Fathers 4 Justice Dads Refuse To Budge
Paul Fisher, 34 and Donald Tenn, 52 will come down from their perch on a construction crane on Lane Avenue in Columbus, Ohio under one condition. They’re waiting until Governors Ted Strickland and Arnold Schwarzenegger begin investigations in the family court systems in Ohio and California. Starting their third day more than 100 feet above ground, the Fathers 4 Justice members say they don’t mind a little sacrifice for civil and family rights.
Paul’s victorious Fisher Case of the Ohio Supreme Court determined that termination of co-custody requires the same standards as terminating sole custody. While winning the case helped Ohio, it did not help Paul and his daughter Demetra. After overturning the judges decision, she simple took away more visitation on the remand as punishment.
On his website Paul writes, “Judge Zitter has issued a new judgment on this case, without holding a new hearing. Mother is awarded full custody, father has visitation for 48 hours every other weekend.
In all her wisdom, Judge Zitter has upheld her previous findings and appended a “change of circumstance†section to comply with the mandate of the Ohio Supreme Court. She also removed incriminating statements against the mother and added new opinons detrimental to the father.
Her choosen change of circumstance is that the father “Apparently changed his intentions.
Judge Zitter has determined that it is in my daughter’s best interest to only have time with me 27 hours a week, on average. Interestingly, she reached this conclusion without a new hearing, using the exact same evidence as her previous determination that 50% parenting time with both parents was in my child’s best interest.â€
photos and videos: http://www.teristoddard.org/wordpress/?p=35
I'm a sun and nature loving, 50-something, laid back, forward thinking, liberal anti-feminist egalitarian, san francisco bay area native, single mom of 4 and yia yia to 2. I've been active in the equal parenting movement since 2002. Known as the purple Queen of Equality, I once blogged as the Feminist4Fathers. Find me now on sharedparentingworks.org and jugsforjustice.org. | More from Teri Stoddard
Stumble It!
September 29th, 2008 at 1:54 am
The UK is small and compact and the newpapers vie with one another for ’scoops’ like sharks after a sailor, so everyone falls over themselves to have an ‘opinion’. America is much, much bigger and what happens in one place is ignored in another.
The American F4J tactic has to be repeated at least half a dozen times before many news agencies will take note.
But Don Tenn has picked up the ball and is hanging on. Good for him. Others have to catch it when he throws it and run some more. I am sure Teri will be on the spot to call the play.
After a shakey start, the game is underway.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:59 am
Ananotherthing – F4J’s actions were always well planned and had a PR machine (albeit just a couple of souls) ready to fire off lots of ‘copy’ to all and sundry. US Actions need that preparation and ‘ground support’.
September 29th, 2008 at 3:22 am
true – It’s not easy to pull this sort of thing off in the US – probably why people haven’t been doing it before. You also have to be concerned about media spin. There are fewer people around waiting to tell the back story about why the event is taking place (have you noticed that?) than people willing to put their own anti-father spin on anything like this – or find a way to dismiss these guys as nut cases without ever mentioning why they’re doing it.
September 29th, 2008 at 3:24 am
Remember the hatchet job they did on Perry Manley?
September 29th, 2008 at 5:35 am
The media are definitely a huge part of the problem… and not only in the matter of misandry and family “law”.
Roger F. Gay: I reread your article regarding Perry Manely with the same disgust I felt three years ago when I read it for the first time. It’s easy to attack a good man. He tried to play by their rules and to play fair. He taught me being right means nothing.
As for our heroes in Ohio; folks should realize, and the media should report, that these fine fellows could have planned something a bit more sinister to bring attention to family court corruption than the stunt they are doing. Men are viewed as cowards (by the system) who won’t fight back, even for their kids. Could be a big error in judgement in the future.
Thanks for your work T.S. and R.F.G.
Greg Sr. NY
September 29th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I got an old media response to my Manley article, without mentioning me or MND of course. (We got very popular and into the national discussion but there’s an official old media rule not to mention us.) As best I can remember it; “Well, it’s foolish to do that sort of thing in the aftermath of 9/11.” No follow-up on the reasons he did it of course – they did nothing to correct the hatchet job they’d done on him.
I agree with amfortas when he points out that you need to plan the PR around the thing. If it was a nut on a crane, you can bet the national media would have it on for days, if not finding ways to keep in on for months. But if it’s a father making a serious point, there’s a good chance he’ll be ignored, and he may find his efforts spun into something else if anyone does pay attention.
BTW: I just watched another quick episode with Glenn Sacks on Morning Show with Mike and Juliet (Fox) (Link under Sex & Metro) re: Parental Alienation Syndrome. This sort of stuff may be a somewhat more popular topic due to Alec Baldwin. Maybe if Glenn has a contact from his appearances, or Marc Rudov for that matter – who has an article and active discussion here now – might call someone suggesting they go out and get some pictures, etc.
September 29th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Here is a link to a local, Ohio, NBC station covering this event.
http://tinyurl.com/3wl3we
(video also at this link)
“COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s the third day for two fathers who are protesting for the rights of fathers.”
September 29th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Video coverage and new article from NBC 4:
Day 3 For 2 Dads On A Crane
http://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/news.apx.-content-articles-CMH-2008-09-29-0025.html
September 29th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Paula and Don have the courage that some of us lack. Our liberties are the result of men willing to risk their lives to confront tyranny. I do not want Paul and Don to risk their lives, but I thank them from them from my heart for their courage. Our freedoms are the direct result of men willing to die to obtain them. The self serving bastards and the penis envying NOW Feminists need to be confronted and defeated. Praise to Don and Paul.
September 29th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Correction Paul
October 1st, 2008 at 7:42 am
Well its admirable, but ineffective to Pole sit and that is what these guys are doing. Oh it might put some pressure on the powers that be, but you have to remember one thing, they have been making us suffer for over forty years, what makes anyone think they will pay attention now! These people have acted with a total and calus disreguard of our rights as parent and have not suffered one once of pain as result, so no, they ain’t moved by it.
The media has all but ignored these guys and even though they are all over the net, that is not the exposure that gets things done. We have to break the strangle hold the man hatters have on the media. When we wake up and put on a pot of coffee, turn on the tube(television) and we see these guys. You will know we have won.
As far as Mr. Fisher and his case. He needs to understand one thing. You can not win playing by the corrupt systems rules. You have to use guerilla tactics.
The tactics I use and they work, is to challenge subject matter jurisdiction. I have found that in 99.9% of the time the judgments of the courts are void and can be made to go away, thereby taking the power of the judge and their corrupt behavior out of the picture. Once the judgment granting mom “ownership” is removed and the extortion ( child support ) is cut off, these arrogant bastards become a whole lot easier to deal with.
You can turn the tables, because these “state actors” , once the SMJ ( subject matter jurisdiction) is removed, are acting without legal authority and this removes a lot of their immunity under U.S.C. Title 42, they are not government officials operating under law and the immunities it grants, but statutory citizens who can be sued and criminally charged. Nothing puts the fear of God in these bastards like removing their security blanket and holding them personally liable. They then can be taught to act reasonable. They will start to act like the complient, obedient and respectful servants they should be.
Don’t misunderstand, you are still dealing with a bunch out of control “government thugs” who do not believe the people are really their boss and you will have a fight on your hands, but it is a fight you can win!
You can still “pole sit” but that only works if you get attention on television and radio.