[AKidsRight.Org] Bill's Walk, GA/ Iagatta Eviction, MA/ No spank, CA / Your HELP needed!

jmurtari@AKidsRight.org

Good People & People of Faith,

This message has info on:

1. Join Bill's walk for reform - Feb 20, Atlanta, Georgia 
2. Dan Iagatta - paraplegic eviction by 'family' court, Feb 9, Massachusetts
3. Presumption of Fit Parents - Philosophy Dept Chairman, Ohio State.
4. California - no spanking bill expected to pass?!
5. AKidsRight.Org - Your help needed and welcome!

1. Join Bill's walk for reform - Feb 20, Atlanta, Georgia 
------------------------------------------------------
Bill Sears (billsarena@gmail.com) is the teenage son of Sam Sears
(searsmall@gmail.com).  He has become active in the EQUAL parenting
effort and did a nice job in testimony before the Georgia State
Legislature, you can see his video testimony at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGAT6dOzR-k 

He is being supported in his efforts by a Family Law reform group,
http://www.gachildsupport.org/ and they have more information on his
activities.  You are welcome to join in his 'walk' that day:

> Summary::	Bill's Walk for Shared Parenting 
> Date-Time::	Feb 20, 2007 - 7:30am to ?
> Location::	Atlanta Georgia - State Capital
> Group-Name::	Bill's Arena
> Web-Site::	http://www.billsarena.com/
> Phone:        678-534-8372

> Description:: Teenager Bill is working to make shared parenting the
> law of Georgia for ALL of Georgia's Youth.  Be sure you check out
> his walk and keep up on his Lobbying Efforts.  If you can't make it
> to the walk, be sure to sign the Guestbook/Join the Walk section as
> it is being presented to the State Legislature as people supporting
> Family Law Reform.  Also, there is a ride share board coming soon in
> order to assist people with finding a ride.  Many featured speakers
> have committed to participating and more will be announced.

2. Dan Iagatta - paraplegic eviction by 'family' court, Feb 9, Massachusetts
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by: "Judi Smith-Phelps" <judi.smithphelps@oh.f4j.us>

[We highly recommend you take the time to call the Governor's office.
Prior phone calls caused a 'delay' in the eviction date.  We hope more
will cause a stop in the eviction and an investigation into what
happened.]

For full details: http://www.f4j.us/

Dan was a volunteer Foxboro firefighter, pilot and ran a successful
plumbing business before being hit by a car while training for a
triathlon in 2004. Weeks after coming home from the hospital Dan's
wife, an RN, filed for divorce. The state invested $100,000 to make
Dan's childhood home handicap accessible...

Dan Iagatta's newly scheduled eviction date of Friday, February 9,
2007 is fast approaching.  While some headway has been made in terms
of Governor Patrick referring Dan to Legal Aid Services for
assistance, no permanent solution has been reached to permit Dan to
maintain his homestead of 43 years....

... If you are in, or near, the Boston area and can volunteer your time
for either of the above events or upcoming events, please contact F4J
MA Coordinator George Mason ASAP at (503) 735-6615.

... please contact Governor Deval Patrick's office in reference to Dan
Iagatta (they are keenly aware of who he is thanks to your efforts)
and demand an investigation into Judge Beverly Boorstein.  This woman
has a history of crack-pot rulings including the fact that she denied
Dan a fair trial since court proceedings were held and ruled upon
while Dan was in his hospital bed at home and unable to appear on his
own behalf.  DEMAND JUSTICE!

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick

Phone: (617) 725-4005      (888) 870-7770 (instate use only)
FAX:    (617) 727-9725      TTY:    (617) 727-3666

3. Presumption of Fit Parents - Philosophy Dept Chairman, Ohio State.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by: Jules <tabu444@gmail.com>

[If you have not read his thoughts, we encourage you to visit this
link to the entire article from the Journal of Law & Family Studies:
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/parents-rights.pdf]

Abstract:

The U.S. Supreme Court regards parental rights as fundamental. Such a
status should subject any legal procedure that directly and
substantively interferes with the exercise of parental rights to
strict scrutiny. On the contrary, though, despite their status as
fundamental constitutional rights, parental rights are routinely
suspended or revoked as a result of procedures that fail to meet even
minimal standards of procedural and substantive due process. This
routine and cavalier deprivation of parental rights takes place in the
context of divorce where, during the pendency of litigation, one
parent is routinely deprived of significant parental rights without
any demonstration that a state interest exists -- much less that there
is a compelling state interest that cannot be achieved in any less
restrictive way.

In marked contrast to our current practice, treating parental rights
as fundamental rights requires a presumption of joint legal and
physical custody upon divorce and during the pendency of divorce
litigation.  The presumption may be overcome, but only by clear and
convincing evidence that such an arrangement is harmful to the
children.

4. California - no spanking bill expected to pass?!
------------------------------------------------
Submitted by: Diane Booth, <childrescuer@hotmail.com> 
                           http://www.msnusers.com/FreeVincentBooth

Send this columnist a thank you note for his article in the Orange
County Register! - Diane

STEVEN GREENHUT  <greenhut@ocregister.com>
Sr. Editorial Writer and Columnist,   The Orange County Registers

If one were to devise legislation that could be termed "totalitarian,"
it would almost certainly include these elements:

1. The authorities would be granted extreme power to police what goes
on within the privacy of a person's home.

2. Citizens would be encouraged to snitch on one another to the state.

3. Officials would have wide latitude to take children from their
parents and put them under the control of the government.

4. Offenders could be forced into re-education classes.

With these elements in mind, consider a proposal from Assemblywoman
Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, that would outlaw spanking and other
forms of corporal punishment. This legislation has generated a good
bit of heated discussion on television nationwide, but most of it has
been of the "there go those kooky Californians again" variety.

Yet there is nothing even mildly amusing about this proposal, even
though it has been reported that Lieber thought of the idea after
realizing that she has never spanked her cat. "If you never hit a cat,
you should never hit a child," she said. Of course, one typically
doesn't find oneself trying to control a temper-tantrum-throwing
calico or Siamese in the middle of Sam's Club.

And it's hard to believe that, say, mildly swatting a child on the
behind if that child is about to run out into traffic is the
equivalent of child abuse. Lieber presumably has never had a
conversation with an agitated 2-year-old, and therefore is unaware
that little tikes often behave in uncontrollable ways.

I don't advocate spanking as a rule, but it seems rather harsh to rip
a child out of a happy home and put him in some nightmare foster-care
scenario and put a parent in jail for doing something that has been
widely practiced through the history of parenting. I saw Lieber on TV,
and she refused to make any distinctions between actual abuse �
already a serious crime that should warrant punishment �and the
slightest spanking. There can be no distinctions. In her strange,
zealot's world, it's all abuse, and she will use the full force of the
state to stop it.  Lieber hasn't introduced the bill yet, so all the
details aren't known. But this much is clear: It would ban the use of
corporal punishment in private homes. It would apply only to toddlers
and infants (so you're still safe spanking your adult lover in that
mirrored bedroom). The bill could imprison for a year those convicted
of spanking or of using other means to inflict pain as a form of
discipline (ear-pulling, pinching, etc.) and impose a $1,000 fine.

Lieber's office sent along a statement offering this rationale: "The
U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child through its Committee on
the Rights of the Child has called on all member states to ban
corporal punishment and institute education programs on positive
discipline. ... The author [of a U.N. report]... says that calling for
an end to all corporal punishment is challenging, but 'children's
rights to life, survival, development, dignity and physical integrity
do not stop at the door of the family home.'"

Most U.N. member states don't have a constitution designed to protect
individual liberties or restrict the authorities at the doorstep of
private homes. It's a little creepy to base a law so directly on
something from the United Nations rather than from American traditions
of justice....

Lieber also said in news reports that she hopes the law will lead to
people coming up to strangers spanking their kids in public places and
saying, "That's against the law in California." The Sacramento County
sheriff told the Bee such encounters could be dangerous. So the author
is advocating that people go up to each other and correct their
behavior, or, presumably, call the authorities to do it for them.

... Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, the Irvine Republican who has taken a
leading role in opposing the bill, thinks Lieber probably has enough
votes for passage, given the Democratic dominance in the
Legislature. The governor has sounded a supportive note on the intent
of the bill, although he did mention a potential problem with how it
might be enforced. Given how far to the left he has drifted, it's a
good guess that he might ultimately sign it.

Have Californians reached the point where they are willing to let the
state intervene this deeply into their family lives? If the answer is
yes, then we at least ought to dispense with the fiction that we live
in a relatively free society.

5. AKidsRight.Org - Your help needed and welcome!
----------------------------------------------
I encourage folks to volunteer and help with the group web site and
mailing list. Kevin Purdy (Boulder, CO) has been steadfast for years
in handling some of our email (contact@AKidsRight.Org). Teri Stoddard
(teri@AKidsRight.Org) has done an excellent job as our PR person. We
could use more help as the group continues to grow.  If you have been
on the list for a while and feel you want to do more -- you are
welcome.  We specifically need people to:

Update our Hall of Shame - we have a growing collection of horror
stories at http://www.AKidsRight.Org/shame.htm Need someone who has
simple knowledge of web page formatting and can post parent
submissions.

Keep watch over our discussion Forum - we have a nice discussion
forum, but it needs a more active moderator to help keep out
the SPAM and junk advertising.
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/forum

Webmaster - someone who can take a more complete role in managing the
web site; updating content.  Should be comfortable with web site
design.

Mailing List/Email - able to reply to folks contacting the group,
format news items, and product new content for our list messages.

501(c)(4) Filing - anyone who can help the group organize, prepare and
submit the appropriate paperwork - truly welcome!

All these roles also include being involved in event planning for the
group, our goals and direction. There are some guidelines below.
Please give it some thought and don't hesitate to contact me:
jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org

Guidelines for Volunteering to Help
-------------------------------------
1. A parent with strong personal Faith.
2. Review/understand the key items for our Group.
   NonViolent Action: http://www.AKidsRight.Org/civil_back.htm
   Family Rights Act: http://www.AKidsRight.Org/act.htm
3. When you have time try to read the book:
   "Let the Trumpet Sound - The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.",
    Steven B. Oates,1982.  
4. Understand and support the Goal and Approach of our group:

                           Goal:
                           ----
It is time we recognize & protect our GREAT Civil Right to be parents
to our own children. There ought to be a "significant barrier" the
system has to cross before they can interfere with our family life.

We are not looking for MORE laws, but protection.  That you and your
spouse are both considered Fit & Equal parents (equal in terms of both
physical and legal custody).  If anyone (a spouse, relative, social
services) wishes to challenge that, you have:

1) The right to counsel.

2) The right to be presumed a fit parent, innocent, and deserving of
an equal relationship with your kids.

3) The right to protection of a jury.  The "state" needs to prove you
were a demonstrated serious and intentional threat to your child's
safety.

                        Approach/Method:
                      ---------------
We are not loud, rude, or vindictive.  We treat everyone with kindness
and respect -- especially people with whom we disagree (which includes
the other parent, lawyers, and other officials in the "system").

We have held up the ideal that people willing to demonstrate: Faith,
Love, and Personal Sacrifice can be the means of effective social
change. More specifically, that Parents can promote Family Law reform
by demonstrating:

1) Faith in a loving God, 

2) Love for their children, former spouses, and other "brothers and sisters", and 

3) Willingness to make Personal Sacrifice, 

NonViolent Action allows you to demonstrate through "unambiguous
physical action" the depth of your Faith and belief in your "cause." 
It is a positive demonstration of love given at sometimes tremendous
personal cost.

-- 
                                       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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