Father's Rights Groups Gather in the Park & Educate the Public

Started by Men's Rights Activist, Jul 22, 2007, 10:53 PM

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Men's Rights Activist

Jul 22, 2007, 10:53 PM Last Edit: Jul 23, 2007, 07:23 AM by Men's Rights Activist
http://mensnewsdaily.com/2007/07/22/71984/

Father's Rights Groups Gather in the Park & Educate the Public
July 22, 2007
by Ray Blumhorst

Today, Fathers 4 Justice and the National Coalition of Free Men, Los Angeles sponsored their third in a series of picnic/rallies in the Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Park.  A group of dedicated members assembled in the very welcome, surprisingly mild heat to assemble tents and tables, roast hot dogs and hamburgers, and answer questions from a steady stream of visitors. The picnic/rally ran from 9 A.M. to 1 P.M., but setup began early at 6:00 A. M., in order to get the location we wanted.



Here are just a few of the questions (and answers) we engaged in during the course of the day:

Quote
# What does the alienation in "parental alienation" mean?

This question was asked by a woman who was speaking with a very heavy accent. We explained how "parental alienation" was a form of abuse that occurred in some family relations, when one parent "bad mouths" the other, and how that hurts the child who is caught in the middle. We explained how the child is literally half the Dad and half the Mom so when either one says the other is bad, they are also criticizing the half of the child that is from that parent. "That's child abuse," we concluded.

# Why are there so few people in the Father's movement, if Fathers really are oppressed and discriminated against?

We had to put our heads together to answer this question, but decided the men who weren't be with us today, were dead from abuse or suicide, in prison, homeless, depressed, or had just given up all hope (among other reasons).

# What should you do about a judge who doesn't listen to valid evidence?

We told the person asking this question to try to find a judicial review contact through the Internet, The State Bar Association, or other info source, and as always to contact a lawyer if they needed legal help. We wished that person, "good luck."

# Why are the Dads so often driven out of their children's lives?

Historically, in a nut shell, local governments profit from collection of child support by federal financial incentives, thereby local governments are incentivized to drive Dads from kids lives and saddle Dads with onerous child support payments.

# Why hasn't anyone done this (Father's movement) before?

We explained that Fathers groups have been around for some time - struggling. We explained some of the reasons given to the 2nd question above, then followed with the statement, "...but we're here now," and, "We plan on being here in the future."


The most often heard comment of the day was, "Things really are bad for Fathers."

As some of us were sitting in the shade and munching our burgers and chips, a woman stopped her car, got out, came up to the tent with the parental alienation sign and began complaining about our picnic/rally to the guy at that table. She said Fathers should be taking credit for the violence they commit against women (stereotyping all Fathers negatively with one broad brush stroke), and she complained that the signs calling attention to Fathers rights should be saying parental rights, among other complaints.

Our big signs read:

Quote
# CAN YOU GET ME BACK MY DADDY

# A FATHER'S LOVE IS IRREPLACEABLE

# REUNITE KIDS AND DADS

# PARENTAL ALIENATION IS CHILD ABUSE


Those were the only signs we had out all day, other than our small 8 1/2" X 11" table placards. The woman had two kids in the car, but left them there while she gripped at us. I guess she felt it was an outrage that Fathers/men were protesting their oppressions, demanding equality, and just having a nice picnic in the park in a peaceful manner. Hmmm.

On a more positive note, one of the people who saw us as they were driving by and stopped to talk was a Medical Doctor. He stated that Fathers, and men, do have a rough time of it these days, and he asked what he could do to help. I quickly reached for the Dr. Warren Farrell resources and was very glad I had stayed up late last night watching an old video of Dr. Warren Farrell, when he spoke to a Father's group back in 2000 - during his California Gubernatorial run. I was very pleased to see this Doctor so interested in Father's, and men's, issues and encouraged him that we need the talents of more skilled professionals to be part of our efforts - along with all the other people who are trying to affect change. He thanked us for our time as he took our information and wished us well.

One Dad stopped by with his little girl in tow, and seemed only mildly interested at first, but then wound up talking with us for some time.

Amongst the people stopping by to ask questions, were some people who related very personal and heart wrenching, family law experiences. We were happy at those times that the big signs gave us extra privacy so those people were able to feel comfortable enough to share their experiences with us. One woman, along with her husband, brought a candle and a photo of her son, and told us of her child's suffering, while in the "care" of Los Angeles County Child Protective Services. The photo she brought showed some of the abuse the child experienced while in foster care. The dysfunction in our societal institutions, supposedly working in the best interests of the children, is truly appalling. Due to the sensitive and personal nature of a number of our visitors family law stories, we refrained from taking definitive photos, that would have shown the true extent of our outreach today.

As one person honestly related, "This stuff is painful. It's a real pain to talk about." We acknowledged the truth in that statement, then shared that it was not in anyone's best interest to perpetuate family dissolution pain, as the legal system is so want to do when it "adversarially" gets involved in peoples family relations. We acknowledged that it was often good to talk to a professional mental health worker about a painful family dissolution experience, or if that's impossible, a good friend. We also acknowledged that endlessly reliving the pain of past negative experiences was not in anyone's best interest, but neither was living in denial that things are okay (when they're not), or will be okay, when in reality, America's legal system is devastatingly destructive to Fathers, and geared to stay that way for the foreseeable future.

Hopefully, working proactively to publicize the abuses and corruption in America's family law system will spur more Fathers (and other people), to come forward and join in the call for parental rights for Fathers who've been wronged by America's chronically dysfunctional family law system. Father's for Justice and the National Coalition of Free Men, Los Angeles are working for Father's rights incrementally and with dedicated tenacity.

Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

devia

That's a very small turn out. Does it ever frustate you?


Cordell Walker

thats a kick ass day...........picnics are cool anyway(and suprisingly the weather is mild here in texas , well comapratively anyway,) and it sounds like  your messaage was heard loud and  clear
and the woman who griped at yall...................you aint doing it right unless you piss someone off......good job
"how can you kill women and children?"---private joker
"Easy, ya just dont lead em as much" ---Animal Mother

shard43

Wish I could have been there. Unfortunately, most men appear to be sleepwalking, telling themselves "it'll be all right, these men are just losers, what whiners, wonder what they did to their wives..."  :sad1:

neoteny

MRA,

that's outstanding; thank you for your activism.
The spreading of information about the [quantum] system through the [classical] environment is ultimately responsible for the emergence of "objective reality." 

Wojciech Hubert Zurek: Decoherence, einselection, and the quantum origins of the classical

dr e

Great stuff MRA.  Getting out there and taking a stand is exactly what we all need to be doing. 
Contact dr e  Lifeboats for the ladies and children, icy waters for the men.  Women have rights and men have responsibilties.

TheManOnTheStreet


That's a very small turn out. Does it ever frustate you?


That depends... how much does it please YOU?

TMOTS
The Man On The Street is on the street for a reason.......
_________________________________
It's not illegal to be male.....yet.

poiuyt

...More grease to your elbows for such untiring efforts MRA

Chastity


...More grease to your elbows for such untiring efforts MRA

+1

Someone, give MRA a medal or something.
Karma is not a b*tch, it is a man with a gun.

Men's Rights Activist

Quote
That's a very small turn out. Does it ever frustate you?


Nah, we make up for it with extra big signs.  When I was two blocks aways I could clearly read what was written.  "Ah, great," I said to myself, "Freeway size signage."

In reality, the turnout wasn't bad at all.  You are only seeing the people who were answering the questions and cooking the hot dogs.  We had a steady stream (15 to 20 people) for the four we were in the park, and a number of them wanted to talk at length about their experiences.  As I mentioned in the article I didn't photograph any of the interactions out of respect for privacy.  How would you feel, if when baring your soul, somebody started photographing you?

Add to the effect of what you see, all the people driving by (and walking by in the park) and it makes for a pretty communicative day.  Did a lot of people drive by?  Youbetcha, anytime you walk out your door in Los Angeles lots of people are driving by, but it isn't everyday they see a Father's issues setup like we had at the corner of the park.

It could have been better - certainly, but we had a fun time and accomplished all the objectives we had for the day.  As we always say, after planning for and setting up for one of these events, "It is what it is."  As we stated at the end of the article, we plan to continuing doing this event for the foreseeable future.
Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

Men's Rights Activist

We got lucky yesterday with our picnic.  It's raining this morning.  Who says it never rains in CA? It is very unusual to get any rain at all in July, and this year has been the worst drought in the recorded history of the state. I have the front door open and am listening to the rain gently fall as I write this. I haven't seen a drop of rain for months. It will be nice to have clean air (and cool weather) today.
Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

Cordell Walker

thats odd MRA, we have had the wettest summer in a long time here in the Dallas area................I was walking to work the other day and  it is SOOOO much greener than usual;remidned me of south lousiana
"how can you kill women and children?"---private joker
"Easy, ya just dont lead em as much" ---Animal Mother

Men's Rights Activist

Yes, as I was baking a few weeks ago in hundred degree heat I saw news coverage of all the flooding back east.  "Wow, I thought, "it really does still rain somewhere, and it comes down in bucketfulls."  As I heard the first drops of rain falling this morning I thought at first it was just the metal popping on the sheet metal on my A/C as it contracted in the cool morning air.  "What a minute," I said to myself, "that's rain!"

Maybe if we finally get some rain in CA, back east will get a little time to dry out - at least for a day or two.
Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

Men's Rights Activist

#13
Jul 23, 2007, 07:33 AM Last Edit: Jul 23, 2007, 07:49 AM by Men's Rights Activist
Quote
Someone, give MRA a medal or something.


I once received a medal for my great humility, but when I pinned it on my chest they made me give it back.  -  just kidding :rolle:

Here is a web site whose printable info was very helpful.

http://www.parental-alienation-awareness.com/posters.asp

http://www.parental-alienation-awareness.com/flyers.asp

http://www.parental-alienation-awareness.com/brochures.asp

We also referred to info from Father and Child Reunion by Dr. Warren Farrell.
Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

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