member.  The same public defender who got over 30
sets of charges dismissed for my NonViolent Actions at the Federal
Building.  We are doing everything we can to defeat a finding of
contempt.

I hope the April 3rd date will change.  My son, Domenic, will be
with me from March 27th - April 3rd for Spring Break. We are both
looking forward to that without disturbance.

Best regards!
-- 
                                       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/

=======================================
Newsletter mailing list
Newsletter@kids-right.org  subscribe/unsubscribe info below:
http://kids-right.org/mailman/listinfo/newsletter