[AKidsRight.Org] Declaration of Family Rights/ Porn star fit?/ Murtari update.

jmurtari@akidsright.org

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Good People & People of Faith,

This message has info on:

1. Declaration of Family Rights - in just a few words.
2. Porn Star vs. America's Sweetheart - custody battle?
3. Murtari NonViolent Action update - chalk & posters, what's next?

1. Declaration of Family Rights - in just a few words.
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Here are a few paragraphs which may capture the essence of what we are
looking for.  Fundamental principles which, if recognized and
protected, would have prevented many of our family disasters.

   When a child is born, both biological parents have a RIGHT to
   know. A child has a RIGHT to both parents in their lives. Fit
   parents decide what is in the 'best interests' of their
   children. Good, average, & poor parents are Fit & Equal parents.

   You and your spouse have a RIGHT to be presumed Fit & Equal parents
   (equal in terms of both physical and legal custody).

   If anyone (a spouse, relative, social services) wishes to challenge
   these rights, 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 criminal jury. The "state" needs to
   prove you were a demonstrated serious and intentional threat to
   your child's safety and that you acted with mal-intent towards your
   children.

PDF: http://www.AKidsRight.Org/parental_notification/family-rights-poster.pdf

What do you think?  Your FEEDBACK is welcome!

2. Porn Star vs. America's Sweetheart - custody battle?
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[ Many may like the Declaration of Family Rights -- take a look at a
real world story below.  Those "rights" would seem to guarantee both
Mom (Janine Lindemulder) and Dad (Jesse James) should be Fit & Equal
parents. I don't agree with the conclusions of Ms. Brooke below. 

There was a posting at the Glenn Sacks website which seemed to support
the reasoning below and 'sole' custody to Mr. James
(http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=4363).  Your thoughts? ]

   "Can a Stepmother Like Sandra Bullock Be a Better Parent than a
   Biological Mom Who's a Porn Star?" 
                  by "Jill Brooke" Blended Families Expert.

   Full article at:
   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jill-brooke/can-a-stepmother-like-san_b_348438.html

Excerpt from above article ---------------------------------------
                                         ** reference comments below

 Rarely when fathers seek full custody of a child are the facts so
 stacked against the mother as in the case between "Monster Garage"
 star Jesse James and his ex-wife, porn star Janine Lindemulder. The
 couple are battling in court for custody of 5-year-old daughter
 Sunny. Not only is Lindemulder a porn star, which is a career that
 one can argue has negative moral and lifestyle implications on a
 child's upbringing (**a), but she is married to a felon and has an
 alleged (**b) drug problem. James on the other hand is married to Sandra
 Bullock, who has been called "America's sweetheart."

 Bullock and James have had sole custody of 5-year-old Sunny for the
 past six months since Lindemulder was in jail -- yes, jail -- for tax
 evasion (**c).

 Now Lindemulder has gone from the courts to the court of public
 opinion and ... accusing Sandra Bullock of being an interloping
 stepmother who is trying to "take away my daughter."...

 "What would give her the right to take away my daughter?" Lindemulder
 asked, even though she admitted Bullock is a good stepmother to
 Sunny. "This is my daughter. I'm the best mother I can be."

 ... As a stepmother and a mother, as well as a divorce coach, this is
 murky territory that must be navigated with delicacy. Again, the
 litmus test must be the best interests of the child (**d). This is
 not an issue of who has more money or status. It is an issue of
 safety. Judges, lawyers, psychiatrists and the public realize the
 benefits of both parents in a child's life. But when the issue is
 safety and a child's welfare (**e), sometimes parents have no choice
 but to go to the courts ....

 Don't you think that Sunny, as well as the other kids -- Chandler and
 Jesse Jr. -- benefit by being in Sandra Bullock and Jesse James'
 care?...

 I think as a culture we're ready to acknowledge that many stepmothers
 are great mothers too -- as tough as that may be for some Moms to
 accept. And some Moms are no saints and the child may be better off
 with the father (**f).

End of Article -----------------------------------------------------

Why I disagree:

a) "negative moral and lifestyle implications on a child's upbringing" -
I didn't know it was against the law?  What about a couple of local
women who embezzled hundreds of thousands from a charity -- take their
kids too? 

b) "alleged drug problem" - do we even have to prove it as a fact?

c) "jail for tax evasion" - she was caught.  Don't we all know many
people who cheat on their taxes?

d) "litmus test must be the best interests of the child" - who holds
the litmus paper?  Who gives you the right to conduct the test?

e) "when the issue is safety and a child's welfare" - Those broad
issues can always be raised.  They can always allow interference.
Should we leave children with parents who are ---- smokers?!

f) "some Moms are no saints and the child may be better off
with the father" -- I guess when all else fails, Dad MAY be okay,
as long as he is married to America's sweetheart.  What a slam?

Freedom is important.  Family is important.  We can always do better
and we all make mistakes.  We also change & grow as family and as
parents. The growth only stops when we are forcibly separated.

3. NonViolent Action update - chalk & posters, what's next?
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As always the web site has more background and pictures of activity,
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/parental_notification

Regarding the principles of NonViolent Action:
http://www.AKidsRight.Org/civil.htm

It became clear last week that officials at the County Courthouse in
Lyons, NY, were not going to take action regarding the chalked message
I was writing on the sidewalk.

I must have covered about eighty feet of walkway with a multi-colored
message in blue, green, yellow, and red: "Mr Oaks - Help Family
Rights" It really was something to look at!  I taped about 15 copies
of the "Declaration of Family Rights" to the outside of the
building. It could have been great for publicity and a good media
story -- if only there had been other parents there?

Tomorrow I'll be returning and continuing the effort.  As always,
your help and participation is welcome!

-- 
                                       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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