|
Erectile
Dysfunction? Hair Loss? The Men's Renaissance
Health Centers Can Help
The Men's Renaissance Health Centers are
a specialty medical facility dedicated to
the treatment of Men's Sexual Health, Hair
Transplantation, and Cosmetic Dermatology.
MRHC features the latest "Star Lux" Laser
technology for Facial Rejuvenation and Hair
Removal. Call (866) 398-6086 for
more info., and mention Glenn Sacks to receive
special rates.
Erectile
Dysfunction? Confidential Consultations,
Noninvasive Solutions
Men's Renaissance Heath Center specializes
in confidential consultations on Erectile
Dysfunction, Premature Ejaculation and Sexual
Potency. Unlike other clinics that focus
the patient on one invasive procedure featuring
constant injections, MRHC starts with a
thorough exam by a medical doctor and seeks
to find the most appropriate and least invasive
solution to the problem. Offering FDA approved
medications and devices, the MRHC makes
the process of recovering youthful performance
levels comfortable and rapid. Call (866)
398-6086 for more info., and mention
Glenn Sacks to receive special rates.
Hair Loss? Follicular Unit Transplantation
is the New Gold Standard
Follicular Unit Transplantation is the
newest technique of permanent surgical hair
restoration. With FUT, hair is transplanted
from the permanent zone in the back of the
scalp into balding areas, using only one's
own naturally occurring, individual follicular
units. This unique procedure provides what
we all want: hair that looks natural throughout,
no matter what we do or which way the wind
blows. Most importantly, transplanted hair
will continue to grow for the rest of the
patient's life. Call (866) 398-6086
for more info., and mention Glenn Sacks
to receive special rates.
|
Nationally-Syndicated
Cartoonist: It's Better to Have Two Moms than a
Mom and a Dad
 Guy
Berkeley "Berke" Breathed (aka "Berkeley Breathed"),
creator of the popular, nationally-syndicated cartoon
OPUS, gives fathers a nice kick in the teeth Father's
Day week with his latest comic "Davie Dinkle has
two moms" (pictured).
In the comic, which appeared in many of America's
largest newspapers Sunday (6/10/07), two elementary
school boys have the following discussion:
Boy with Black Hair: Hey, ya hear about
Davie Dinkle in third grade?
Boy with Blond Hair: No.
Black: He's got two moms.
Blond: Two?
Black: Multiple mommies.
Blond: Cool.
Penguin: No dad?
Black: No dads.
Blond: A dearth of dads for Davie Dinkle.
Black: Makes you wonder.
Blond: Makes you wonder what?
Black: Makes you wonder how he'll do
without a male role model in the
house.
Dad: (Drunk, as he angrily throws the
TV out the window) Now THAT was a pitch you @$%*
moron!
In "Davie Dinkle has two moms," Breathed's message
is clear--dads are useless as role models (when
they're not outright destructive), and kids have
little need or use for them.
To write a Letter to the Editor of the
paper(s) which published this anti-father cartoon,
see below. If your letter is printed, please let
us know and we will link to it. To see the cartoon
in a larger, clearer format, click
here,
here or
here.
Write a Letter to the Editor Regarding
Berkeley Breathed's anti-father
OPUS cartoon "Davie Dinkle has two moms"
New York Times --
letters@nytimes.com
Los Angeles Times -- use web form
here
Philadelphia Inquirer --
inquirer.letters@phillynews.com
Minneapolis Star Tribune --
opinion@startribune.com
Boston Globe --
letter@globe.com
Miami Herald --
HeraldEd@MiamiHerald.com
Kansas City Star --
letters@kcstar.com
The Sacramento Bee --
opinion@sacbee.com
Fort Worth Star Telegram --
letters@star-telegram.com
The Charlotte Observer --
opinion@charlotteobserver.com
Atlanta Journal Constitution -- use web form
here
Salon.com -- use web form
here
Berkeley Breathed can be reached at
opus@washpost.com.
Numerous other papers published the OPUS cartoon.
Some of them include: Austin American Statesman;
Raleigh News & Observer; Fresno Bee; Akron Beacon
Journal; Dayton Daily News; The State (Columbia,
SC); Wichita Eagle; Lexington Herald-Leader; The
Tacoma News Tribune, and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
This anti-father, "two moms are better than a
mom and a dad" assertion is not unique to Breathed.
Prominent feminist authors Peggy Drexler and Rosanna
Hertz received positive media attention after putting
forth similar notions in their recent, highly-publicized
books Raising Boys Without Men: How Maverick
Moms Are Creating the Next Generation of Exceptional
Men (Drexler) and Single by Chance, Mothers
by Choice: How Women Are Choosing Parenthood Without
Marriage and Creating the New American Family
(Hertz).
I criticized Drexler in my column
Raising Boys Without Men: Lesbian Parents
Good, Dads Bad (World Net Daily, 9/10/05)
and
Are Boys Really Better off Without Fathers?
(San Francisco Chronicle & others, 8/31/05).
I criticized both Drexler and Hertz in my co-authored
column
Are Single Mothers the 'New American Family?'
(World Net Daily, 9/28/06).
(Note: My commentary above should NOT be construed
as a criticism of lesbians, lesbian moms or gays.
As I've
made
clear on many occasions, I fully support the
rights of gays and lesbians to live their lives
as they choose. What I oppose is the idea--pushed
by Breathed, Drexler, Hertz and others--that kids
don't need fathers, that moms are better than dads,
and that having two moms is better than having a
mom and a dad.)
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
The
American Coalition for Fathers and Children
The American Coalition for Fathers and Children
is dedicated to creating a family law system
which promotes equal rights for all parties
affected by divorce. Contact the ACFC at
1-800-978-3237 or visit them on the web
at www.acfc.org.
Parenting Plan Calendar Software
Shared
Ground (R) is an easy-to-use software
program designed for divorced parents to
track their parenting plan schedules over
many years. Do-it-yourself or let us build
your approved parenting plan into a multi-year
calendar so that you can print, share, or
modify the calendar later. Parents, attorneys,
arbitrators and mediators can generate equitable
parenting plans, which is especially useful
for parents seeking fair division of their
children's time. FREE ASSISTANCE TO OUR
CLIENTS- $49.95 one-time charge, FREE TRIAL
& MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE. Click
here for more information.
|
A
Father-Positive Tostitos Ad
 A
reader of mine named Tom pointed the father-positive
Tostitos TV commercial "Why Tostitos?" out to me.
Believe it or not, the father in the commercial
is actually intelligent and is respected by his
children and his wife.
It's also a brief but pleasant depiction of the
close relationship between dads and their little
daughters, one of my favorite subjects.
To watch "Why Tostitos?", click
here.
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
I
Debate Feminist Rebecca Traister in Atlanta Life
Magazine
 Feminist
writer Rebecca Traister and I debated the question
"Is America Bashing Its Men?" in the June issue
of Atlanta Life Magazine (pictured). Traister
is a staff writer at Salon.com who has written for
the New York Times, New York Magazine,
and others.
Traister and I didn't agree on much of anything.
We were asked the following three questions:
1) Why are men's issues in the areas of divorce,
child custody and support, false accusations of
rape, and discrimination in the workplace and in
society almost never covered by the mainstream news
media?
2) It seems atypical to see men in commercial
advertisements represented as hard-working, competent
individuals who are respected authority figures
in the family. Why do you think this is?
3) What do you think accounts for the fact that
girls are enrolling and graduating from college
at a much higher rate than boys? Does this fact
highlight other educational disparities between
boys and girls?
In response to question 1, Traister asserted
that men's and fathers' issues plenty of media attention,
citing the Duke rape controversy and coverage of
the Alec Baldwin and Anna Nicole Smith cases as
evidence. My answer to the question was as follows:
"One, men don't tend to complain, and most people
don't like to hear men complain. A woman who complains
is a victim; a man who complains is a whiner.
"Two, the women's groups are well-organized,
have a long history, and a large influence on the
mainstream media.
"Three, many of the injustices men face are in
areas which can't easily be made into short sound
bites. The media doesn't like to get into divorce/child
custody because when you do, you're immediately
in the realm of he said/she said. Whatever you're
discussing is intensely personal and private, which
invites legal problems.
"Four, media people are college educated, so
they've been influenced by the anti-male feminism
from their colleges' Women's Studies departments.
They graduate saddled with misinformation about
gender issues, and this makes them less likely to
pay attention to men's concerns.
"Five, while feminists would have us believe
that men are complicit in a patriarchy designed
to make themselves privileged, in reality most men
care far more about women's feelings and hurts than
they do about men's. When confronted with a problem
facing women or a problem facing men, most men will
address the former long before the latter."
The debate is available on line--click
here and go to pages 12 through 15.
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
Jeff Leving's New Book--Divorce
Wars
Jeffery M. Leving, one of America's
most prominent divorce lawyers,
has written a new book on how to
win any divorce fairly, even when
your spouse brings out the heavy
artillery.
Divorce Wars: A Field Guide to the
Winning Tactics, Preemptive Strikes,
and Top Maneuvers When Divorce Gets
Ugly provides essential advice
on everything from picking the right
lawyer and devising a winning settlement
strategy to getting the most from
your day in court and dealing with
an ex-spouse.
Divorce Wars is available
here.
Help, Resources for Dads
The
National Fathers' Resource Center
is a division of
Fathers For Equal Rights, Inc.
(FER), located in Dallas, Texas,
with offices in both Dallas and
Houston. In existence for over three
decades, it has services and resources
for dads nationwide and is one of
the largest and most active fathers'
rights organizations in the U.S.
www.fathers4kids.org
|
|
A Fathers'
Rights Perspective on Anne Heche's Divorce/Custody
Settlement
 Anne
Heche's recently announced divorce/custody settlement
with her estranged husband, Coley Laffoon, has some
of the marks of the types of custody decisions which
I and the fathers' rights movement have often criticized.
According to the Entertainment Television
story
Anne Heche's Hubby Gets Custody, Cash (6/11/07):
"Anne Heche has to pay up, in more ways than
one.
"A Los Angeles Superior Court judge awarded the
actress' estranged husband, Coley Laffoon, primary
physical custody of their five-year-old son, Homer,
and an unspecified amount of child support.
"Heche, who's headed back to Vancouver next month
to start shooting the second season of Men in Trees,
will have alternate weekend visits with the boy.
"A source told E! News, however, that Laffoon--who
was originally gunning for $33,000 a month in spousal
and child support to maintain the 'marital standard
of living' to which he had become accustomed--got
'far below his original demands.'
"The freelance videographer and stay-at-home
dad, who filed for divorce in February, petitioned
the court in early May for joint legal custody and
primary physical custody of Homer, stating in his
filing that Heche had 'poor parenting skills' and
had exhibited 'bizarre and delusional behavior'
that made him wary of leaving Homer in her care.
"Laffoon alleged that he was the one who had
created a stable home life for Homer and requested
that Heche be required to undergo a psychological
evaluation.
"Heche, who went public with her longtime struggle
with mental illness in her 2001 memoir Call
Me Crazy, fired back, saying that, yes, Laffoon
might spend more time at home than she does, but
only because she's out earning a living and home
is where he could engage in his favorite hobbies--playing
ping-pong, playing poker, checking out online porn
and masturbating.
"'Coley does stay at home while I am working,
but not to parent,' she stated in court documents."
Read the full article
here.
I have mixed emotions about the settlement. Below
are some of my views, in no particular order:
1) It's nice to see a case where when a court
decides to award custody to the primary caregiver
and the primary caregiver is a man, they actually
give him custody instead of finding some excuse
to give it to the woman.
2) Heche has trashed her ex-husband, but at least
she hasn't done what some female breadwinners do
in order to get custody: pretend the primary caregiving
father is violent or abusive, get a restraining
order to boot him out of the house, and then win
sole custody.
3) I believe in shared parenting, not
sole or primary father custody, and I don't like
it that Heche will only "have alternate weekend
visits with the boy." However, since the couple
lived in LA but she's currently working in Vancouver,
that may be all that's possible. They had apparently
planned that the boy would spend the summer with
his mom in Vancouver, since he's not in school,
but it's unclear if that is still the plan.
(Late note: TMZ.com is now reporting that
"Sources say the judge ruled that the child must
reside in Los Angeles. When Anne is in town,
physical custody is split 50/50. When she is not
in town -- beginning in August, she goes back to
Vancouver to shoot her TV show, 'Men in Trees'
-- the child will live full-time with Coley and
Anne will get visitation every other weekend."
If that's really the arrangement, it seems fair
enough to me--GS)
4) Heche has a well-documented, admitted history
of mental illness, which may or may not have been
resolved. I'm for shared custody for fit
parents, and Heche may not be one. Laffoon's charges
that Heche is mentally unstable could be a custody
ploy, but they probably have at least some basis
in fact.
5) I don't know how much money Heche has,
but Laffoon's child support demands seem excessive.
6) I don't like it when primary caregiving dads
are disparaged by their wives, ex-wives and the
media as being lazy ne'er do wells. Laffoon has
been staying home and caring for his 5-year-old
son--nobody calls stay-at-home moms "lazy." In fact,
they're often perceived as victims who have sacrificed
their careers and fulfillment for their husbands
and their kids. Obviously Laffoon appears to have
an easy life because of Heche's money, but that's
also true of the wives of wealthy men, and those
wives still are usually treated sympathetically.
7) One reason why men hesitate to become their
children's primary caregivers is their fear--often
quite justified--that once their wives' careers
soar past theirs, they will be disparaged as "losers."
They also fear--with good reason--that their wives
will become angry over the burden of having to be
the family's primary breadwinner. Sometimes a woman
is content being the primary breadwinner until the
day she doesn't like her job, and then all hell
breaks loose.
8) Heche says Laffoon's hobbies include "playing
ping-pong, playing poker, checking out online porn
and masturbating." She says that like it's a bad
thing.
9) Heche says Laffoon might spend more time at
home than she does, but only because she's out earning
a living. That seems a fair complaint, and one often
voiced by male breadwinners.
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
I
Discuss the Texas Frozen Embryo Case on the Nationally-Syndicated
Mike McConnell Show (Audio Available)
 I
discussed the Texas frozen embryo case on the nationally-syndicated
Mike McConnell Show yesterday.
The audio of the interview is available--to listen,
click
here.
To write the show, click
here.
To learn more about the case, click
here.
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
My
Column on the 'Women's Equality Amendment' in
Philadelphia Daily News
 My
co-authored column
A misguided ERA-substitute (Philadelphia
Daily News, 6/7/07) reiterates my belief that
it is wrong for the backers of the new Equal Rights
Amendment to change the name to the "Women's Equality
Amendment."
As my column explains, many of the injustices
based on gender today work against men and fathers.
The ERA, which seeks to end any bias or discrimination
based on sex, is appropriate. The WEA, which ignores
many of the worst gender-based injustices, is not.
The column can be seen
here. To write a Letter to the Editor of the
Philadelphia Daily News regarding the column,
click here.
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
NOW
Portrays Immigrant Men as Wife-Beaters
 There
are legitimate arguments on both sides of the immigration
debate, but most reasonable people on both sides
acknowledge that most immigrants are hard-working,
decent people who (understandably) came to the US
for a chance at a better life.
Not the National Organization for
Women.
In a recent statement I would've
more expected from the Ku Klux Klan than from NOW,
NOW president Kim Gandy (pictured) describes immigrant
men as men who "hit their [wives] frequently," threaten
to put their wives and children on the street if
they "ask them to buy groceries or clothes for the
kids" and make their wives "live in perpetual fear."
According to Gandy, these immigrant women better
not get pregnant and/or lose their jobs, because
their immigrant husbands will "beat" them for it.
Gandy's comments are a despicable
slap at the millions of immigrant men and fathers
who work long hours at demanding jobs to provide
for their wives and children. Exactly as both of
my grandfathers did.
Gandy's bigoted commentary can be
found
here. This is feminism?
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
 |
Online Dating Rights
Online Dating Rights
opposes the new federal
International Marriage Broker
Regulation Act, which requires
Americans who seek to meet
foreigners via the internet
to have a criminal background
check and an intrusive report
about intimate details of
one's life BEFORE any communication--the
first time in US history
that such checks have been
required.
www.onlinedatingrights.com
|
Help for California Divorced Dads
The Divorced Fathers Network helps
dads in Los Angeles, the Bay Area
and Santa Cruz. Local chapters sponsor
free weekly co-parenting classes,
individual mentoring for fathers
and much more.
www.divorcedfathers.com |
|
Dick
Allen & the Misleading 'Paternal Abandonment Script'
 I've
often criticized what one might call the "paternal
abandonment script"--the standard assumption that
if a father doesn't remain in his children's lives
after a divorce or separation, it's because he "abandoned
the family" and/or chose to remove himself from
his children's lives.
This script is pushed heavily by both the left
and the right, including: feminists; influential
fatherhood expert David Blankenhorn of the Institute
for American Values; presidential candidate Barack
Obama; former Vice-President Dan Quayle (and his
famous 1992 Murphy Brown speech decrying fatherlessness);
and countless others.
I've detailed in
numerous newspaper columns the many barriers
mothers and the family law system place between
fathers and their children and won't reprise the
argument here. But many times I see references to
fathers who "abandoned" their kids when, upon closer
inspection, it is very unclear that such "abandonment"
occurred. This is particularly common when dealing
with African-American fathers.
I noticed this again recently when reading the
autobiography of Dick Allen (pictured), probably
the best hitter in the major leagues during much
of my childhood. There are numerous media references
to Dick Allen (aka Richie Allen) being raised by
a single mother. For example, in
Dick Allen, the Phillies, and Racism, William
C. Kashatus writes, "Allen was the youngest of three
boys raised by a single mother."
The
Encyclopedia of Arkansas reports that Dick Allen
was the son of "Era Allen and her husband, a traveling
truck driver who later divorced her. Era Allen raised
her youngest son primarily on her own."
Allen doesn't focus on this issue in his autobiography,
but in passing makes several assertions which contradict
the paternal abandonment script written about his
family life. According to Allen, his mother and
father had a rocky, up and down relationship which
finally ended when the couple divorced. That's not
exactly "abandonment."
Allen's mother and father divorced when Allen
was 15, meaning that the father had been with the
mother as they raised all of the other children
and up until Allen, the youngest, was almost grown.
That's not exactly "abandonment," either.
In the book, Allen wonders what became of his
father, but says that he would never discuss it
in his family because any mention of his father
greatly upset his mother. In other words, Allen
thought that if he had a relationship with his father,
it would have been a betrayal of his mother. Allen
was fiercely loyal to his mother, often with good
reason. But the "having a relationship with your
dad is a betrayal of mom" is a central part of
Parental Alienation. Again, this isn't exactly
"abandonment."
Dick Allen's father was a traveling truck driver,
so he was probably gone a lot, even during the time
his relationship with Allen's mother was good. Allen's
dad probably wasn't a Father of the Year candidate,
but there's not much evidence that he was a bad
guy, either. All we know for sure is that he didn't
get along with Allen's mother. And that doesn't
mean he abandoned his kids or was a bad father.
To discuss the issue on my blog, click
here.
Alicia M. Crowe's Real Dads Stand Up!
Alicia M. Crowe's new book Real Dads
Stand Up! explains what every single
father should know about child support,
rights and custody. Learn how to exercise
your legal rights, avoid 'baby mama drama',
navigate the child support system, gain
and maintain access to your children, and
settle issues without going to trial.
www.realdadsstandup.com
Fathers'
Rights Legal Help
If you need help with divorce, child custody,
child support, alimony and visitation issues,
The Law
Offices of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd. is
one of the only law firms in the country
focused almost exclusively on fathers' rights
in divorce. Leving did heroic work on the
Elian Gonzalez case, helping reunite Elian
with his father. He also co-authored Illinois'
Joint Custody Law, and was named one of
"America's Best Lawyers" by Forbes Radio.
Leving is the author of
Fathers' Rights: Hard Hitting and Fair Advice
for Every Father Involved in a Custody Dispute.
Call today for an initial consultation (312)
807-3990 or visit us on the web at
www.dadsrights.com.
|
If I Bought This for My Wife, Maybe She
Could Cut Her Shoe Collection Down to 200...
Maybe this is what to get your
wife for her birthday. They're $300 a pair
but, given how many other shoe purchases
they could eliminate, they're probably worth
it.
Bizarre Fashion: Adjustable High-Heel Shoes
Cleveland Leader, 5/22/07
For women, choosing what shoes to wear
with an outfit is more than just picking
the right color and style, it's also about
choosing the right height. Should you wear
flats, kitten heels, or taller ones? To
solve the dilemma, women have for years
been buying up a variety of shoes in bulk,
but a new shoe may help ease some of the
financial cost involved in having the right
shoe for every occasion.
Introducing the world's first adjustable
high-heeled shoes. The CAMiLEON Heels can
quickly change from a 3-inch heel to a 1-inch
heel, using a concealed flip down stainless
steel heel. The high heel can clip in discreetly
and unnoticeably under the shoe.
To read more and to discuss this issue
on my blog, click
here.
Experience the Book that Dares to
Scream the Inner Thoughts of Men
Author Tom Ellis unleashes his savage
wit on women's studies, gender norming,
implants, affirmative action, rape
hysteria, pornography, women's spirituality,
homophobia, and bad dates. Intended
for male readers, women also find
it shockingly insightful. Contains
adult situations and language.
The Rantings of a Single Male:
Losing Patience with Feminism, Political
Correctness... and Basically Everything
by Thomas Ellis -- $11.95 + shipping
from Amazon via direct purchase--click
here. |
Has Your Career Been Impacted
by Custody Issues?
After empowering people's
careers for over 20 years,
I was duly initiated into
family law just like you--through
a 30 month, $520,000 custody
suit. I learned that a solid
home-based business could
be the best option, allowing
one to shake the financial
shackles while still experiencing
a "no limits" career. More
than ever, our kids now
need a free and available
parent. Be there for them...and
for yourself. Darrell W.
Gurney,
www.EntrepreneurFromHome.com.
|
|
Remember, Only MALE Consumers Contribute
to Global Warming
From Stuart Carlson of the Milwaukee
Journal-Sentinel. We've cited numerous
Carlson cartoons before--if there's someone
bad in a Carlson editorial cartoon, you
can bet it's a man.
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
The Business of Love
50% of 1st marriages fail,
the rate of marriage has
declined 48% in 40 years,
single households now outnumber
married households...if
there ever was a time for
a radical, new approach
to marriage, it's NOW.
The Business of Love,
by Dr. John Curtis, an organizational
development consultant and
former marriage counselor,
is the first book to show
how to take the same "best
practices" that build successful
businesses and apply them
to an intimate relationship.
Learn more at
www.TheBusinessofLove.org.
Help for Michigan Dads
Michigan family law
attorney Mindy L. Hitchcock
has experience fighting
for noncustodial parents
against Michigan's abusive
FOC. Her
holistic approach to
divorce gets results for
her clients while avoiding
the scorched earth approach
to law that leaves families
emotionally and financially
devastated.
Lady4Justice.com
|
|
Child Support and the 'Best Interests of
the Child'
 Background:
Recently, I debated the Texas frozen embryo
case on Fox's nationally-syndicated
Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. The
case involves Augusta Roman and her ex-husband
Randy Roman, who during their marriage tried
for several years to have a child (and had
one miscarriage) before undergoing infertility
treatments.
The day before the embryos were to
be implanted, Randy told her that he was
troubled by certain aspects of their relationship
and wanted to wait to implant the embryos
until they had resolved their problems.
They went to counseling for six months and
later divorced.
Augusta, who will be 47 in August,
still wants to have the embryos implanted,
and Randy has refused, leading to a high-profile
court battle. To watch a video of our debate,
click
here.
During our debate, Augusta Roman and
her attorney Becky Reitz insisted that Randy
Roman would not have to pay child support
because Augusta would not ask for it and
Texas law allows sperm donors to decline
parental responsibility. I said that
regardless of what Augusta claims or does,
and regardless of the law they describe,
family courts have enormous power to do
whatever they want in the "best interests
of the child," and that it is likely that
Randy would have to pay child support.
Ironically, I just saw this article--Nebraska
high court rules mom can't excuse dad from
child support (Omaha World-Herald,
6/1/07)--in which the Nebraska Supreme Court
applies the same argument. The case pits
a man who has never had a relationship with
his child against the child's mother. The
father claimed that the mother didn't want
him in the child's life and had said she
wouldn't ask for child support if he agreed
to stay away. The mother claims that no
such agreement exists. The Nebraska Supreme
Court wrote:
"...even if such agreement did exist,
the agreement was against public policy;
and that because the right to support belonged
to Kayla [the child], any agreement made
or actions taken by Linda would not be the
basis for equitable estoppel in this paternity
and child support action brought by the
State on Kayla's behalf. We therefore reject
Risinger's [the father] assignments of error.
In other words, when mom is raising the
kids, it is always in the child's best interests
that the father pay, so pay he must--exactly
as I said on Fox.
Nebraska high court rules mom can't excuse
dad from child support
BY MARTHA STODDARD
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU
June 1, 2007
LINCOLN - The father of a Rock County
girl must pay child support even if her
mother had agreed to excuse him from that
obligation, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled
Friday.
According to the court's ruling, Lyle
D. Risinger claimed he had agreed with the
child's mother that the mother would give
up support payments if he made no attempt
to contact the child.
The district court concluded there was
no such agreement and the Supreme Court
upheld that conclusion.
But the high court also said such an
agreement would be void because the right
to support belongs to the child.
"The purported agreement by which Risinger
would avoid child support in exchange for
not contacting the child would contravene
public policy and be unenforceable," the
court said.
That leaves Risinger responsible for
paying child support of $591 a month, plus
retroactive support of $60,119.
To read more and to discuss this issue
on my blog, click
here.
 Dr.
Warren Farrell's
Shared Parenting
Evidence
Kit--What
You Need
to Win Shared
Physical
Custody
Dr. Warren
Farrell,
a top expert
on children
of divorce
now offers
a complete
evidence
kit to help
you win
shared custody.
The DVDs,
audio CD
and electronic
files summarize
the best
scientific
research
available
collected
over decades.
Scientific
research
has proven
that children
do far better
with near
equal time
with both
parents
with minimal
conditions.
This video
set was
developed
to educate
parents,
judges,
lawyers,
psychologists
and other
divorce
professionals.
Most judges
are doing
exactly
what is
worst for
children
with sole-custody.
Submitted
as evidence
this will
maximize
your chances.
Divorce
Reform groups
call(508)
381-1450
to use as
fundraiser.
www.BestInterestofChildren.org |
|
|
Help for Los Angeles/Ventura County
Dads
Certified Family Law Specialist
Peter M. Walzer was one of the key
figures in our successful legislative
struggle to preserve the LaMusga
move-away decision. As Chair of
the State Bar of California Family
Law Section Executive Committee,
Walzer lobbied the state legislature
to improve California laws on child
support and child custody. He's
an American Academy of Matrimonial
Lawyers Fellow who has authored
numerous articles on custody issues,
business valuation in marital dissolutions
and spousal and child support.
www.California-Divorce.com
|
|
Boys and the Boy Crisis--Third
National Men's Equality Congress,
July 13-14 in Washington, DC
Boys and the Boy Crisis, the
Third National Men's Equality Congress,
will be held July 13-14 in Washington,
DC. The speakers list is great--perhaps
the best I've ever seen at a conference.
Speakers include:
1) Matt O'Connor--leader of the
English fathers' group
Fathers 4 Justice. O'Connor
has done more than anybody to raise
awareness of the terrible social
problem of children being separated
from their fathers after divorce
or separation.
2) Christina Hoff Sommers--author
of the books
The War Against Boys: How Misguided
Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men
and
Who Stole Feminism?.
In
The War Against Boys,
Sommers asserts, "It's a bad time
to be a boy in America," and takes
a hard look at the boy crisis and
the misguided policies which have
helped create it.
Who Stole Feminism?
is a devastating expose of the way
feminists have disseminated misinformation
about men and gender issues via
the media and academia, and helped
poison our popular culture against
men.
3) Warren Farrell--the intellectual
wellspring of the men's movement,
and the author of
Father & Child Reunion,
the
Myth of Male Power,
and others. Farrell is also an expert
on shared parenting--to watch Warren
speak, click on
Warren Farrell's Case for Shared
Parenting (Video).
4) Paul Nathanson and Katherine
Young, co-authors of
Spreading Misandry: The Teaching
of Contempt for Men in Popular Culture
and
Legalizing Misandry: From Public
Shame to Systemic Discrimination
Against Men.
5) Stephen Baskerville--president
of the
American
Coalition for Fathers and Children
and author of the soon-to-be
released book
Taken into Custody: The War
Against Fatherhood, Marriage, and
the Family.
6)
Glenn Sacks--men's and fathers'
issues columnist, commentator, talk
show host and blogger.
To register for the conference,
click
here.
There will also be three 2+ hour
pre-conference workshops, one conducted
by Matt O'Connor, one by Warren
Farrell, and one by Glenn Sacks.
The workshops will start Friday
morning and conclude prior to the
conference opening that evening.
These workshops will allow the
speakers to go into greater detail
and allow participants to spend
more time with our speakers. The
pricing for early registrants will
be $33 for each workshop. Attending
these workshops is extra and separate
from the conference. People can
choose to go to none, one, two or
all three.
To sign up for 'early bird' prices
for these workshops and/or to register
for the conference, click
here.
The mover and shaker behind these
conferences is Tom Golden, LCSW,
a Washington, DC-area men's activist.
Golden does an excellent job--both
of the previous conferences he's
held were well-attended and well-organized.
To discuss this issue on my blog,
click
here.
|
|
Help for Colorado Dads
As someone who has personally experienced
the heartbreak of divorce and family
breakup,
Brett W. Martin, Esq. works
to advance the interests and concerns
of fathers in domestic and family
law litigation. Personal attention
is given to clients to help them
through a very difficult time in
their lives.
www.brettwmartin.com |
|
Um...Don't
You Mean 'Alleged'? Child Support Obligors Are Always
Guilty...
 Child
support obligors are always guilty until proven...nah,
they're just always guilty. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
story below--Woman
pleads guilty to arranging hit on her ex-husband--is
another example. It is simply assumed that the father
who was the target of the murder plot was a "deadbeat
dad"--they don't even say "alleged."
And how do they know he was a "deadbeat?" Maritha
Hunter-Butler (pictured), the ex-wife who tried
to kill him, said so. A murderess wouldn't lie,
would she?
And if he is behind, I'm sure she honored all
court agreements regarding visitation and parenting
time and there certainly could not have been any
reason why he would hesitate to pay such a wonderful
lady her child support.
I'm surprised she didn't plead not guilty and
claim that nonpayment of child support is abuse
and provocation.
One more point. We've discussed the
female
sentencing discount on numerous occasions. I
don't know if that will happen here, but it's interesting
that she's not even being held in jail.
Woman pleads guilty to arranging hit on her ex-husband
By William C. Lhotka
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
5/30/2007
Maritha Hunter-Butler admitted this morning that
she tried to hire a hit man to kill her ex-husband,
Abdul Butler, at his home in Berkeley in July of
2005.
Hunter-Butler, 32, of Ferguson, pleaded guilty
today of attempted first-degree murder and armed
criminal action, The maximum punishment is 15 years
in prison on the attempted murder conviction and
life for the weapons violation.
The defendant thought she was hiring a hitman
but got an informer instead. He wore a wire and
tape-recorded conversations of the murder plot.
Police said Hunter-Butler drove the would-be hitman
past her husband's house, offered him a share of
life insurance proceeds, and provided him with a
rifle.
Hunter-Butler was angry over delinquent child
support payments, police said. On the day of her
arrest, Abdul Butler, 34, got a court child protection
order for their three children, then ages 10, 9
and 7. The children were removed from her home in
Ferguson.
St. Louis County Circuit Judge Melvyn W. Wiesman
set sentencing for July 13. Until then, the defendant
will remain on electronic home monitoring, the judge
ordered.
To read more and to discuss this issue on my
blog, click
here.
Famed
Magician Criss Angel Credits His Father for 'Making
Me What I Am' (Part I)
I heard an interesting interview with
Criss Angel
(pictured during a CBS performance), the famous
magician/illusionist, on the radio in Los Angeles
the other day. Angel is the creator and director
of the Criss Angel Mindfreak television
series on A&E Network. He is a five-time winner
of the Magician of the Year award and has performed/appeared
on the Oprah Winfrey Show, The Late
Show with David Letterman, Late Night with
Conan O'Brien, The Ellen DeGeneres
show, and many others.
During the interview, Angel gave credit for much
of his success to his father, who he said was his
inspiration. He described his father's battle against
cancer, how he lived far longer than the 3 weeks
the doctors told him he had left because he wanted
to see his grandchild born, and how he died in Angel's
arms. Angel said it was his father who gave him
his work ethic and taught him that he could succeed
in this difficult profession.
His Wikipedia biography can be found
here.
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
|
My Family Has Two Houses...and I'm
Okay
A workshop for children of separation
or divorce in a workbook! In the
privacy of your own home, you can
provide your child with a safe way
of looking at their thoughts and
feelings and help to open
discussion of relevant issues for
them with you. This workbook can
make the difference between your
child surviving your divorce and
thriving despite it! To learn more
about My family has two houses
...and I'm Okay! and to
order, click
here.
Help for North Carolina Dads
Steve Monks and
the Monks Law Firm helps North
Carolina dads with all their family
law needs, from preparation of a
simple separation agreement to a
full-blown custody case. The Monks
Law Firm offers a guaranteed fixed-rate
fee upon evaluation of your case--without
the burden of hourly rates hanging
over your head, you can concentrate
on solving your legal problems instead
of worrying about the bill.
www.monkslawnc.com
|
|
Help
for Everybody but Us
 Women's
eNews, formerly affiliated with the National Organization
for Women, has an interesting article
Big Law Firms Waive Fees for Women's Legal Needs
Run Date (06/08/07) which details the efforts
major law firms make to provide pro bono
legal assistance to women.
It's nice that these law firms are donating their
time to help women, particularly in those poorer
countries where--unlike the United States--women
are actually oppressed. But if you're going
to decide which groups of people in the United States
are beaten down by the legal system, divorced dads
would have to be pretty close to the top of the
list.
Nevertheless, there's almost nothing in the way
of pro bono legal assistance for them.
One more example that, for all the feminist talk
about the patriarchy and men's endless conspiracy
to keep all the good stuff for themselves, almost
all men will help women far quicker than they'll
help their fellow men.
According to the article, The American Lawyer's
2006 top pro bono rankings of law firms
were:
#1 Covington & Burling
#2 Debevoise & Plimpton
#3 Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr
#4 Arnold & Porter
#5 Hogan & Hartson
Perhaps some of my readers would like to politely
call these firms and ask them what they're doing
to help low income divorced dads and noncustodial
fathers.
To discuss this issue on my blog, click
here.
Help
for Los Angeles/Orange County Dads--Because
They're Your Kids, Too
If you're a dad facing a divorce or separation
and you need quality legal representation
in Los Angeles or Orange County, the Law
Office of David Stone can help. Remember,
they're your kids, too.
www.help4dad.com |
Help
for Georgia Dads
Georgia attorney
Edwin M. Saginar has 36 years of experience
in family law and criminal defense, including
domestic violence. He has seen many spouses
falsely accuse their significant others
of family violence, and knows how to defend
your rights.
www.edwinsaginar.com
|
More
Child Support Enforcement Idiocy--Gay Guy Hunted
Down for CS for 'His' ChildOn numerous
occasions I've discussed the widespread problem
of men being hit with default paternity judgments
and being forced to pay 18 years of child support
for children who are not theirs. In my co-authored
column
New American Bar Association Article Points to Crisis
in False Paternity Judgments (Baltimore
Sun, 8/20/06), I wrote:
"Child support enforcement programs are supported
by all sides of the political spectrum, from women's
advocates on the left to traditionalists on the
right. While this popularity is sometimes understandable,
it has also allowed glaring and inexcusable abuses
to fester and grow. Of these, none is more egregious
than when men are forced to pay 18 years of child
support for children who are not theirs, and who
in many cases they've never even met...
"According to an Urban Institute study, most
of the men targeted are low-income and uneducated,
and the court pleadings in these child support cases
are unnecessarily complex. Many men are left confused
or doubtful about the seriousness of the proceedings.
Moreover, substitute service, where the court summons
is often left at an erroneous last known address,
is frequently used instead of personal service.
When the putative father does not appear at his
hearing, a default paternity judgment is entered
against him.
"A federal report shows that in many child support
enforcement offices, half or more of the paternity
judgments are entered by default. Of the 250,000
paternity judgments ordered in California each year,
more than two-thirds are entered by default. Even
when men obtain DNA tests clearing them of paternity,
most courts rarely set aside these judgments."
The New York Times recently discussed
a case in which a gay man who apparently had
never had sex with a woman in his life was
hit with a paternity suit and barely escaped a long-term
child support obligation.
Amy Alkon, the Advice Goddess, explains:
Jim Dwyer writes in The New York Times
about yet another case of paternity fraud, one of
the easiest frauds to perpetuate, and at no cost
to the mother for lying:
"A baby had been born in December. The mother
had named Mr. Shaieb as the father. The city wanted
him to pay his share. And it, meaning the city,
had his Social Security number.
To read more and to discuss this issue on my
blog, click
here.
|
TIME
magazine's new Father's Day hatchet job on divorced
and separated fathers--
I've
remarked before on the reactionary gay-bashing by some of
the conservative Christian groups publicized through
A
'Dark Day' for who? Newsweek called its
new "women who murder really are victims" piece about Gilberta
Estrada (pictured) "A Mother's Darkest Day."
Background:
Recently I've been reading Brad Snyder's interesting book