Fathers' Day 2006

http://mensnewsdaily.com/2006/06/18/fathers-day-2006/
Fathers' Day 2006
June 18, 2006
by Teri Stoddard

Today is Fathers' Day, 2006. Like most people I'm reminded of my own father,
my childhood, and the impact my father's influence had on me.
It turns out I'm one of the lucky ones. I grew up with both of my biological
parents, who are still married. My father worked for the same energy company
his entire career, and my parents lived in the same house from shortly
before my birth until long after I, the youngest child, left the nest. I may
not have always felt close to my father, and we didn't always share the same
views on life, but he was always there. If my father gave me anything, he
gave me stability and security.

Today's children aren't so lucky. One third of all births in America are to
unwed women, many who no longer have a relationship with their baby's
father. Even children born within marriage aren't guaranteed an ongoing
relationship with both parents. High divorce rates and low equal custody
orders leave most children in the sole care and control of mothers, who
sometimes think nothing of marginalizing biological fathers.

"You'll never see the kids again! You'll never see your f*cking kids again,
ever!" I heard this on a recent Maury television show. The woman had just
learned of her husband's infidelity. It must have been the most hurtful
thing she could say to him at the time. The sad thing is, she probably meant
it. Even worse, similar scenarios happen in homes across the nation on a
daily basis.

Even in divorces without infidelity, even in cases where the couple have
mutally agreed to split up, unchecked emotions can cause people to do wrong.
Parents often use children as pawns in divorces and child custody cases.
Sometimes men get the upper hand in court, and they are just as capable of
inflicting this grievous offence upon their ex-partners as women are. But by
far, it's the fathers who most often find themselves alienated and raped of
their parenting responsibilities and joys. For these men, today brings anger
and pain.

Some of these men, and women who have experienced the same indignity, are
doing something about it. Thirty years after it's birth, the Fathers Rights
Movement is stronger than ever. In fact, combined with the Men's Movement,
the Shared Parenting Movement, the Noncustodial Mothers' Movement, the
Anti-CPS Movement, the Grandparents' Movement and others, they are a force
to be reckoned with. They're actively lobbying to change laws, educating the
media and public, running for office, exposing corruption, supporting
parents and saving lives, among other things.

If you find yourself in a house of mirrors called a family court case or
child support case, if you feel lost with nowhere to turn, or if your grief
over losing your children seems unbearable, please reach out. Contact
someone from the listings on the left side of this blog [following this
article], or call your local crisis line. You are not alone. Many have gone
through exactly what you're going through right now.

Please hold on, no matter how bad things seem. Child support cases can be
reviewed. Custody cases can be reviewed. And if all else fails, children
grow up, and often search for their fathers when they're adults. And when
you feel stronger, please join with us in fighting for the rights of
children to have full access to both of their parents equally.

I'd like to point out a commentary and some activities made special by this
Fathers' Day holiday:

Here's an encouraging message entitled We Are Over The Hump, by Stephen
Baskerville, President of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children
(ACFC). I'd also like to remind you to attend their 2006 conference in
Alexandria, Virginia on September 15 and 16. The details can be found HERE.

My hero Rob Robinson, the Burnaby Batman, hasn't let me down this holiday.
As seen in this photo he took our message to many Canadian commuters. I
understand that television and radio crews helped spread the message even
further. Way to go, B.Bat.

Two Fathers4Justice-UK members tried to throw themselves in front of the
Queen during the Trooping the Colour Parade yesterday but were arrested
before they could follow-through. Details HERE.

In Search of Fatherhood is now a blog! Check it out HERE.

The National Coalition of Free Men - Los Angeles chapter has once again made
a statement. It's hard to miss the large signs parked strategically around
Los Angeles. You can see more signs HERE.

If you're in the DC area today, why not join other fathers who will be
demonstrating? Details HERE.

Click HERE to watch the Ohio Fathers4Justice's television spot. Way to go
F4J-Ohio!

And I can't omit suggesting that you read Glenn Sack's newsletter. Glenn
does an excellent job keeping us all informed. Newsletters can be found
HERE. Thanks Glenn.

I'd like to wish my father and my son a Happy Fathers' Day. We are indeed
lucky; I'll be spending the day with my father, and my son will be spending
the day with his daughter. I only wish this option was available to all fit
and loving fathers.

----------------------------------------------------

Equal means Equal!

I believe equality is beautiful. I support family law reform so families can
rely on laws and the court system to facilitate good will, honesty,
responsible co-parenting, justice and equality.

Both genders face injustices and heartbreak. And the real victims...are
always the children.

FREE parenting plans!
SharedParentingWorks.org

"Be the change you want to see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi
!!! CALIFORNIA NEWS !!!
California Alliance for Families and Children is a gender-neutral 501(c)(3)
organization dedicated to the equal rights of men, women and children within
family law. Can you help?
~~~~~~~~~~
Please join our
WORLD FRAPPR MAP!
~~~~~~~~~~

my articles
a.. he never got to say "good bye"
a.. is he "the loser", or is he dad?
a.. it's not your mother's fathers movement anymore
other articles
a.. the importance of fathers
a.. making shared custody work
superhero activism videos
a.. dads army 67.6 mb (1 hr)
a.. f4j-us dressed4success
june 2005 (sm)
a.. f4j-us dressed4success
june 2005 (lg)
a.. f4j-canada vancouver
nov 2004
a.. f4j-canada father christmas
december 2004
a.. f4j-canada victoria
march 2005
a.. f4j-ca's victoria 3/05
a.. f4j-canada vancouver
may 2005
a.. f4j-ca's vancouver september 2005
a.. super hero dads 12.9 mb (6 mins)
my SUPER heroes
a.. original fathers4justice -italy
a.. original fathers4justice -uk
a.. original fathers4justice (news on the mens hour) -uk
a.. fathers4justice and families4justice -canada
a.. fathers4justice -south africa
a.. fathers4justice -us
a.. real f4j -uk
a.. spiderman dad
media
a.. his side with glenn sacks
a.. ifeminists/wendy mcelroy
a.. kids rights radio
a.. mens news daily
a.. menstuff
resources
a.. american coalition for fathers and children
a.. ask dr. sophy
a.. center for law and social policy
a.. child trends databank
a.. children's rights council - info 4 parents
a.. clinical psychiatry search
a.. comeback dads - ca shared parenting bill
a.. connect for kids
a.. dads' rights/jeffrey leving
a.. desertlight journal - trudy schuett on domestic violence
a.. divorce and custody
a.. domestic abuse helpline for men
a.. domestic violence against men in colorado
a.. educated parenting
a.. equal justice foundation
a.. fatherlit database
a.. fathers & families -ma
a.. fathers and families -ny
a.. fatherville
a.. find law
a.. hugs to heartbreak - pas
a.. lifecoach/w.sheppard
a.. men's health network
a.. mr. dad
a.. noncustodial moms
a.. parents action
a.. people for equal parenting -tx
a.. proud to parent
a.. respecting accuracy in domestic abuse reporting
a.. safe homes for children and families coalition - vawa 4 all
a.. shared parenting works
a.. single parent access and resource center
a.. stop abuse for everyone
a.. supreme court info
a.. up to parents
a.. wendy mcelroy on domestic violence
a.. witness justice - domestic violence
more great links for usa and canada
a.. a kid's right -ny
a.. abuse excuse/dean tong
a.. abuse of discretion -mn
a.. alliance for non-custodial parents rights
a.. california alliance for families and children
a.. california divorce
a.. center for children's justice
a.. center for parental responsibility -mn
a.. child protection reform
a.. childs right -ca
a.. chuck
a.. citizens commission on human rights
a.. colorado divorce mediation
a.. dads and daughters
a.. dads of michigan
a.. devin patrick
a.. diary of a single dad
a.. divorced fathers
a.. equal protection under the law is true equality
a.. false allegations -canada
a.. false allegations, false accusations, recovered memories -us
a.. family forum -ny
a.. family rights association
a.. family rights association -ca
a.. family rights coalition -mi
a.. family rights network -ca
a.. family law courts -ca
a.. father access
a.. father matters
a.. fathers are parents too -ga
a.. fathers for virginia
a.. fathers resource center -ca
a.. fathers united -md
a.. the hate male post
a.. help stop parental alienation syndrome
a.. iowa fathers
a.. jail 4 judges
a.. jon hamilton -nc
a.. kentucky fathers
a.. liam's dad
a.. live beat dads -us
a.. love is earned
a.. men in divorce
a.. men's activism
a.. men's custody shelter network -pa
a.. men's educational support association -canada
a.. mens equality congress
a.. national center for fathers and families
a.. national coalition of free men
a.. national congress for fathers and children -ca
a.. nevadans for equal parenting
a.. new hampshire custody
a.. one father's fight
a.. oregon family rights
a.. parents and children for equality-oh
a.. parents without rights -fl
a.. paternity fraud
a.. queen of equality
a.. responsible opposing
a.. shared parenting council -ct
a.. true equality
a.. wendy mcelroy
a.. wisconsin fathers
a.. wisconsin women for equality in family law
a.. women for parental rights -tn
more international links
a.. accomodation for parents
a.. children's institute -south africa
a.. children's rights network -japan
a.. childs -south africa
a.. dads in distress -australia
a.. ***das familienrecht -germany
a.. equal parenting council -uk
a.. even toddlers need fathers
a.. families anti-social services inquiry team -uk
a.. family rights 4 europe
a.. fatherhood foundation -australia
a.. international mens network
a.. mama2 forum -uk
a.. marco biondo -italy
a.. mothers apart from their children -uk
a.. neues rund um den vateraufbruch -germany
a.. ozy dads -australia
a.. papa separati -italy
a.. parents4protest -uk
a.. scotsdads -scotland
a.. shared parenting council of australia
a.. silence no more
a.. sos papa et maman "le forum" -france
a.. south african law reform commission
a.. visionimarziane -italy