[AKidsRight.Org] Plans for Upcoming Rally in Syracuse / Your FEEDBACK

jmurtari@akidsright.org

Good People & People of Faith,

This message contains info on:
1. Current News
2. Plans for Upcoming Rally in Syracuse
3. Your FEEDBACK

1. Current News
----------------
It appears the Judge may have done all of us a favor by not giving
John Murtari an early release and making him stay in jail until
Dec. 1st. Full details at http://www.AKidsRight.Org/support_jm.htm.
John was happy to be busy with interviews last week, some additional
stories ran on TV, the local paper, and the web after our last list
message.  Story links follow below.  Please thank the reporters, 
editors, and producers.  

News10Now (Syracuse, NY)
http://news10now.com/content/all_news/?ArID=86483&SecID=83
http://www.news10now.com/content/contact_us

NEWSDAY (NYC Area)
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny-brf--fastinginmate1117nov17,0,7376997.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork
Letters to the Editor, e-mail letters@newsday.com
Op-ed submissions, e-mail oped@newsday.com

WCAX-TV, Channel 3 News (Vermont)
4QcSnews@wcax.com">http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=5699028&nav=4QcSnews@wcax.com
General Manager: pmartin@wcax.com

WSTM.com, NBC 3 (Syracuse, NY)
http://www.wstm.com/Global/story.asp?S=5699028&nav=2aKD
news@wstm.com

Post Standard Newspaper (Syracuse, NY)
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/post_standard_11_16_2006.jpg

Glenn Sacks Newsletter
http://www.glennsacks.com/enewsletters/enews_11_21_06.htm

Popular Blogs:
http://www.mensnewsdaily.com/author/teri
http://www.mensinterests.com/parents-rights-activist-murtari-reaches-new-heights

2. Plans for Upcoming Rally in Syracuse
----------------------------------------
We are making some plans for a "rally" at the Syracuse Federal
Building.  There are Congressional offices there, most importantly
that of Senator Hillary Clinton.  Here are some planning issues we are
struggling with and your thoughts, especially if you have planned or
participated in a rally, are welcome.  We want your FEEDBACK.

Is mid-December a good time or should we wait till early next year?
Do we need guidelines for participants regarding our message and the
signs we carry?  Do we keep the "big tent" approach and get diverse
groups present?  Most importantly, what are the rally goals?  I'll
share some thoughts below to get our discussion started.

Rally Goals
------------
To show loving mothers & fathers united in their goal of getting a
Federal Family Rights Act passed
(http://www.AKidsRight.Org/approach.htm).  To bring media attention on
Sen. Clinton and get her to meet with parents hurt by the system
(http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionc_syr/agenda.htm).  To convince
Sen. Clinton and the general public we need Congressional hearings
into a broken system that violates the basic human rights of parents &
children.  To tell the public stories of love between parents & kids
and the tremendous pain caused by unjust separation.

NOT Rally Goals
----------------
Child Support.  Fathers Rights.  Mothers Rights.  The Divorce
Industry.  Legal System Corruption.  Bad examples of Judges, lawyers,
or other professionals.  Evil former spouses.

Timing of rally
----------------
Mid December may be a bad time, even though it initially sounded good
to me.  I get out of jail on Dec. 1st and will be travelling to see my
son for our weekend Dec. 7-11.  As discussed in our last message
(http://www.AKidsRight.Org/archive/archive2006/0048.htm), I need to
make a strong effort to bring local parents together, but meetings
won't occur until January.  Perhaps a realistic time for an effective
rally is mid-February, probably on a Monday to make travel easier.

Guidelines for Participants
----------------------------
Every parent please bring at least a 5x7 or 8x10 photo of your kids
and be ready to hold it proudly.  If you can do more, get some poster
board and tape it there along with an "I Love You" message.  Other
good messages: "Support Equal Parents," The Best Parent is BOTH
Parents," and "Sen. Clinton Help Us."

Write a brief 2 page summary of your story.  Include a picture of your
kids.  Make 3 copies that you can personally deliver to each of the
Congressional offices in the Federal Building: First Senator Clinton,
but also Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative James Walsh.  It's
okay if you are out of State.

Guidelines for Groups
---------------------
It's no problem having signs/T-shirts with your group identity as long
as the name doesn't include just one gender, i.e. FathersAndChildren.
The more of a coalition we can show the better it is -- without
defeating our goals.  While I know Fathers-4-Justice allows mothers to
be members, I had to ask.  In a rally the people seeing a newspaper
picture or watching a 30 second story on TV will not be able to ask
questions.  How many men would be motivated to contact a
Mothers-4-Justice group?  Without knowing more, how sympathetic would
they be to their goals?

[READ CAREFULLY] I can think of two names immediately, the American
Coalition of Fathers and Children (ACFC) and Fathers-4-Justice
(F-4-J).  I know good people from both groups.  They both are doing
fine jobs and the F-4-J folks have been especially supportive during
my current jail experience.  More than any other group they have done
the most to raise public awareness regarding family law.

I just don't think names of that type which use just one gender will
further the political goals of the planned rally.  They may be quite
effective in other situations.

I firmly believe the strongest weapon opponents have against reform is
to turn moms & dads against each other and make this a gender war.  We
all lose.  We are at a stage in the effort where we need politicians
to join us.  None of them wants to be seen as taking sides in a
potential gender war.  It's a no-win situation for them and us.

Some may disagree and your FEEDBACK is welcome.

3. Your FEEDBACK
-----------------

--- Jim Bailey <Jim@handsonequalparent.org.nz>

> John is a Legend. Please pass our encouragement from New Zealand

--- Mark Bitara <mtbitara@hotmail.com>

> I admire John for all that he's doing. May we get the reform that's
> long overdue!

--- Robert G. Lasheff <wordpress@mensinterests.com>

> I am proud of John and all the men and women who know right from
> wrong and will stand up and say so God Bless.  

--- Clive Purt <euroden@bigpond.net.au>

> If you are able to talk to John, please tell him he has Real Guts
> and as a very part time Dad I am very much in his debt for "Standing
> - Up" in the manor that he has so far.

> Very kind regards to John Murtari and all his supports in the U.S.

--- Eduardo Vallejo <evallejo@homefundsdirect.com>

> Dear John,
>
> As Thanksgiving approaches, we the national (and international)
> members of the Action For Justice (AFJ) network of concerned parents
> and grandparents, want you to know that we will set a place for you
> at our table. You will be in all our hearts around the country and
> hopefully around the world. We recently have new members from South
> Africa that have joined our cause. Together we will all triumph over
> this great INJUSTICE to our children, grandchildren and families
> around the world.  We consider you the honorable President of our
> AFJ network. God bless you and we will all be with you next week.
>
> Ed
> Member
> www.action4justicenow.com

-- 
                                       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