Merry Christmas/ Taking action/ Father who loved guns more!

jmurtari@AKidsRight.org

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Good People & People of Faith:

My best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season!
This message is a bit different from some others.  I don't know about
you, but the continual flood of 'talk' in email is a little
depressing.  Almost all talk and very little action?

Even more depressing it seems to be important to announce anytime a
Mother or Father makes the news for child abuse, or maybe for the
thousandth time we need to hear of the evils of Feminism or those foul
Masculinists!  I really don't think those announcements and the
attitude behind them is going to bring reform a step closer. You?

In this Christmas season, let's take a lesson from the person whose
birth we celebrate -- the strongest statement we can make for positive
change is accompanied by personal sacrifice -- not by pointing out the
faults of others... You?

What action will you take?
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In the last few months the messages have asked people to respond
with what they were willing to 'sacrifice' to make reform a reality
for others -- one person seemed ready to actually do something.

What do you think about that?   What are you willing to do?

He loved his [guns] more!
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I hope the subject didn't sound a too sensational, but it's true.  I
knew a Father who loved his children, but was afraid to take any
'action' for reform (which might involve the risk of arrest!) --
because he loved his [guns]!

He enjoyed firearms as a hobby and had a 'pistol permit' in NY, which
has pretty tough gun laws.  He told me it was one of his few remaining
pleasures, and as much as he cared about reform -- he couldn't risk
doing anything that might result in losing his [guns]!  Imagine that!

Pretty strange guy, don't you think?  Now, I don't want to get into
the pluses and minuses of [guns] and the law -- but can you relate to
that attitude?  [Guns] before reform?

He had plenty of bad stuff to say about the politicians and judges and
(let's not forget), the lawyers!  How selfish they were and uncaring
and how they aren't doing anything to help family rights!!!!!

Would you be willing to give up [guns] for reform?
--------------------------------------------------
I would certainly think so, probably 95% of you don't even care if you
own a gun -- it's easy!  But think of something else, just replace
[guns] with something else important too you.  Think of something more
precious that getting the Civil Right to be presumed FIT & EQUAL parents
to our children?

How about [reputation], [nice home], [nice job], ......

Right now reform is considered political 'suicide' by any politician.
They don't want to lose their nice jobs either.  How hard it is for us
to remember most of them haven't been through the system and lost real
contact with their children -- they don't understand?

How many of you care about "Prisoner rights/treatment!"  Probably not
very many right now, but if you get to spend a few days in one of our
jails (as I have in the past), you might become more sensitive to the
topic (as I have) and stop being thoughtless and selfish!!!

A "repeat" Confession
----------------------
With all that being said.  I'm amazed at the amount of mistakes I have
made over the past years.  I have talked about some of those in past
list messages.  I accept half the responsibility for the pain my child
has been put through and the destruction of a "normal" family life for
him.  I can think of many occasions in my life where if I had
demonstrated more Faith, not only in God, but in myself; and more
love, and more of a willingness to sacrifice of myself for others --
this would have been a completely different ball game!

[ I want to say I always feel uncomfortable when I hear people's
stories of how they got cut off from their kids -- and they don't
mention what they could have done to avoid it. What mistakes they
made.  I wonder if these are "perfect victims?"  Do we need people
like that testifying before Congress?  Isn't this about the right of
"average" people to nurture their own children, of "below average"
parents to raise their own kids? ]

Everytime the FEEDBACK comes in I'm aware of all the errors I've made
in trying to help in our reform efforts.  The great ideas that
weren't followed up on, failures to get more people involved, the
emails that weren't answered at all, or were answered poorly, and more....

Right now, you know how many other people have committed to
participating in future events, in taking action -- ZERO. If you think
you might, send me a message.

Want to know what else needs to be confessed.  If the phone rang
today, and my former spouse said, "John, I've had a change of heart. I
want to share equal custody of Dom with you, I'll be moving back to
New York soon..."

Do you think I'd risk arrest anymore -- I might not?  I would do a lot
more letter writing, calling, etc....  Would it mean I would not think
NonViolent Action was important, no.  But I would be admitting my own
lack of Faith, my own unwillingness to continue to be a "guinea pig"
to see if these great sounding ideas actually work.  The talk of the
loving God above -- well .... let's just hedge our bets ... just in
case.

That is why I say that among you, there are going to be people that
really bring focus to this effort. People who stoe forward to
sacrifice who have children that hate them, or may not have any
children at all -- they are sacrificing for a goal they will never get
to enjoy.  They will be truly admired.

A prayer for Family Rights (worth repeating)
-------------------------------------------
Almighty and ever-living God, hear our prayer for justice. Give us the
courage and Faith we need to meet the challenges of reform.  Help all
people recognize the rights of parents to be secure and treated equally
in their ability to love their children.  Inspire us to follow your
example of divine love not only for our children, but for all our
brothers and sisters.  Amen.

-- 
                                       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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