[AKidsRight.Org] Murtari arrest expected Monday / Why risk jail for reform?

jmurtari@AKidsRight.org

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Good People & People of Faith,

This message contains info on:

1. Murtari - arrest expected Monday.
2. Why risk jail?

1. Murtari - arrest expected Monday.
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Group coordinator, John Murtari, has been trying to show his state
Assemblyman the importance of recognizing Family Rights -- beginning
with the right to know you're a parent.  He's writing a simple
message, "Mr. Oaks - HELP FAMILY RIGHTS," with kid's chalk on the
sidewalk.

Click on the link below for a pretty comprehensive story (including
pictures) from Examiner.com:

http://www.examiner.com/x-15873-Family-Rights-Examiner%7Ey2009m10d24-Activist-Murtari-resumes-Youre-a-Parent-Notification-Act-campaign-in-Lyons

John <jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org> would certainly welcome anyone who
wishes to visit Lyons, NY on Monday afternoon.  He plans on moving his
activity to downtown, outside the Village Offices at 76 William
Street, at 2 PM.

You can contact Mr. Oaks by:

website: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=128
email: oaksr@assembly.state.ny.us
phone: 315-946-5166
write: Assemblyman Robert Oaks, 10 Leach Road, Lyons, NY 14489 

2. Why risk jail?
----------------- 
I wrote this before starting my NonViolent Action campaign. I wanted
to have something ready in case I am arrested and jailed.
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/parental_notification

Why risk jail & who should?
---------------------------
This message is for those who really got burned by the system.  Saw
your family destroyed; watched yourself treated with indignity and
sometimes abused by a system which just didn't care.

Those whose kids didn't "turn around" and come back after they got
older.  Parents who never healed by just forgetting and accepting the
injustice done.  It's the first thing you think about every day -- and
may always be.  A nightmare and you can't wake up!

You get angry, but find no relief.  In the long hours of the night -
you sometimes cry, but nothing has changed by morning.  You want to
have Faith in a loving God, but it just doesn't make any sense.

This message is for you. About responding to injustice with
self-sacrifice and love.  The essence of NonViolent Action.  What
motivates someone to take these risks when, quite frankly, the chances
of anything really changing look pretty small!

My peace
--------

I've been fortunate to keep a close relationship with my son, Domenic,
through it all. As I've said before, my actions are a way of
expressing my thanks and giving back.  But I was always disgusted by
the separation, all the good times that were missed, the indignity &
injustice.  I've heard so many of your really horrible stories and was
frightened by what could have happened to me.  I really burned at
times!

I took NonViolent Action to help change the system,
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/events.htm -- but there was an amazing side
effect.  I was still angry at what happened, but the fire -- that was
consuming me -- went out.

Walking into a building holding a picture of my son; writing "I LOVE
YOU" with chalk on the ground -- and telling the system, "you can't
stop me" from showing my love and calling attention to injustice.
Ready to sit in a jail cell with trust in our Loving Father.

I sleep like a baby (mostly!).  God doesn't need me to fix this
injustice.  I've taken the most powerful & peaceful action I can --
which forces me to live & affirm my Faith.  That we are all brothers &
sisters, but just don't know it.

I pray for reconciliation with my former spouse -- to be open to the
possibility they may change and to see my hidden faults & failings.  I
occasionally write her and say, "I accept equal responsibility for
whatever went wrong so many years ago -- can we put this behind us?"

Lastly, and with humility, I also acknowledge the many errors I've
made through the years.  I'm not perfect and don't have just 'resume
quality' faults. The most effect penance is the one we impose on
ourselves from our own free will.

Worry about the outcome?  A little bit, but only when I lose my sense
of Faith in a Loving Father that cares for me more than even the love
I have for my own son.  How could anything bad happen?

If you want more thoughts on this, keep reading...

"Nature abhors a vacuum"
------------------------
You get a 110,000 hits on Google if you search for that.  Mostly
science -- add the word "metaphysics" and you still get about 5,600
hits.  Why bring this up?  It's an analogy, something to think about.

  "Nonviolent resistance ... is based on the conviction that the
  universe is on the side of justice.  Consequently, the believer in
  nonviolence has deep faith in the future ...[and] can accept
  suffering without retaliation. For he knows that in his struggle for
  justice he has cosmic companionship." Martin Luther King
  http://www.AKidsRight.Org/civil.htm

Injustice is a vacuum, a void -- how do we "fill" it?
-----------------------------------------------------
What do I see mostly?  Parent's who have been so abused and traumatized by
the system, they just want to fight a battle and kick back!

  "Some men can't even stand to look at a scene of mother and child
  happily together without some anger -- b%tch!  Dirty Feminists! And
  we're sure many women have experienced the same after seeing THEIR
  child "taken" by a former husband... abusive control freak!  Stupid
  Masculinist!"

After that anger and in private, just depression and tears
.... occasionally, someone does take physical action of the most
unfortunate type and we have murder, suicide, or both.  Nothing to
help reform: it's about I, Me, and Mine! 

What are you willing to sacrifice to make things better for others?

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
-------------------------------------------------
I know many of you have heard this one a thousand times! Read it one
more time, and put yourself in one of the roles -- and then your
spouse, judge, lawyer, social worker in the other.  Who do you want to
be?

  Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the
  other was a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself
  like this:

      "God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men,
      extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax
      collector.  I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all I get."

  But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his
  eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying,

      "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"

  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than
  the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he
  who humbles himself will be exalted."  Luke 18:9-14

My choice of best 'filling' for a vacuum of injustice?
-----------------------------------------------------
Again, humility and our demonstrations of sacrifice & love for the
sake of our children.  To make the system better for others -- even
if it is too late for us.  Powerful stuff!
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/approach.htm

Forget name calling and the insults and fighting-fire-with-fire.
Focus on the one thing we can (sometimes) control -- ourselves and our
actions.  Most of my actions were done alone.  You don't need a crowd
to be effective in bringing peace to your own heart.

Once that changes, it will be amazing how quickly the rest follows.

-- 
                                       John Murtari
____________________________________________________________________
Coordinator                            AKidsRight.Org
jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org         A Kid's Right to BOTH parents"
(315) 944-0999(x-211)             http://www.AKidsRight.Org/
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http://www.AKidsRight.Org/
A Kid's Right to Both Parents!
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