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July 29th - NonViolent Action and meeting with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
From: John Murtari (jmurtari@kids-right.org)
This is a message from a mailing list, members@kids-right.org Unsubscribe instructions at bottom of message. ====================================================================== Good People & People of Faith, I'm composing this message early in the morning, the birds are singing, my son is sleeping in the next room (we're half way through a 6 week summer vacation together), and the sheep are grazing in the fields nearby. The place is Mt. Saviour Monastery (http://www.msaviour.org/) and I have come for retreat here for over 15 years. You won't hear any TV or radio or even see a newspaper - just an ability to spend quality time with yourself and your creator. On July 29th a significant NonViolent Action is planned outside the offices of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton from New York. The goals are to arrange a personal meeting with her and parents deprived of their children and to have her communicate a public position on the need for better protection of the civil rights of parents & children. This message contains details. I hope many of you will be able to take a role in an event with one simple goal - to convince a Member of Congress it is in their best political interest to take a public stand and call for Congressional hearings into the need for a Family Rights Act which will protect the parent/child bond from government interference. http://www.AKidsRight.Org/actionc_syr I'm anxious to see Family Law reform happen quickly and with "no nonsense." I love my son Domenic (age 9) and he loves me, but what has happened to us both (and many of you) in our Court system has been a disaster and an indignity. We have been treated not as people, but as paper work to be processed. It is the most gut wrenching experience I have ever been through (and I am an Air Force Academy graduate and former Air Force pilot). I count myself quite fortunate as I know many of you have either been cutoff from your children - or the worst horror of all, have children who just don't love you anymore. Many of us are frustrated that our political system does not work if you don't have "money" or that our leaders just don't care. That could not be farther from the truth. In my meetings with Congressional staff I have met some great people, who were touched by our stories and shared our feelings about the problems in the system - but it was also just another issue for them. They weren't going to run into their Senator's office and say, "stop what else you are doing, and please call for hearings into reform...." Why? I think we can all remember a time (before the system took our children) where we had heard stories about awful divorces, etc.... What was our response? Unfortunately, until the "chicken came home to roost" - we just didn't appreciate how bad it was. Now, we need to demonstrate to these Members of Congress by our actions - how really bad the system is and how very important it is for them to stop what they are doing and act. The purpose of the group (AKidsRight.Org) has been to promote the use of NonViolent Action. A way to gain favorable public and media attention in our efforts to achieve meaningful Family Law reform. Can people with a strong sense of: * Faith in a living God (who has the power to act), * Love for their children (and for all other people), * and a willingness to make personal sacrifice (to demonstrate the depth of their beliefs), change the course of history? Can such moral ideals be converted into pragmatic action that will help bring political change? The site documents the success of past actions and hopes to provide a blueprint by example of what individuals can do now. http://www.AKidsRight.Org/events.htm After the military I had considered a vocation to the Catholic priesthood (it was a great experience, but my desire for family was too strong). While finishing a minor in philosophy I can remember the library at Lemoyne College - stack after stack of shelves devoted to Christianity. Why? Because Jesus of Nazareth didn't just talk about love and faith and God - he didn't "leave town" when he had the chance, but he mounted the cross. More than anything that sacrifice demonstrated the depth of his feelings. While this is a group based on Faith, not just for Christians, but all people of Faith - certainly one of our strongest examples of NonViolent Action comes from Gandhi, a Hindu of India. http://www.AKidsRight.Org/civil_back.htm I believe the most important contribution the site makes is demonstration. We are all so busy and have so little time (very few people will read this entire message) - but a "news event" captures our attention and seeing concrete action is always easier to understand than theory. I have been arrested over 20 times and charged with a variety of criminal offenses. I have never paid bail and have always ignored any Judges order to cease in my conduct. What was so disturbing about my conduct - attempting to quietly walk the halls of public buildings (a County Courthouse and a US Federal Building) with a smile on my face and carrying a picture of my child (and others) in my hands. What is surprising was that all the charges were dismissed, I have no criminal record. But what is most surprising is the effect it had on the people. I earned the admiration of people who at first seemed hostile. I was amazed that Sheriffs' deputies would shake my hand and say, "John, I respect you for what you are doing and your methods. It is obvious you love your son very much..." http://www.AKidsRight.Org/events.htm What does protection from government interference mean? At present each of the 50 states has developed their own complex criminal law and procedures, but no matter where you are you have a: * Right to representation by Counsel. * Strong presumption of innocence. * Protection of a Jury. These are rights guaranteed under the US Constitution, but more importantly, we should all understand they are inherit rights belonging to free people. The Constitution or Supreme Court did not GIVE us these rights - they just recognized our God given right to be free. In a very similar manner, due to the explosion of well intentioned Family Law in the last 40 years, we now need to recognize similar protections need to be in place for probably our most valued human liberty - the right to nurture and raise our very own children. Before the government can help a former spouse (via divorce/separation) or social services (via child abuse allegations) can presume to reduce your contact with your child or use their determination of "best interests of the child" - before they can interfere -- they simply need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, while giving you counsel and the protection of a Jury, that you are a demonstrated serious threat to the safety of your children. There is a draft of these ideas in a Family Rights Act that can be reviewed at http://www.AKidsRight.Org/act.htm. Your thoughts and feedback are welcome. If you want to make probably the strongest statement possible for how much you love your children and how badly the system needs to change, please join us and me on July 29th. For more details please check the web site, http://www.AKidsRIght.Org/actionc_syr My son leaves me again on July 18th, it will be a miserable day for both of us - but 11 days later I look forward to demonstrating that Faith, Love, and personal Sacrifice can make a difference. I know many of you are skeptical, what can just a few people do to change this entrenched system of ours? At times it seems out of place in our modern times, but there was a time when many firmly believed that, "with God, all things are possible." John Murtari jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org ================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list at anytime, send email to Majordomo@kids-right.org with the following 1 line in the BODY of the message (Subject is ignored). unsubscribe members
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