[AKidsRight.Org] Personal news/ Senator Clinton - Who are we? What do we want? How?

jmurtari@akidsright.org

Good People & People of Faith,

I have been organizing an effort to get our US Senator (and future
Presidential candidate), Hillary R. Clinton, to meet with parents
about the recognition & protection of our Civil Right to raise our own
children.  Senator Clinton is up for reelection this fall in New
York. For more details on this: http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionc_syr

The last few months have been quiet and I'd like to update everyone on
what has happened to me personally and also discuss future plans.

A Family Event
--------------
My Mama, Caterina Murtari (89), passed away on January 29th. She'd
been coping with gradually progressing liver failure -- and last
September she had quite a decline and had to spend two weeks in the
Hospital.  They sent her back home, on a stretcher, and I was able to
care for her these past months.  Many of you have had similar
experiences.  It is a lot of work, but well worth it...

Many of us criticize the government, but the HOSPICE program, that
'supports' you in caring for a terminally ill family member at home,
is a great thing.  They made it much easier for me.  Aids came 2-3
times/week to help with personal care, and an RN also visited every
week.  They even supplied equipment she needed -- all at no cost.

My son, Domenic (13), was moved out West and I was concerned he would
probably not see her again after completing his Summer visit with me.
We were fortunate her health rebounded late in the year and she was
able to have a good Christmas with all of us -- just like old times!
After Dom left, she entered a steep decline.

I can't say how grateful I was to have Domenic here for her funeral.
I have no brothers or sisters and it was nice to have him by my side.
Even before he came here, he helped prepare a Funeral Program for her.
He's webmaster of the Family web site, http://www.murtari.org/

The morning of the day the first calling hours were scheduled. We both
sat down and went through old photo albums.  We created three boards
of photos to bring to the Funeral Home.  It was great being able to
remember the good times together....

How about you?
--------------
During quiet moments I couldn't help but think of all the events in
Dom's life that her & I had both missed. It bothered me for a while,
until I thought about many of you...  How many have buried a parent,
or brother, or sister -- and no child beside you?  How many of your
kids never got to appreciate the love Grandma or Grandpa had to offer?
How many think of your own burial -- with the anticipation your own
children will not be there?  What a tragedy.

And how many will not be there NOT because of a Court Order, but
because they do not even WANT to be there?  What a crying out against
what the present system does to families.

How pitiful are we as parents?  In response to such tremendous
injustice all we do is send email or write letters?  What little Faith
we have in our cause, in the power of our love?

Who are We & What do we want?
-----------------------------
Basic questions that need to be answered before any Civil Rights
movement matures.  Here are some thoughts:

We are not the Mothers-4-This or the Fathers-against-That or the
Victims-of-Child-Protective-Services.  We are ALL parents.

I don't know about you, but personally, I can't get excited about a
rebuttable presumption of shared parenting?  I fall asleep after
reading the sixth paragraph of exceptions.  I don't think the fix is
giving the Social Workers from Child Protective Service better
training and better supervision.  Maybe more sensitivity training?

If we are leaders (and followers) we need to make sure our goal is BIG
enough.  Paragraph after paragraph of legal mumbo-jumbo does not a
Civil Right make.

Good, Average, or Poor -- we are Fit & Equal parents.

Before a Court can intervene between us & our children we must first
be convicted, in a criminal court, and with the protection of the
unanimous verdict of a jury -- of demonstrated conduct that was a
serious threat to the safety of our kids. That we are a 'Bad' Parent.

A hurdle
--------
Good, Average, or Poor -- are we Fit & Equal parents?  Can it be the
real problem is we don't accept this.  We don't really want to be
equal with the OTHER parent.  It really would be BEST for MY child, if
I had primary control.  Really, it would!  My complaint is not really
with the system, just the result....they didn't pick me!  How pitiful
are we?

What's next with You & Me & Senator Clinton?
--------------------------------------------
In the past my NonViolent Action (http://www.AKidsRight.Org/events.htm) 
have always been tempered by my concern for Mama and the impact any
long jail sentence might have. There is a greater freedom now.

Many of you have helped in many ways during these efforts.  Last year,
another mother, Cathy Hughes, was ready to risk Jail with me -- but we
need more parents.  Some people tell me the web site describes the
actions of a 'one man band'.  There may be some truth in that, but it
is not one man out of desire.  I am ever so conscious that with more
people, the more rapid our progress will be toward reform.  I
constantly look for those willing to join directly in the effort,
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/checklist.html -- but I also have to do what
I can do.  That is my duty as a parent.

Many times in the past some people have questioned the focus on
Senator Clinton.  That she has a different 'agenda.'  Well, I think we
all know she is a good politician and she wants to be reelected, and
she wants to be our next President.  It's also true that the Civil
Rights movements of the past eventually enjoyed very broad based
support.   Are we there yet?  

I firmly believe that parents practicing NonViolent Action can bring
out the 'sea change' we need in political opinion.  Demonstrating
personal sacrifice for the love of our kids allows us to touch the
hearts of the Public, including the many who have not experienced
being separated from their kids.

Beginning in April
------------------
I'm taking this time to get personal affairs in order and to take care
of work items (so I can keep my job!)  I hope some of you will join me
in Syracuse.  I hope to form a cadre of parents who will have experienced
NonViolent Action first hand. Who can then return to other areas of
the State and lead similar efforts to get Senator Clinton's attention
to the most important issue affecting our nation -- Family Rights!
Interested -- please call my phone number below.

Can a Judge or 'Social Services' or 'foster home' replace parents?
------------------------------------------------------------------
Encyclical Letter 'Deus Caritas Est' (God is Love)
Pope Benedict the 16th (an excerpt) 
----------------------

   ... Love 'caritas' will always prove necessary, even in the most
   just society. There is no ordering of the State so just that it can
   eliminate the need for a service of love. Whoever wants to
   eliminate love is preparing to eliminate man as such. ... There
   will always be situations of material need where help in the form
   of concrete love of neighbor is indispensable.  

   The State which would provide everything, absorbing everything into
   itself, would ultimately become a mere bureaucracy incapable of
   guaranteeing the very thing which the suffering person--every
   person--needs: namely, loving personal concern.

   LINK to entire letter. Very readable: 
   http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est_en.html

-----------------------------------------------------

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/

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