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NonViolent Action (Lady Lytton) / Speakers for Reform / Hearing in Michigan
From: Webmaster (webmaster@kids-right.org)
This is a message from a mailing list, members@kids-right.org http://www.kids-right.org/ To unsubscribe from this list at anytime, send email to Majordomo@kids-right.org with the following 1 line in the BODY of the message (Subject is ignored). unsubscribe members ====================================================================== Good People, This message contains information on: 1. Readings in NonViolent Action - Lady Constance Lytton. 2. Public Hearings in Michigan - Dec 13, can you attend? 3. Legislative Resource - powerful speakers. 4. Syracuse Update - what's next? 1. Readings in NonViolent Action - Lady Constance Lytton is Forcibly Fed in an English Jail (18 Jan 1910) ------------------------------------------------------------------- The following is a historical quote about the effort and sacrifice involved in winning a right that many now take for granted: the right of a woman to vote. We DO NOT want this read as an example of NonViolent Action, we DO NOT recommend hunger strikes. But PLEASE LOOK at what this woman was willing to sacrifice (she could have suffered serious injury, even death, from the forced feeding). As we watch parents and children (and ourselves!) unjustly separated, today, what are we willing to sacrifice? Not as a demonstration of our anger, but to show our love. In her own words: I was visited by the Senior Medical Officer, who asked me how long I had been without food. I said I had eaten a buttered scone and a banana on Friday about midnight. He said, "Oh, then, this is the fourth day; that is too long, I must feed you at once." He urged me to take food voluntarily. I told him that was absolutely out of the question, that when our legislators ceased to resist letting women vote then I should cease to resist taking food in prison. Two of the guards took hold of my arms, one held my head and one my feet. The doctor leaned on my knees as he stooped over my chest to get at my mouth. I shut my mouth and clenched my teeth. He seemed annoyed at my resistance and he broke into a temper as he plied my teeth with the steel implement. He dug his instrument down and it pressed fearfully on the gums. The pain of it was intense and at last I must have given way for he got the gag between my teeth, when he proceeded to turn it much more than necessary until my jaws were fastened wide apart, far more than they would go naturally. Then he put down my throat a tube which seemed to me much too wide and was something like four feet in length. The irritation of the tube was excessive. I choked the moment it touched my throat until it had got down. Then the food was poured in quickly; it made me vomit a few seconds after it was down and the action of my sickness made my body and legs double up, but the guards instantly pressed back my head and the doctor leaned on my knees. The horror of it was more than I can describe. I was sick over the doctor and the guards ... When the doctor had gone out of the cell, I lay quite helpless. The guards were kind and knelt round to comfort me, but there was nothing to be done. I had been sick over my hair, all over the wall near my bed, and my clothes seemed saturated with it, but the guards told me they could not give me a change that night as the office was shut. Before long I heard the sounds of the forced feeding in the next cell to mine. It was almost more than I could bear, it was Elsie Howey. When the ghastly process was over and all quiet, I tapped on the wall and called out at the top of my voice, which wasn't much just then, "No surrender," and there came her reply, "No surrender." -- above taken from "Eyewitness to History" by John Carey, 1987, Avon Books, page 423 2. Public Hearings in Michigan - can you attend? ---------------------------------------- We got a message from a member in Michigan, Kathy Miller, krist@prodigy.net, please contact her with questions: "Since my case was posted on the Hall of Shame, Clarkston MI, the Michigan Supreme Court is holding Public Administrative Hearings regarding Family Court Reorganization. I forwarded your internet site to the State Court Administrator's Office in Lansing who was corresponding with me regarding my case in Oakland County. I have submitted written suggestions to Chief Justice Maura Corrigan regarding Family Court Reorganization & received notice from the Administrative Counsel I have been added to the list of speakers for the Public Administrative Hearing scheduled for December 13, 2001. The Public Administrative Hearing is scheduled for December 13, 2001 from 9:30-11:30, in the courtroom located on the second floor of the G. Mennen Williams Building, 525 West Ottawa St., Lansing, MI. Any questioning of the speakers by the Justices will take place after that time. Maybe I will get lucky but I doubt the Justices want to question someone who was abused by the system." http://www.AKidsRight.Org/shame.htm 3. Legislative Resource - powerful speakers. ------------------------------------------- As part of our efforts at Legislative reform and the passage of a Family Rights Act -- we can expect to see Congressional Hearings held and testimony made. Right now our effort is focused on getting Members of Congress to take a public position and call for hearings to investigate the need for reform. Many of us who are active in reform have attended meetings and had the chance to hear people speak on the need for reform. We'd like to collect a list of "professionals" who would be willing to testify before Congress. Remember, the most important testimony will come from parents deprived of a chance to raise their own children -- but the people below will certainly help in the effort. They will be shown in order by State/Country. If you know someone, please contact them and ask if they would be willing to testify -- then send us their information. Mr. Dean Tong (Florida) - An author of many books on custody issues and an excellent speaker. He has testified in many Court cases across the country and also knows about the "system" from first hand experience. He has an excellent web site at: http://www.abuse-excuse.com/ Mr. Chester Darling (Massachusetts) - An experienced Constitutional attorney who has argued cases in the U.S. Supreme Court. He presents a powerful speech about the issues of "rights" and how our present system of Family Law is out of control. Read more about "rights" at http://www.julyfourth.net/ Dr. Robert Fay (New York) - A forensic Pediatrician who is soft spoken, but presents many examples of how our system to protect "child abuse," often ends up abusing innocent people (including the children). Professor Gladden Schrock (Vermont) - Author (Pulitzer prize nominee) and Professor at Bennington College. A very effective speaker on gender issues and the "psychology" of reform. (For more details on Legislative reform see: http://www.AKidsRight.Org/legislat.htm 4. Syracuse Update - What's next? --------------------------------- John Murtari is taking a "break" from his efforts at the Syracuse Federal Building. He will have his Son for 10 days over Christmas and does not want to see that threatened -- they are both looking forward to the time together. A more detailed message should be sent out later in the week. http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionb_sy ================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list at anytime, send email to Majordomo@kids-right.org with the following 1 line in the BODY of the message (Subject is ignored). unsubscribe members
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