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Roadmap to Reform: Is now the appropriate time for public action?

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From: Webmaster (webmaster@kids-right.org)
Date: Tue Sep 25 2001 - 09:24:50 EDT


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Good People,

We have gotten a few messages that we should delay public efforts
calling for a National Family Rights Act.  You saw some of them in our
last Feedback message.  Perhaps we are "too close" to the issue to make
an objective decision. How about taking a look at the efforts in the
50's and 60's to overcome segregation -- spanning the Korean War, the
Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War.

Back then we weren't doing anything as serious as separating African
American families -- but many in the U.S. weren't going to allow
Niggers to use the same bathroom, drink out of the same water fountain,
or sit with them on a bus (Oh, sorry, we used the 'N' word there -- but
that's what people called them back then, and for a good many folks and
many good folks, both White and Black, the use of the word Nigger
wouldn't even raise an eyebrow). Sort of the same way being an NCP (Non
Custodial Parent), and having visitation with your children, doesn't
raise many eyebrows now.

[NOTE - we are going to continue to use the 'N' word here. In the year
2001 it just sounds so "wrong", such a symbol of denigration of human
character (but not in 1950).  For each and every one of you who were
separated from your children without a strong presumption of equality,
without representation by Counsel, and most of all, without protection
of a Jury of your peers -- you have been treated just as badly.]

What would you have told a Nigger back then?  I imagine it would have
depended on what they were going to do.

* You gonna write your member of Congress -- thats okay.
* You gonna riot and throw fire bombs and break windows -- probably not.
* Demonstrating peace - okay.
* Demonstrating violence - probably not.
* You gonna peacefully sit in the White part of the bus until you get
arrested, and then go quietly to jail -- just to show your rights are
being violated -- well, okay.

We know what Martin Luther King did and the judgement of history is
that it was not a problem.  Now, that is not to say that a lot of
people back then didn't think it was a problem (or preferred it be seen
as a problem) -- but in the long run we don't remember what they said.

So ....  if you see Family Law Reform as something that needs a little
dose of violence (just to help public attention) -- then maybe you
should stop.  If you plan on protesting with a little hatred, e.g.
have a parade, do a little name calling out in public -- maybe not.

BUT -- if you are tired of being a modern day Nigger, and you have
Faith, and you feel that just yelling and blaming others is NOT going
to make you less of a Nigger -- then maybe you should continue in your
efforts.  If you feel that a positive affirmation of YOUR LOVE for YOUR
CHILDREN should be all that it takes -- go right ahead!  God knows the
World could certainly use some example of that.

What are we doing on October 15th?  What are we asking you to join?  It
is certainly not a "protest".  We are there to petition our
Congressional Representatives. People who appear to feel safe in
ignoring our requests to discuss the introduction of a Family Right
Act.  Now we disagree with them, and that is part of the political
process (and disagreement doesn't mean hatred and is no excuse for name
calling).

When we go into that building on the 15th, it will be because we want
to demonstrate OUR LOVE for OUR CHILDREN (and, by the way, we will let
the building manager know we are coming, as we have in the past).  We
will do this by risking arrest as we carry pictures of our children in
the halls.

Why? Because we have elected officials who have continually refused to
have meetings to discuss the need for reform. They are not helping us
in the first stop of the process of "How a Bill Becomes A Law." Now,
are some people going to say this is a time of National Crisis, and
wouldn't you come back later -- probably.  Are they right -- no.

We certainly hope you weren't offended by the Nigger analogy. No
analogy is perfect, but please use it as a tool to help you rethink
attitudes.  A war between mostly Whites, set the Niggers free, but it
took about a hundred more years for them to stand up, and stand tall,
and refuse to see themselves as Niggers -- and guess what.  When they
stopped seeing themselves as Niggers, we didn't see them that way
either.

To quote some cliches, "The world changes when we do", and "You must
become the change you wish to see in the world."  Now is the right time
for a campaign to restore the rights of Family, the rights of parents
to nurture our children.  When the President talked about protecting
our freedom and values -- I can think of nothing more valuable. As a
former Military Officer, would I find people back home peacefully
calling for protection of their Civil Rights -- a distraction from my
mission overseas?  Hardly, rather -- it is the VERY purpose of my
mission.

But one last, and very important point to all the people on this list
who are NCPs (Non Custodial Parents, Visiting Parents, Parents that
need monitoring).  If you could get all your wishes granted in Court,
would it require treating your former spouse as an NCP?  How can we
ever expect people watching our action to support our goals, when we
still want to label the mother/father of our child an NCP?  Take a
little time, write to us, and tell us why -- after all you have been
through -- the reasons you would (would not) be willing to share an
equal relationship with the other parent.


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