Draft Agenda - Meeting with Senators
Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand
Summary - what follows are some concrete
guidelines we are using as we approach a personal meeting with our US Senators on
protecting Family Rights. It should help the Senator's staff in planning
for the meeting and also members of our group -- it can hopefully be used as a
guideline as other face-to-face meetings occur. You feedback is welcome,
send comments to
jmurtari@AKidsRight.Org
Goals:
To allow the Senators to hear directly from
loving mothers and fathers on how their relationship with their children was
jeopardized or destroyed by Court proceedings as a result of divorce,
separation, or child abuse allegations. To give him a chance to question
the parents about their experience and feelings. We all discovered we
had no real protected right to be parents to our own children, that all was
subjective and dependent on the decision of a single judge.
To expose the Senators to the concept that we
want Family Rights, a human right, to be recognized and protected. WE ARE
NOT calling for MORE FEDERAL INTERFERENCE, but less. The recognition of
established constitutional protections to protect families. We only ask the same
principles used to protect liberty, also protect the bond between parents and
children (probably an even more valued freedom). There ought to be a
"significant barrier" the system has to cross before they can interfere with our
family life.
1) The right to counsel.
2) The right to be presumed 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.
NOT Goals:
- To ask the Senators about their feelings.
- To ask the Senators abpit their positions on reform.
- To complain about child support.
- To complain about conduct of specific people: lawyers,
judges, former spouses.
- To give 'legal arguments' about what went wrong in your
case.
Meeting Guidelines:
- 60 minutes of real content.
- No questions of the Senators.
- Entire proceeding recorded audio/visual for later
Internet display. A public meeting.
- Short five minute intro statements from each Senator and
AKidsRight.Org group coordinator.
Parent Participant Guidelines:
- Small group of 8 -12 people.
- Mothers and Fathers.
- Parents separated from children by action of former
spouse.
- Parents separated from children by action of social
services.
- All parents must be willing to be 'public' with their
entire story. Already have it posted at our Hall
of Shame page.
- Prepare a two page summary of your story for the
Senator's staff in advance. Include a picture of you and your children.
- Prepared to give a two-three minute presentation of the
shock, pain, and indignity caused to your family by the present process.
Your feelings.
Follow Up:
We will be ready to participate in any follow on
discussions with legislative staff. We would like the Senator to call for
Congressional Hearings to investigate the need for protecting Family Rights. To
receive a detailed reply from him on the need for such hearings and why/why not.
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