A Child's Right

RADAR ALERT: "First they ignore you, ..."

RADAR ALERT:

"First they ignore you, ..."

Two weeks ago, Slate.com's short-lived
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote1sym> 1 publication
"Double X" published an article by Kathryn Joyce entitled "'Men's Rights'
Groups Have Become Frighteningly Effective."
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote2sym> 2

This was not Slate.com's finest hour. One thing this article could never be
accused of is objective reporting.

On Nov. 5th, the very same day the Double X article appeared, Salon.com's
Broadsheet published an article by Judy Berman entitled "'Men's rights'
groups go mainstream"
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote3sym> 3 that adds no
new information, and simply seems to be an effort to repeat the Double X
article to Salon's readers.

Since the Double X article appeared there have been several analyses of its
flaws, the most recent being Cathy Young's article in Forbes: "Feminism
should be about equality-for males too"
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote4sym> 4 which says:

"More than a quarter-century ago, British feminist philosopher Janet
Radcliffe Richards wrote, 'No feminist whose concern for women stems from a
concern for justice in general can ever legitimately allow her only interest
to be the advantage of women.' Joyce's article is a stark example of
feminism as exclusive concern with women and their perceived advantage,
rather than justice or truth."

In "Journalistic Misrepresentation at Slate's New Woman-Oriented Publication
'Double X'" <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote5sym> 5,
RADAR's Mark Rosenthal explained how the article had misrepresented his
comments and also took issue with the article's characterization of Murray
Straus as someone "who has written extensively on female violence," saying:

"The characterization of Straus as someone who has written extensively on
female violence is like characterizing Susan B. Anthony as someone who wrote
extensively on temperance - true but misleading because of what it leaves
out. Straus has devoted his professional career to the study of all forms of
family violence - parent-to-child, child-to-parent, sibling-to-sibling, as
well as partner violence in all its configurations - male-to-female,
female-to-male, and mutual. He has never focused exclusively on female
violence."

And in a series of articles beginning with "Slate.com & Salon.com Criticize
the Fatherhood Movement (Part I)"
<http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote6sym> 6, Glenn Sacks
critiques the quality of the reporting, saying:

"The articles discuss various aspects and actors in the [men's and fathers]
movement, and also quote and misquote me. ... I specifically, repeatedly,
and emphatically told Joyce that any linkage between the men's & fathers'
movements' grievances and Sodini is not my view, but I guess she was
determined to jam it in there anyway."

Mahatma Gandhi is reputed to have said: "First they ignore you, then they
ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." The joint Slate/Salon
attack pieces are a good indication that we're well past stage 1.
Congratulation to all RADAR supporters and allies for getting us this far.
Let's keep it up!

_____

1 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote1anc> "Double X
closes up shop",
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2009/11/16/double_x_folds/index.html

2 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote2anc> "'Men's
Rights' Groups Have Become Frighteningly Effective.", Slate.com,
http://www.doublex.com/section/news-politics/mens-rights-groups-have-become-
frighteningly-effective

3 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote3anc> 'Men's
rights' groups go mainstream, Salon.com,
http://www.salon.com/life/broadsheet/feature/2009/11/05/mens_rights/index.ht
ml

4 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote4anc> "Feminism
should be about equality-for males too",
http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/19/mens-rights-feminism-equality-violence-opin
ions-contributors-cathy-young.html

5 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote5anc> "Journalistic
Misrepresentation at Slate's New Woman-Oriented Publication 'Double X'",
http://www.breakingthescience.org/DoubleXMisrepresentation.php

6 <http://www.mediaradar.org/alert20091123.php#sdendnote6anc> "Slate.com &
Salon.com Criticize the Fatherhood Movement (Part I)",
http://glennsacks.com/blog//?p=4359 <http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=4359>

_____

Date of RADAR Release: November 23, 2009

R.A.D.A.R. - Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting - is a
non-profit, non-partisan organization of men and women working to improve
the effectiveness of our nation's approach to solving domestic violence.
http://www.mediaradar.org

The Truth about Domestic Violence

The use of a white male child as the abuser and black female child as the abused by Family Place http://www.familyplace.org/Page.aspx?pid=270 and DART http://www.dart.org/about/contactdart.asp is a blatant example of gender and race bias. The truth is that even in Big D women are just as likely to abuse as men are, it's just that men are ten times more likely to take it without complaining to the government. It amazes me that a supposed journalist would take the word of the self promoting Family Place Red Neo-Fems' for the truth about DV. The truth is that they are using the victimization of both women and minorities to increase the size and scope of their program and tax payer funding. If they where truly interested in ending "family" violence they would have portrayed a group of people of varying races and both genders along with a large note of how bad it is to falsely accuse fathers of abuse to gain an advantage during custody battles! Remember, you reap what you sow, if our society keeps promoting men as bad and women as victims and denying men the justice they deserve then our society will never actually solve DV just keep perpetuating it. It is time to reform DV by starting with changing the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by Joe Biden to End Family Violence Act with equal funding for both genders with a demand that states sanction those who use false DV charges in Family Court cases. Even better, abolish the federal component, reduce federal taxes, legislate presumed equal parenting unless there is clear and convincing evidence of abuse so that false abuse claims are reduced which will allow the states to deal with the issue on their own.

Michigan State Representative Hoogendyk on Parental Rights

State Rep Hoogendyk on Parental Rights

Representative Hoogendyk has been an equal parental rights supporter for families in Lansing and is running for US Senate to be our champion in Washington DC.

Lary Holland at the Equal Parents Week Rally 2008

Join Us on Talkshow "Get Off The Bench" with Lary Holland

Please join us tonight at 8PM EST on the popular talkshow "Get Off The Bench".  What is this talkshow about?  Listen to this:

Call in or listen on your computer tonight as host Lary Holland interviews Equal Parenting Bike Trek Cyclist Robert Pedersen.

Call into the talkshow today at 8PM : 724-444-7444 TALKCAST ID: 43507

Or listen on your computer by getting a talkshoe account.

Be sure to also check out Lary Holland's Family Court Reports.

View the always updating list of media and new media coverage of the 2008 Equal Parenting Bike Trek.