Rallying for Family Values
POSTED: August 15, 2007
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WHEELING — Although the traditional nuclear family has dissolved since the 1950s, one group is trying to restore its place in American society.
The Children’s Rights Initiative for Sharing Parents Equally project began last March when Larry Kerkman decided to take a stand against alleged corruption in the family court system. He began promoting his cause on a purple tour bus, which visited Wheeling Tuesday.
The goal of CRISPE is to change family law to coincide with the various long-term studies that were published in the late 1990s. These studies demonstrate that children are more successful in all 20 measurements — intellectually, socially, physically, and emotionally, among others — when both parents actively participate in their lives.
Tim Fittro, West Virginia state director of Men and Women Against Discrimination, said rebuilding the traditional family is now more important than ever.
“I think people are becoming aware of far-reaching consequences to society, especially our children,” said Fittro. “All major social ills that endanger the safety, security and well-being of citizens in our community are dependent on children’s substantially equal relationship with both parents.”
Fittro also mentioned that 40 percent of children in America don’t have a father present in the homes. Statistically, these children will be more likely to become social deviants, he said.
William J. Wagener also participated in the rally.
“Fifty-fifty or equal child custody should be the default position in family court,” said Wagener.
According to Wagener, 80 percent of children without a father become deviants to society. Many boys display criminal activity while many girls become pregnant before the age of 18.
“No good comes out of family court. There’s nothing that they can solve that community groups such as synagogues and friends of the family can’t solve,” said Wagener.
Fittro noted that his group has introduced three bills in the state Legislature. The 50/50 Shared Parenting Bill will promote the main concept of both parents sharing the responsibility of raising their children. The Paternity Fraud Bill will prevent women from using non-biological fathers to pay child support for 18 years. The Visitation Denial Bill will force one parent to allow the other parent to visit the child at certain times without hassle.
Member Comments
View Comments: | 1-7 | Post a comment
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fatherwithoutchristmas
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09-14-07 8:01 PM
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anyone that needs help or information with anything for their children or parents please contact me @****fatherwithoutchristmas****
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fatherwithoutchristmas
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09-14-07 7:58 PM
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hi,im ken kra****ki ****fatherwithoutchristmas****,some people have it wrong about children need both parents or that parents alone, whether it be a child raised by a single parent,do to many reasons,can be a very great person and be a good citizen in society,many of our great leaders have overcome, and many people i know and talk to do there best as a single parent, but when there are 2 parents that want to give all they can to there children, then in every study in the us, shows that, the schools the neighborhoods,the different parts of the u.s. people that i talk to,but when they are cold heartedly ripped apart by the family courts,and especially,some dcf workers,and guardian ad litems,they abuse the children,they without a doubt abuse the father 85percent of the time,until i went to court, i thought it was only liberal ct,but i see its rampant nationwide.occassionaly i talk to a mother that was ripped apart,all for the most abused words in court,THE BEST INTREST OF THE CHILDREN-kk
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BuckyD
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08-15-07 7:18 PM
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What I am saying is, "What in the United States Constitution permits any government entity to step in and say how much time a parent gets with their own children if they are deemed fit parents?" Children need both parents to identify with and both play an important role in their lives. Anyone who poisons a child's mind and gets them to "play" along with a corrupt system, has some serious issues of their own. No one told us how to spend our money on our own children before a divorce, so why does the government step in and take action without any consideration of the cost of living of the non-custodial parent? From what I have seen, the custodial parent lives high on the hog, and the non-custodial parent scrapes by (maybe), and even pays higher taxes for money they don't see all year long... What is fair about that? Support your children but no tax break?
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BuckyD
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08-15-07 7:07 PM
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As Vice President of Men And Women Against Discrimination (MAWAD), I will say that we represent both men and women in the family court system and are trying to make changes for the better. We do not condone "proven" cases of domestic violence, however, we do not condone having one or the other parental rights taken away based on totally false allegations which takes place quite commonly. We do want our children protected, and part of that is making it so that "fit" parents have access to their children to be a part of their lives. Not all children who grow up with a single parent turn out "bad". It is important for children to still be able to visit with extended family members of divorce cases, ie grandparents, aunts, and uncles so that they can have positive role models involved in their lives. Keep things in context, how is it "constitutionally" permitted for any government entity to tell a parent how much time is allotted to spend with t
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brianb
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08-15-07 3:18 PM
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Getting from point A - that the system isn't perfect - to point B - the idea that VAWA, DHHR, BCSE, CPS and Guardians ad litem are all somehow involved in what amounts to a government-sponsored conspiracy against men - is a pretty big stretch, I'd say. I don't doubt there are false allegations. Breakups can get ugly. But that doesn't mean all allegations are false, or that there's some scheme afoot to destroy men. There should be a way to confirm or refute claims made in family court, judges could be directed to give less weight to unsupported statements, etc. But if there are children involved, the priority has to be the protection of the child, right?
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BuckyD
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08-15-07 2:30 PM
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Public awareness of what takes place in our Family Court systems across the country have been squelched for too long. The likes of V.A.W.A (Violence Against Women Act) has done nothing but funnel a money tree for bias and false allegations to destroy men going through family court proceedings. The Department of Health and Human Resoources, Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, Child Protective Services, Guardians Adlitem, and others have created a biased and falsified informational claim about how much abuse occurs. There are far too many false allegation claims of abuse which tie up our law enforcement to create the ideal "divorce" atmosphere to be processed through the family court systems. Perhaps those making comments should try going through what those of us have "been through" in the closed doors of the Family Court (blind to the public) and then make an intelligent comment on the matters at hand. Perhaps someday people will wake up and get involved.
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brianb
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08-15-07 12:28 PM
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It sure looks like someone's got an axe to grind here. If we accept as true Bill Wagener's claim that "80 percent" of kids without fathers "become deviants to [sic] society," then that means that 32% of all American children will grow up to be "deviants." Really? Nearly ONE-THIRD of our kids will grow up to be deviants? Sounds more than a little loopy to me.
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