Center for Parental Responsibility (CPR)

WEEKLY UPDATE (A Few Highlights): Monday August 30, 2004

 Website: cpr-mn.org       Email contact: info@cpr-mn.org   Voicemail: 651/490-9277

 

No Parent Left Behind: To protect our children’s future we need to stop alienating dads today!

“If it is to be, it’s up to me!” - Your input and participation is needed for reform

 

PLEASE forward this email to anyone you know who is interested in family law reform!

 

When we withhold our influence and participation, we yield by default to those who promote immoral and destructive policies." James Dobson

 

 

CPR Weekly Update Summary – (what’s included below)

1)      MEETING MINUTES FROM LAST GENERAL CPR MEETING held on Sunday August 15th, Speaker Dr. Kit Thomas Topic: “Pursing the best interest of children.”

a.       Next meeting Sunday Night September 19, 2004 5pm – mark your calendar!

2)      LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: NEW August 2004 LEN’s (Legislative Education Notices) are available on the CPR website.

3)      LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Two CPR members running for the Minnesota House of Representatives.

4)      JUDICIAL UPDATE: A Minnesota Supreme Court “Listening session on children” held August 24, 2004, by invitation only, seemed to be an attempt to influence the court “initiatives” on domestic abuse and perpetuate the myths and bias against fathers.

5)      Congratulations to CPR member WINS FREE Twins Tickets

6)      EDUCATION: New on-line radio station featuring 24x7 programming dedicated to children and family (and fathers) rights – tune in, it’s a marvelous station!

7)      EDUCATION: FREE fatherhood seminar being held Friday night October 8, 2004 and Saturday morning October 9, 2004. Great learning opportunity.

8)      REMINDER: SUPPORT GROUP – if you miss the Sunday night meetings and want to hear the tape of the speaker, or you just need to talk about your story.

9)      REMINDER: If you haven’t signed up yet, check out the Minnesota on-line CUSTODY PETITION – sign up now – it’s easy! Show your support.

10)  U.S. DHHS redefines the family, and it doesn’t include the father!

11)  SPIRITUAL GROWTH: Alpha Classes at 400 different Minnesota churches, beginning in September.

12)  Tell your story on TV!

13)  Your Success Stories – some non-custodial parents are finding success – be encouraged – keep fighting for your parental rights!

 

 

EDUCATION: PAST MEETING MINUTES – Sunday August 15, 2004

As always, attendees at the August CPR meeting learned many new and helpful things from our honored guest speaker. It came as a surprise to most attendees to learn from the speaker, Dr. Kit Thomas, that “If both parents request sole custody a custody evaluator can’t address the issue of joint custody in their evaluation.” We also learned that Minnesota has NO CRITERIA for custody evaluators; and, as unfair as we all know it is, it came as no surprise (but nevertheless a sad reminder) when the speaker said “people with a lot of money have better choices” when it comes to custody battles.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       Watch the CPR website for meeting minutes. Review the notes if you missed the meeting.

 

 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: NEW August 2004 LEN available

CPR uses 2 page Legislative Education Notices (LEN’s) to provide legislatures information and educational materials regarding current legislation and family law reform options. As a 100% volunteer organization, CPR members need to know “what to say” and “what to write” to legislators about the problems families face and what solutions are available. Current LEN’s have focused on the need to reduce the number of people getting Title IV-D (child support enforcement and collection) services through the county, because these services serve to remove the father and provide an unfair and biased advantage to one parent at the exclusion of the other. Future LENs will also focus on the need for joint physical custody legislation.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)      See the CPR website for past LEN’s regarding Title IV-D, http://www.cpr-mn.org/LegislativeNews.cfm

2)      Watch the CPR website for the August LEN, or email info@cpr-mn.org to request a copy.

3)      Print two copies and sign them, then send one to your local representative and one to your local senator. These LENs let the legislators know what legislation they should keep an eye out for and why.

4)      If you don’t know who your legislators are, find your legislator on the link provided on the CPR website http://www.e-thepeople.org/letter/write

 

 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: 2 CPR members run for office.

As a 501 (c) 3 we are not allowed to endorse any candidates; so, please know that we are NOT endorsing any candidate for political office. We remain a non-partisan organization. However, as a result of the legislative work members have done, and the unwillingness of current legislators to advocate the necessary reform, CPR members have taken their legislative activism a step further and dedicated themselves to RUN for public office.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       Regardless of your political persuasion, if you see Kirstin Beach or Chuck Aldrich, congratulate them on their efforts, and call them more to find out what they will do for you if they are elected.

2)       As you local legislators what they will do in the 2005 legislation to support family law reform and get an appointment (CPR will provide a knowledgeable volunteer to go with you).

 

 

JUDICIAL UPDATE: August 24, 2004 “Listening Session on Children.”

The Minnesota Supreme Court held an invitation-only meeting all day Tuesday August 24, 2004. A panel of judges and court personal heard 36 speakers. The meeting was not advertised to the public. The purpose of the meeting was “loosely” described as “How the  judicial system can do better for children.” The “listening session” had some focus on the GAL program, but that was not a consistent aspect of every presentation.

 

The deck appeared to be stacked in favor of domestic abuse organizations and advocates, and our fear was that the Supreme Court panel would hear all day long that all men are perpetrators and abusers and all women and children in Minnesota are victims in danger and must be further protected from all men because all men are dangerous and irresponsible, and all problems are the mans fault, because women are the helpless victims who can’t protect themselves. Most all speakers, except for a small handful, communicated that message to a tee. This message will only serve to sway the court and perpetuate the bias and mislead decision makers. If judicial authorities had this “listening session” of expert speakers and a judicial panel to hear it, the GAL program is obviously going to DO something with the information. I am sure it will be used to influence policy in some way – why else would they have the meeting? Our fear is that this sort of biased one-sided information could lead to policy that further alienates fathers.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       A Video tape and 17 page written summary of the 7 hour event are available for a $75.00 donation for those who want to hear first hand or want record of this obvious attempt of the domestic abuse organizations to bias the courts. Or, the tape may also be checked out of the CPR library. This tape reveals the workings of the “inner circle” of the judicial system that promote and perpetuate the gender bias and denigrating stereotypes of the father, creating judicial philosophies, conclusions, and “initiatives” based on one-sided information. Contact info@cpr-mn.org to check out the tape or order your tape and written summary. (Your $75 contribution for the tape will include a FREE one year membership to CPR).

2)       Since Channel 5 did a segment on the 10pm news that same night, August 24, 2004, featuring two dads who had been treated unfairly by the system, please contact Channel 5 TV news and thank them for this programming and ask them to provide more programming to show what is really happening to over 400,000 fathers and their children in Minnesota. EMAIL your comments to the station at 10pmnews@kstp.com.

 

 

CPR Member WINS FREE TICKETS for Minnesota Twins Game

At the last CPR Sunday general meeting, there was a drawing at the end of the meeting, for FREE TWINS TICKETS and Tom R. won the tickets at the last meeting. Enjoy the game Tom! Stay tuned for other prize drawings at future meetings.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       Attend our next meeting on September 19, 2004 at William Mitchell College of Law and watch for other FREE drawing surprises.

2)       Bring new guests with you the meeting and increase your changes of winning PRIZES!

 

 

EDUCATION – MEDIA - NEW radio station focusing only on children and family rights.

The radio station is available on-line with 24x7 programming. Make this a regular part of your listening at www.KRightsRadio.com. It’s easy. Just do it! Email your stories, thoughts, ideas, solutions, etc to program manager richer@krightsradio.com. Let them know you are listening! They have even had listeners from Madrid, Spain! This is a fabulous outlet to give greater publicity to the plight of fathers.

 

Richard’ Farr, founder and producer indicates, "This is an exciting and historic event for fatherhood, children, and the family rights movement. It's a great leap forward. For years, noncustodial parents and their extended families have not been able to easily tell their stories in the media. Now, we can start organizing the approximately 14 million noncustodial parents and their families into a huge listenership."

 

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       Tune into the station on your computer at www.KRightsRadio.com

2)       Notify your legislators via email about the radio station and encourage them to listen so they know the bias you face is not isolated to you, but that there is a nationwide problem, giving your case even more validity, and more reason for the MN legislature to step-up-to-the-plate and make the necessary changes.

 

 

EDUCATION – FREE Fatherhood Seminar: “7 Secrets of Effective Fathers.”

Former Gov. Al Quie and his son the Rev. Joel Quie are co-chairing a volunteer organizing committed for the Ken Canfield seminar Friday October 8 (7-9:30pm) – Saturday October 9, 2004 (8:30am – 1:30pm) at Eden Prairie’s Wooddale Church.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       For more information or to register for the FREE EVENT, visit www.fathers.com/seminar. WONDERFUL and rare opportunity for such an educational seminar and supportive environment.

2)       We encourage you to attend – it’s FREE, what have you got to lose?

 

 

SUPPORT GROUP: 2nd/4th Monday starting in August 2004/Horizons Church (157th & 65)/Ham Lake, MN/7pm

 

Non-custodial parents (NCP) are most often (but not always) dads. NCPs have specific needs and unique and often overwhelming challenges, which cause hurt, disappointment and frustration, especially when they lose all rights to their children and are limited in how often they can even “visit” their children. Most NCPs lost rights to their children even though they have never been found unfit. Most NCPs thought they were doing the right thing by cooperating with a “traditional” visitation schedule and being willing to accept the label of NCP, having no idea what parental rights they would lose with that label. If you experience alienation from your children; if you are struggling with an uncooperative ex; if you are financially devastated by support payments that exceed your ability to pay, or just want to understand how to co-parent better, the NEW support group for non-custodial parents may help you. Please join us.

 

A volunteer from the Center for Parental Responsibility (www.cpr-mn.org) will facilitate the meetings and offer educational information, hope, and strength to help guide you to solutions that will remove the obstacles that prevent you from being fully involved in the lives of your child(ren) and able to self-sustain as well as provide for your children with more dignity as a parent.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       If you have experience with similar groups, please volunteer as a co-facilitator.

2)       Call or email Horizon member and facilitator Randy Starr for more information about the group (for details email: info@cpr-mn.org

 

 

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD: MINNESOTA Petition for Joint Physical Custody – SIGN UP NOW!

The custody committee has developed an online petition to mobilize the grass roots effort and develop the critical mass needed to assure legislators that Joint Physical Custody is in the best interest of Minnesota families and a critical need for our children. It’s quick, it’s easy! Just do it!

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       Sign the online petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/jpcmn/petition.html

2)       Forward the petition to other concerned Minnesota citizens and get your friends, family, and all interested people you know to also sign the petition. Enter your full contact information please, to legitimize the petition.

 

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) redefines the family

BEWARE, the government continues to try “snuff out” out the father. Stephen Baskerville, from ACFC, attended the meeting and provided CPR the details. In an “invitation only” meeting held August 23-24, 2004 by the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), OCSE Director, Sherri Heller acknowledged that the current enforcement system is “way out of balance” and she promised to develop procedures that “treat both parents fairly.” But, she went on to say that the OCSE defines “family” as the custodial parent and children. CPR believes this is unconscionable.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       Email or call the event coordinator Ja-Na Bordes (JBordes@acf.hhs.gov) and ask for the congressional record that authorizes the OCSE to redefine the family and express your deep concerns about this systemic bias that is allowed to flourish based on such definitions.

2)       If you hear back from Ja-Na Bordes, please forward the email to info@cpr-mn.org

 

 

SPIRITUAL GROWTH: FREE ALPHA CLASSES

Started in England and now grown extensively in the U.S., 400 churches in Minnesota are running FREE ALPHA classes. The class is 11 weeks long, and each class meets once a week for a few hours. Everyone is welcome in an Alpha course at any location, and people attend for a wide variety of reasons. Some want to investigate whether God exists and if there is any point to life; others are concerned about what happens after death. Still others may have attended church on and off all their lives but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith.

People attending ALPHA come from many different backgrounds, holding many different viewpoints - but all come with the same objective: to establish whether Jesus Christ has any real relevance for their lives. Whether you are a seeker, a newcomer to the faith, or just want to brush up on the basics, ALPHA is a great way to gain more solid spiritual grounding that leads to encouragement and blessing.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)       As a faith-based organization, with a focus on being guided by the Spirit of God, CPR encourages members to grow in their walk with the Lord, as a way to improve your current well-being.

2)       Look for an ALPHA class being held near you at www.alphausa.org.

 

 

TELL YOUR STORY ON TV.

A non-custodial mother, who “lost custody” of her 11 year old for no reason except she missed the court date when the other parent motioned for custody, because she was living with her daughter in another state. She now sees the absurdity of the win-lose game of child custody and she is ready to fight back. Share your story on camera, and become part of her program as she prepares material for a Cable TV show.

 

YOUR ACTION ITEM:

1)      If interested and willing to tell your story into the camera, email Francine B at obeytorah7000@aol.com … or call to set up an  appointment at 952/935-9481, and let her know you found out about this opportunity through the CPR email update.

 

 

 

SUCCESS STORIES

·         NCP and father T.B. went to court to get the visitation time enforced, as ordered by the court, and obstructed by the mother. The court ruled in his favor to demand the mother give him the access as in the court order, in support of Tom even though the GAL erroneously was on the mothers side in her interpretation of the court ordered, which they allege reduced his time. Judge said “no,” the father gets the children on the weekends he thinks he does.

·         NCP and father B.W. will be getting joint physical custody of his out-of-wedlock child, if the Scott County Judge listens to the custody evaluator.

·         T.L. who has no children, but he was “socked” with a spousal maintenance for life, as challenged when he was charged with contempt of court for arrears, which he has an inability to pay. He just found out that there was an error in the arrears calculations by Anoka County and instead of owing $5,000 in arrears (due to a retroactive lump sum added), he only owes $800. CPR is working with T.L. and his attorney who is providing pro bono services in this case.

 

SPECIAL NOTE regarding this weekly update:

SPREAD THE WORD: PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL ALONG TO ANY NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT or ANYONE else who is concerned for the non-custodial parent, and the negative impact on the children that comes from bad discriminatory legislation, nasty case workers who treat you like a criminal, and unfair & bias judicial practice impressed upon the fractured family. Those interested and affected include: children of divorce or out-of-wedlock birth, non-custodial parents, second wife, grandparents, girlfriends, employers, etc).

WE NEED NAMES: WE are EAGER to add the names to our email list of all citizens who are AFFECTED OR INTERESTED IN HELPING TO REFORM FAMILY LAW AND ANY NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT NEEDING ASSISTANCE IN THEIR FAMILY LAW CASE. We do the best we can to help with the limited volunteer resources we have. CPR does not provide legal advice, but rather information that can help guide you to better outcomes as you battle the bias of the government system.

WE NEED HELP: WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION AND WE NEED ALL INTERESTED NAMES so AS A GROUP OF CONCERNED CITIZENS we can ORGANIZE AND MOBILIZE (like Martin Luther King Jr did!) to prove to legislators that these family law issues matter to their constituents, and TO ACHIEVE THE GRASS ROOTS PUSH needed to DRIVE the MUCH NEEDED Family Law REFORM to encourage EQUAL PROTECTION for both parents and their children, because parents made the best decisions for their children, NOT the government.

Please forward names to CPR of other citizens interested in these issues. We want to add them to our list to keep people informed and show legislators there is a LONG list of effected and interested people in Minnesota. Without your support and involvement, no change will occur.

ADDITIONAL NOTE to unsubscribe: You are receiving this email from CPR-MN because you have indicated interest in the group, or have attended a like-function where someone met you and thought you would be interested. If you would like to discontinue receiving these emails, please reply with "unsubscribe" in the email subject and your name will be removed from our list immediately. CPR-MN holds their membership information as very private information and will only use information for internal and informational purposes.