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

Equal Parenting: Know Your Opposition

Families are faced with an ongoing onslaught from social pressures and ill formed laws. Knowing that there is a problem in our society we need to work hard at advocating for change at every level and every corner of our society and government. In this effort I have compiled a list of links and my own summary that show the thinking and reasons behind organized opposition to Equal Parenting legislation.  Please remember that the first problem we face in the battle to give our children equal parenting is apathy, an unwillingness to actually advocate for change and speak to others.

1. http://jeannehannah.typepad.com/blog_jeanne_hannah_traver/2006/10/proposed_joint_.html

2. http://www.now.org/nnt/03-97/father.html

3. http://www.owjn.org/custody/nawl.htm

4. http://abusesurvivors.meetup.com/boards/thread/5575530

5. http://house.michigan.gov/SessionDocs/2007-2008/Testimony/Committee14-5-7-2008-1.pdf

6. http://house.michigan.gov/SessionDocs/2007-2008/Testimony/Committee14-05-07-2008-7.pdf

7. http://house.michigan.gov/SessionDocs/2007-2008/Testimony/Committee14-05-07-2008-8.pdf

8. http://house.michigan.gov/SessionDocs/2007-2008/Testimony/Committee14-05-07-2008-9.pdf

9. http://house.michigan.gov/SessionDocs/2007-2008/Testimony/Committee14-05-07-2008-10.pdf

            After reading, being present for and discussing opposition testimony I have formed a summarization of the opposition to a legal presumption to equal physical child custody when child custody is in dispute.

1. First and foremost from what I read and read between the lines is that the lawyers, judges and government employees do not want to lose their jobs, political contributions and money flow. With a legal presumption there will be less billable hours, less need to gain judicial favor and less need for court employees to handle the custody battle.
2. Secondly feminists are concerned that mothers will lose their hidden alimony since in most states when there is equal custody the child supports rates tend to be a lot less due to having to actually account for both households’ child rearing expenses. As it is now there is very little consideration for the non-custodial parent’s costs since they do not think dad will provide rooms, beds, clothes and toys for their children like mom does.
3. Thirdly feminists truly believe that having a father significantly involved is not important and that most fathers are abusive especially if they want to raise their child (controlling). They believe that it is too hard to prove allegations of abuse and those mothers need to be able to move freely with their child so having a legal presumption will severely impinge on a mother’s liberty.

Of course we need to be able to understand and know the responses to every point raised by the opposition and even better know the truth behind their opposition. Please review the links above and prepare your own summarization, create your own response and use it in your advocacy work.

 

 

Dads and Moms of Michigan eNewsletter Nov 08

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6632 Telegraph Rd, Ste 110 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 248-559-DADS info@... Sign up for our newsletter and Forum! Click here

DADS and MOMS of Michigan eNewsletter November 2008   DADS and MOMS of Michigan and Dads and Moms University are focused on delivering services to help families succeed.    We educate over 200 families each month and growing with more than 20,000 constituents.   Dads and Moms of Michigan has grown its focus on education to expand education programs around the state.  We have partnered with some new groups. For information and to help, call 248-559- DADS (3237).  Sign up for our eNewsletter at www.dadsofmichigan.org   Dads and Moms University Presents:    DADS AND MOMS OF MICHIGAN FAMILY FORUM MEETING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2008, 7PM   BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HOUSE 380 S BATES BIRMINGHAM , MI 48009   GUEST SPEAKERS: Family Court Referees PAUL JACOKES and DIANE ALFAFARA and caseworker/family counselor PATRICIA MOORE from  the Macomb County Friend of The Court   7pm-730: DADS/MOMS PRESENTATION 730-830: GUEST SPEAKERS 830-930: LEGAL ROUNDTABLE WITH ATTY BILL REISDORF and other invited counsel   FOR MORE INFO CALL 248-559-DADS   Drop Dad a Line – National Fatherhood Initiative Send a message to your Military Dad! https://www.fatherhood.org/dropdadline.asp   Kids: Get an adult to help you fill in this form to send a special message to your military dad. When you "Click Here to Submit" your dad will get an e-mail telling him that you have posted a message for him on our website! If you want everyone to see how proud you are of your dad, make sure the box at the bottom is checked and your message will go on a special page with all of the other messages that other kids sent to their dads! If you want only your dad to see your message, uncheck the box and only he will see your message.   National Fatherhood Initiative Research National Fatherhood Initiative conducts research on fatherhood-related topics and on marriage. In addition, National Fatherhood Initiative also conducts evaluations on the effectiveness of its products and programs. The One Hundred Billion Dollar Man: The Annual Public Costs of Father Absence (NEW) The federal government spends $99.8 billion dollars every year on programs - such as child support enforcement and anti-poverty efforts - that support father-absent homes. Download Full Study (1.7 MB) Great Link For MOMS http://www.iparenting.com/bookshelf.php?cid= Each month, iParenting.com spotlights a mother who inspires and moves us, who embodies the qualities that we all admire in a person, a woman and a mother. Above all, the Mom of the Month is dedicated to her children. Rich or poor, famous or not, she shines as an example of what mothering is all about.  http://www.iparenting.com/mom/6116.php Shared Parenting Forum http://www.sharedparenting.com/ Shared Parenting Assistant A secure online service designed to assist in Shared Parenting, communication and share custody management; children’s activities, homework, friends and contacts, school info and photos. Family and Marriage   http://www.heritage.org/research/family/index.cfm?CFID=45668626&CFTOKEN=98223847 The family is the building block of society. When marriages and families are healthy, communities thrive; when marriages break down, communities break down. A Portrait of Family and Religion in America - Study illustrating the intact family that worships weekly is the greatest generator of human and social goods and least generator of social ills, and that the broken family that does not worship is the greatest generator of social ills and the least generator of social goods. Lighting Candles World Wide A Project of Three Sides to Every Story, Inc.   http://www.lightingcandlesworldwide.com/ Imagine for a moment Lighting Candles World Wide and all at the same time. Imagine your child knowing we are Lighting Candles World Wide just for them. We have given this a lot of thought and we have come to the conclusion that everyone can light a candle at their home or in their home town at a designated place. You can be apart of Lighting Candles World Wide to show a united front for the children and their need to have both parents and grandparents in their lives. We have chosen December 18, 2008 at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (more time zones below) for our first annual Lighting Candles World Wide which is exactly one week before Christmas. This is the hardest time of year for those missing their children, but especially for the children who are missing a parent or grandparents or in some cases siblings and of course their extended family.   Dr. Steven Baskerville on Child Support   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvizPUBVi2E   Michigan Supreme Court Administrators Office (SCAO) Child Support Review (SPER) Report from 12/18/2006 online http://courts.michigan.gov/scao/services/focb/CSPR12-06ReportAndRecommendations.pdf     The attached document, page 36 of the Model Policy for Law Enforcement of Personal Protection Orders in Michigan . NOTE ON CHILD CUSTODY WITHIN PROTECTION ORDERS: The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that a Michigan PPO can restrict a parent’s contact with the parent’s minor child(ren) and/or award temporary custody or temporary possession of children. Brandt v. Brandt, 250  Mich  App 68 (2002). Although a child custody provision within a  Michigan PPO is not common, it is legal, and it is enforceable as any other provision in the PPO. Child custody provisions within protection orders are safety provisions. Forty-four states, including the  District of Columbia , specifically provide for award of temporary child custody in a protection order.   Fatherhood Issues on Myspace   http://www.myspace.com/familyrights   DADS Merchandise http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/merchandise.html Consider ordering some DADS merchandise for your favorite DAD this holiday season. Soon we will be adding MOMS merchandise. Sorry Moms, Stepparents and Grandparents, you are as important. Cut here Please consider making a monthly contribution via credit card. 6632 Telegraph Rd, Suite 110 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 (248) 559-DADS (3237) phone Fax 248-559-5427 http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/ info@... I authorize DADS and MOMS of Michigan and The Village Secretary to keep my signature on file and to charge my Visa, MasterCard or American Express account for recurring monthly charges for a period of (example 1 year) __________ beginning (date) ___________ in the amount of $________. I will give Dads and Moms of Michigan through The Village Secretary 30 days written notice to cancel the use of my credit card for this purpose. Customer Name: __________________________________________________ Cardholder Name: _________________________________________________ Cardholder Billing Address: __________________________________________ City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________________ Credit Card Number Expiration Date: __________________________________ Cardholder Signature Date: __________________________________________ Cut here Fax to: 248-559-5427   Dads and Moms of Michigan (http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/) includes Dads of Michigan, Moms of Michigan, and Dads of Michigan PAC. These are volunteer responsible parenthood education organizations for fathers and mothers. They instruct on the importance of involved biological parents to the successful development of their children. Dads of Michigan PAC is an independent volunteer political advocacy group dedicated to legislation keeping both biological parents actively engaged in the lives of their children despite divorce and custody, in most instances. They believe men and women should be viewed equally under the law and their credo is: "fathers are responsible parents too...because the best parent is both parents." Dads of Michigan, the Michigan affiliate of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, is also the developer of the Dads and Moms University of responsible education for teenage, divorced, and unmarried parents. This educational program employs several features to either directly or indirectly benefit nearly 2 million men, women, and grandparents and just under one-half million children each year in Michigan. For more information, please contact us at (248) 559-DADS (3237) or email info@.... DADS and MOMS of Michigan Code of Ethics and Business Conduct.   "Fathers are responsible parents too...because the best parent is both parents"   UNSUBSCRIBE

County Level Political Action

Here is a link to the Kalamazoo County Commission which is my commission as an example, you'll need to identify your own commission http://www.kalcounty.com/board/committeesdescription.htm I am providing the link hoping that some people will decide to get involved at the local level and begin to influence our government and add to your political resume. Here are some examples of boards that we could serve on to try and get something done towards parental rights, civil rights and smaller more efficient government. Also we need to consider becoming active in both political parties, become precinct delegates for the party that we most identify with and truly change what is going on. I am not asking that you vote for against any particular party but I am asking that you begin to become an active advocate for liberty and maybe that might require that you start within one of the major parties. Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board The Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board (CATAB) meets on the fourth Thursday of each month at 12:00 p.m. in Room 207A of the County Administration Building. The Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board consists of three sectors mandated by the Federal government: private sector, consumer sector and public official sector. The Board of Commissioners appoints five public sector representatives and five private official sector representatives and approves five consumer sector representatives. The Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board shall advise the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners (the governing board) and advise the Health and Community Services Department on the implementation and coordination of a comprehensive Community Action program. The Community Action Tripartite Advisory Board will assist the Governing Board by and through the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department by serving as the advocate for the reduction of the causes, conditions and effects of poverty and shall assist in the provision of social and economic opportunities that foster self-sufficiency for low income persons. Click here to download an application. Community Corrections Advisory Board The Community Corrections Advisory Board (CCAB) normally meets on the third Friday at 7:00 a.m., with additional meetings possible, at the Office of Community Corrections. The Board reviews topics related to new or changing issues in corrections. The primary mission of the CCAB is to develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate programs that provide alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders in order to reduce jail and prison overcrowding. These appointments are representative of prosecution, courts, law enforcement, media, human services, defense attorneys, and the business community. Appointments are made for two-year terms of office. Contact: Grace Kalafut 387-7136 Human Services Department Board Kalamazoo County Human Services Department Board meets the second Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the Department of Social Services Offices. The Board deals with human services matters within the County. Appointments are made for three-year terms of office. Contact: Kalamazoo County Human Services Department Director Sherry Thomas-Cloud 337-5000 Click here to download an application. Veterans Affairs Committee For general information, or to obtain an application, please contact Tina Becker at 383-8849 in the County Administration Office. Click here to download an application.

President Elect Obama Fund Fatherhood

 Now that the Democrats are running DC and most of Lansing we need
to begin to communicate the need for DHS/CAPTA/VAWA/Title IV legislative
change. Looking at what has been proposed during the election we must
strike quickly to get our reform message in their ears. Obama's message of the
need for fathers and families needs to be directed towards legislative
changes that actually encourage the states to keep families intact and both
parents significantly involved with their children.
 Here is Obama's site let him know what you think:

http://www.change.gov/page/s/yourvision/

 

 There is funding available and a drive by President Elect Obama to influence fatherhood so let's get busy.

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-s1626/text

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:

(1) The most important factor in a child's upbringing is whether the
child is brought up in a loving, healthy, supportive environment.

(2) Children who grow up with two parents are, on average, more likely
than their peers in single-parent homes to finish high school and be
economically self-sufficient.

(3) Father-child interaction, like mother-child interaction, has been
shown to promote the positive physical, social, emotional, and mental
development of children.

SEC. 107. STATE ASSESSMENTS OF BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND FINANCIAL
SUPPORT OF CHILDREN.

(a) State Assessments and Reports- As a condition of the continued
approval of a State plan under part D of title IV of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 651 et seq.), each State with an approved such plan,
acting through the appropriate State agencies, shall assess the State
policies with respect to the issues described in subsection (b) and
submit a report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on the
results of such assessment not later than March 15, 2008.

(b) (5) Identification of any other barriers to healthy family formation
or sustainable economic opportunity for custodial and noncustodial
parents that are created or exacerbated by Federal or State laws,
policies, or procedures, including an examination of the rules of
Federal and State means-tested programs, the operation of the State
workforce system, the availability of financial education services, and
the availability of domestic violence services and child support
procedures to help victims of domestic violence stay safe and obtain the
child support they are owed.

(c) Grants to States for Commissions on State Law Improvements in the
Best Interest of Children and Families- The Secretary of Health and
Human Services shall award grants to States to establish or support
commissions to review the State assessment conducted in accordance with
subsection (a) and to make recommendations on ways to improve State law
in the best interest of children and families.

Make sure that the Obama administration puts the money where their mouths are.

"The federal government spends $99.8 billion dollars every year on
programs - such as child support enforcement and anti-poverty efforts -
that support father-absent homes"

https://www.fatherhood.org/research.asp

State Rep Hoogendyke at Hastings EP Symposium

State Rep Hoogendyke at Hastings Equal Parenting Symposium

Hastings Michigan Article on Symposium

Download hastings_paper.BMP

Here is an image of the article written in the Hastings Banner of Barry County Michigan concerning a County Commission meeting to discuss Equal Parenting. Also the article discusses future meetings concerning the event. Read it and write in if possible.