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Invitation for a Meeting of the National Parents Leadership Council / Your goals for reform?
From: John Murtari (jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org)
This is a message from a mailing list, members@kids-right.org Unsubscribe instructions at bottom of message. ====================================================================== Good People & People of Faith: I think the subject of the message says it all -- a National Parents Leadership Council (sort of has a nice ring to it!). Many people have talked about the need for one and it would be an important next step in our movement toward serious Family Law reform. Do you think you should be on the Council? Do you think your group should be represented? What does the Council stand for? What are its goals? Is it a "big tent" or a grouping of just the "serious groups". At the end of this message I have MY LISTS, please send yours in! Meeting Date/Location/Time -------------------------- I would like to get started the weekend of Father's Day in Washington, D.C. I've travelled down there the last three years for events but we just don't seem to be gaining any "traction." It's nice to meet the people I have emailed personally and it's valuable in forming relationships, but I'd like to see some more things happen this year. It's an 8 hour drive one way for me and I want it to be worth it! PLEASE -- to all the Moms -- this is not a Father or Dad meeting by far. It is for "parents." But that weekend in DC can be one of the greater collection of parents involved in reform. As things progress and we have events for both Mother's and Father's Days, members of the council should participate in both. It would be nice to get a meeting on a neutral date, but it would be hard to get folks to travel to a meeting for a group that doesn't even exist yet. So ... sometime on June 14th or 15th in downtown Washington near the Mall for about two hours. Does anyone have a meeting room that could be used, a recommended time. Please contact me. Check the National Parents Leadership Council web site at http://www.NationalPLC.org/ for final details and maps. It appears the biggest events that weekend will be associated with the MillionDadsMarch, http://www.MillionDadsMarch.org/ -- we should try to avoid conflicts. Meeting Agenda/Goals -------------------- We won't be there to talk policy or strategy since obviously we would all talk and no one would be listening (or need to listen!) The first goal is about a two hour meeting used to connect names, email addresses, faces, and personal stories. To get to know each other and ask each other questions: Where are you from? What do you do? Where are your kids? What happened that got you involved in all this? We will let technology take care of the "here is what my group is about, what we stand for, what we want...." via the web site, http://www.NationalPLC.org/ I encourage you to go there and register (even if you think you can't make the first meeting in DC). There is an integrated database and your information will be immediately visible and you can update it as desired. As the list grows a search capability will be added. A private mailing list will be used to support communication between group members. A series of questions at the web site will let you define your group to others (and maybe to yourselves!). If you think we need different questions and answers -- let me know. They can be added in minutes. The only other goal will be to set a date/location for the next meeting. PLC Organization ---------------- Obviously there isn't any right now. That will be for the group members to decide as things progress. I've registered a domain name and manage the web site for now. Hopefully, that will all come under control of the group (even if I'm not a member!). What the Group will stand for. ------------------------------ This is what it is all about. I don't know about you, but at times when I talk to other parents about reform and goals -- I feel like I'm mingling at a meeting of the Communist Party during the Cultural Revolution in China: "Is what that person saying really orthodox?", "Should I really associate with what they are promoting.", "I never realized what radicals they are -- maybe I should turn them in!", "Are they just giving me lip service and keeping their own secret agenda?", "Should I tell them what I really think, or will I need their help in the future? Will they turn me in!" Obviously, the Groups goals should represent our goals as parents. Here is "my" list below. Please send yours in and we will distribute in an upcoming FEEDBACK message (stick to sound bite size). My Concept of BASIC RIGHTS -------------------------- * Recognition of the intrinsic right we have to raise and nurture our * own children free of government interference through either divorce, * separation, or social services. * A child has a right to two parents involved in their lives (whether * they like them or not!). When they turn 18 and can manage their * own "rights", they can choose to never see you again! * A good parent has a right to be an equal parent. An average parent * has a right to be an equal parent. A poor parent has a right to be * an equal parent. * Children do not get to pick their parents. My ESSENTIAL LIST (mostly derived from the rights above) ----------------- * Through divorce or separation, each parent has equal time with the * children as they can negotiate. If they can't, alternating weeks. * Shared legal custody, both parents staying informed. When they * can't agree one parent is designed as "tie breaker" based on what * they negotiated as area of responsibility or alternating schedule. * If they can't, alternating years. If the other parent disagrees * strongly on a tie-breaker decision, they can go to mediation/court. * Before a court can interfere with your relationship with your kids * through divorce, separation, social service (child abuse). Society * has the burden of proof that you are an unfit parent and a * demonstrated threat to the safety of your kids. You have the * protection of a unanimous verdict from a jury of your peers. * If there is an "emergency" need to issue a temporary order that * would interfered with your relationship, you have a right to speedy * trial in 30-60 days. * The PLC should be open to Mother's and Father's groups and those * seeking reform of child abuse laws. * No violence necessary for reform to happen. * A parent chosing to move away for whatever reason will be given time * during the summer/school vacations. It is not a reason to move the * kids from the other parent. My IMPORTANT LIST ----------------- * Money and support orders need to be based on REAL income only and * are adjusted automatically based on 1040 income (when required). * The idea of a "psychological evaluation" to determine who parents * the children should become a thing of the past. * Children should not testify. But if they must, or if they are * "evaluated" by a professional -- the entire session must be * videotaped and made available. The child must speak for themselves. * Society should focus on providing voluntary "services" to parents who * may need help. * No name calling necessary for reform to happen. ================================================================== 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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