My letter today to the “Get Organized” Campaign. I will direct the letter to all of the sponsors of this campaign.

“While I congratulate your efforts to reduce domestic violence, I note that your information entitled “The Numbers” is biased and sexist. You give information about how many women are killed by their (ex) partners but no information about violence against men. You will find that, although the number of murdered men by intimate partners is lower at about one quarter of the female rate, it is still significant. Further, men are much more often than women the victims of murder and other violence in society generally. To ignore the victimization of men either at the hands of women or the small proportion of other men who would commit such violence, is typical of male-denigration in the feminist era.

Would you publish information only about pakeha victimization by Maori violent offenders? No, because that would be blatantely racist. However, the imbalance between Maori and Pakeha violent crime is greater than the imbalance between male and female domestic violence.

When state-sanctioned forms of domestic violence are counted (e.g. evicting men from their homes in only the clothes on their back purely on the basis of a woman’s unsubstantiated allegations under the DVA, denying children adequate relationships with their fathers), then the imbalance between male and female domestic violence becomes even smaller.

It is time for domestic violence campaigns and services to become honest and to stop ignoring almost half the problem.”

FYI, my other email today:

Dear Morning Report Team

Your article this morning entitled “Campaign to Legalize Prostitution in the UK” was disappointing. The interviewer blithely accepted everything the interviewees claimed and treated an important issue as if covering a light-hearted school play.

When interviewee “Shirley” referred to a Nevada brothel she had visited as a “prison”, no challenging question ensued such as “Were the prostitutes there free to stay or leave?”.

When Shirley claimed NZ brothels were better for protecting the women, no question ensued about protection for the clients. A little further exploration would have highlighted the fact that although NZ legislation includes rudimentary provisions to protect the physical health of clients, to protect the reputation of particular streets or areas in the community and to limit the type of advertising brothels can undertake, there is no requirement for NZ prostitutes to operate according to a code of ethics and barely any attention is paid to the needs and safety of the consumer. That’s because the NZ legislation was based on feminist priorities and beliefs that prostitutes are exploited victims forced into their meagre $150 to $500-an-hour trade through patriarchy.

When Shirley then claimed that the NZ system was safer for the community and clients, no question ensued to require her to explain how that could be so.

In New Zealand, health and helping practitioners are legally required to observe a raft of ethical practice rules in order to protect their clients from them. However, in the case of prostitutes (who earn as much as most professionals, who become aware through their service of intimate personal information about their clients and who are unlikely to be motivated by the pro-social aims typical in most helping professionals), no such protection for clients is in place. Prostitutes were legalized (which I support) and given relatively open slather to push their particular vice in society (which I don’t support). Why did NZ not take the opportunity to impose some ethical rules on prostitutes, for example to protect marriages and families, to discourage extortion, to ensure that prostitution was made fully accountable according to consumer protection laws, to establish a user-friendly and confidential complaint process regarding inadequate or unethical services, and so forth?

It would have been interesting to hear the same good journalism on this topic evident in most other articles in your otherwise excellent show. Unfortunately, it seems that the P.C. (politically conformist) line is usually taken with any issues of relevance to feminists and their propaganda.

Hans Laven

FYI, my email today to the Auckland Women’s Health Council:

Dear Auckland Women’s Health Council

Your representative Linda Williams stated today in an interview on “Nine to Noon”, National Radio, that it would be “sexist” to immunize only girls against cervical cancer and that if girls were to be immunized then so should boys because they carried the virus associated with cervical cancer. She then raised many concerns about the risks of implementing vaccinations without enough knowledge about possible side effects, and the incomplete long-term follow-up data in the research used to advocate a roll-out of this vaccine.

Ms Williams acknowledged that boys do not suffer from cervical cancer, and admitted in a somewhat fudging manner that no research had been completed on the effect of the vaccine on boys. (more…)

FYI, my email to ALAC today. I also sent an email to National Radio expressing disappointment that in its interviews about all kinds of aspects of these ads, nothing was said about their glaring sexism.

Dear ALAC,

I am not bothered by the shocking nature of your latest television advertisements, and I commend your aims. However, I am deeply concerned about the anti-male sexism your advertisements are spreading.

In the latest series of ads, the two featuring males as leading characters both involve harm being done by the men to others, while the one featuring a woman involves her putting herself into a vulnerable position and then being violently sexually assaulted by a male. My recollection of your previous series of tv ads was that they showed males embarrassing and letting down other people, while the one featuring a woman only showed her feeling embarrassed about her own drinking. The underlying misinformation throughout your advertisements is that only men do harm to others and women are victims. (more…)

In 19th-century diplomatic Latin, the original sentence was in statu quo res erant ante bellum “in the state in which things were before the war”. This gave rise to the shorter form status quo ante bellum “the state in which (it was) before the war”, indicating the withdrawal of enemy troops and restoration of power to prewar leadership, as well as other variations, such as status quo itself.

Arguing to preserve the status quo is usually done in the context of opposing a large, often radical change. The term frequently refers to the status of a large issue, such as the current culture or social climate of an entire society or nation. Status quo can also refer to the social status in the workplace or peer group school.

Politicians sometimes refer to a status quo. Often there is a policy of deliberate ambiguity, referring to the status quo rather than formalizing the status. An example of political ambiguity is the political status of Taiwan. Clark Kerr is reported to have said, “The status quo is the only solution that cannot be vetoed,” meaning that the status quo cannot simply be decided against; action must be taken if it is to change.

Sometimes specific institutions are founded to actively maintain the status quo. The United Nations, for example, was intended to help solidify the peaceful international status quo that immediately followed World War II.

 Now how many of us fathers have been let down by the “Status Quo”?

In my particular case, I was told that because of the amount of time he has been in his Mothers Care since we seperated (about a year now, the same amount of time its been going though court….) even after his Mother illegaly took day to day care, and makes it difficult to arrange contact, and can’t afford to pay her rent every week, that my chances of getting full day to day care is next to none because of the Status Quo.

 This apears to me to be where the Court system is letting people down, especialy our Children, sure in the short term leaving the child in the “Status Quo” might be a good option, but we need to be looking at long term solutions.  One parent  (the parent with current day to day care) might be an ok parent, where the child isn’t going to be in harms way, but might not get the care and attention needed to thrive, or have the best finacial means, but the other parent, might be able to provide the care and attention and the finacial means to provide the best possible situation in life, but because of the “Status Quo” the child might be left in the ok parents care.

Media statement

For immediate release

Tuesday, 8 April 2008

The government is looking at ways of improving the child support scheme to make it more responsive to factors such as the complexities of shared care, the income levels of both parents and the costs of raising children, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne said today.

“These are the most commonly identified areas of concern of the many people who write to me and to other MPs about their child support problems,” Mr Dunne said. (more…)

FYI, below is my email to National Radio this morning regarding articles on Sunday morning news broadcasts covering the huge coolstore explosion and fire in Hamilton. I note that the Herald’s article on the web made it clear that all the injured were men and even repeatedly used the term “firemen”, but the Waikato Times failed at any point to indicate that either the injured or dead were men.

In my opinion, men deserve to be recognized and honoured for their martyrdom in many of the roles they provide in our society. Instead, National Radio’s printed web article mentioned only that the Fire Service was ensuring support for the families of the dead and injured “firefighters” (In itself this is excellent, but in the absence of any respect for the firemen‘s dangerous work, this comment merely increased the disrespect shown to those firemen.)

“…My concern is that the news article about injured firefighters did not refer to their male gender. This is part of a general tendency to refer only to “workers” when men are killed or injured, but when a woman is killed, injured or subjected to crime in almost any context her gender will be emphasized.

Men comprise around 100% of all workplace deaths and a large majority of serious workplace accidents, but such facts are rarely acknowledged. Yet National Radio seems keen to publicize every public comment bemoaning the gap between average earnings of men and women (with little analysis of the various reasons behind that gap, and rarely any mention of the high personal price men pay for their slightly higher average earnings). By using gender-nonspecific terms such as “firefighters” when it is men who are injured, National Radio is devaluing men and their contribution to society. This covertly promotes feminist anti-male mythology that has become established in our society.

Hans Laven
Tauranga

1 Co-leader and MP Jeanette Fitzsimons

2 Co-leader Russel Norman

3 MP Sue Bradford

4 MP Metira Turei

5 MP Sue Kedgley

6 MP Keith Locke

From Sturff http://www.stuff.co.nz/4463361a6160.html

An interesting article on National Radio’s “Nine to Noon” today about dangers to tourists in Thailand. (The article will be available on internet for a week, but I have a copy if anyone is interested after that.)

Following the murder of a Swedish woman on a beach in Phuket, the Thai Tourism Ministry is giving female tourists whistles to blow in case of an emergency, among other measures. According to Kathryn Ryan of Nine to Noon, “women travellers in particular are being warned to be safety conscious” in Thailand. She went on to interview the honorary Australian consul to Phuket about the problem. He described various assaults and crimes against tourists, more of his specific examples involving male than female victims. However Ms Ryan’s interest (of course) was in sexual assaults against females, asked questions only about sexual assaults, spiking drinks and so forth, and in response to the consul’s description of a case in which a NZ man was subjected to a common form of violent extortion, she immediately replied “Sexual crime though, how widespread is that…” (more…)

Her…What did you say Dear,
Winston’s going Grey?
Him…No dear, I said he is in a state of slow decay!
Her….Oh goodness gracious me.
Him…Oh, do pay attention Dear,
So I don’t have to repeat everything I say.

Her…Did I hear you right Dear,
Something about an erection coming up?
Him…No dear, I said we have an election coming up.
Her….Oh goodness gracious me.
Him…Oh, do pay attention Dear,
It’s not the bedroom we are discussing here. (more…)

The second meeting of the Auckland Father and Child Trust committee is next Monday.

It will be held at the Onehunga Community Centre, 83 Church Street, Onehunga.

Any local fathers interested in helping develop or deliver services for dads are warmly welcomed. You won’t be expected to take on a huge workload, Coordinator Brendon Smith is paid to do the administration. Representatives from a wide range of cultures would be useful.

This committee is NOT intended to be politically active, the focus will be on setting goals and strategies for Trust activities in Auckland.

More information here: Auckland Father and Child Trust.

While I was in Ireland I brought a few copies of this book. Which I am
now happy to sell or ‘rent’. They cost me 19Euro each so I do need to
get something back on them. If you want one send me an email.

I think it is a pretty good book for guys who find themselves in a
difficult relationship. Of course it is always best if you read it
before you get too deep into the yoghurt but, it usually takes guys to
be in pretty deep before they get interested. (more…)

Should we be encouraging men and women to represent themselves in the familycaught?

Surely, if we trusted the values and integrity of the “judges”, then legal workers wouldn’t be required at all?

By emphasising their unpredictability and unreliability, “judges” put massive pressure on to parents, to be fleeced by their junour brethren, the legal workers (who aspire to be asset stripper “judges” themselves).

Get value for money from your legal worker on YouTube

This looks awfully like being rewarded for incompetence, to my eye?

There are some distinct advantages to self representation – for example there is no risk of your legal worker saying things that are totally against what you have asked them to say. I have heard several people make this complaint, and with considerable pain, explain how much it cost to later try to rectify the situation. (more…)

This is a Coup.  UnitedFuture’s Judy Turner managed to by-pass the normal members ballot (where it is very unlikely to ever get drawn) and got leave of the House to get her Private members Bill straight on the order paper to allow the family courts to order paternity testing on request of fathers and/or ‘fathers’.

There was concern that there would be appeals and delays from mothers who opposed if it goes to family court for the order – so it is worth noting that the Bill as it stands says that there is no right to appeal a paternity order!

Five Australian men commit suicide each day compared to just one woman, according to an academic who says the nation urgently needs a national men’s health policy.

Before the November election Health Minister Nicola Roxon announced a Labor government would develop a men’s health policy to complement the women’s policy created 20 years ago.

Professor John Macdonald from the Australasian Men’s Health Forum said it was vital men’s health was put on the national agenda.

“Five men a day kill themselves in our country, one woman,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“That’s atrocious – what’s the country doing with that now?”

Read full story

“If it were five whales a day … we’d be out there pushing them back into the sea,” he said.

“But five males a day, who knows? Who cares? There’s something strange happening.”

Prof Macdonald said the problems fathers face when they are separated from their children during family break-ups must also be addressed.

Mayor Bob Harvey is refusing to swear in the winner of the New Lynn Community Board by-election because of the candidate’s previous conviction for domestic violence.

Wayne Davis won the seat by being elected by the people.

But Bob Harvey says “This city is running a campaign that says domestic violence is not Okay. So we are not going there. He can be sworn in by Jack the Ripper for all I care. Or he can go and get a JP”.

Mr. Davies is no stranger to politics and was deputy chairman of the Henderson Board in 2003 when he appeared in court on DV charges. He was sentenced to 100 hours community service after pleading guilty to 3 charges of DV and 2 charges of breaching a protection order.

Judge Phil Gittos said none of the assaults were particularly major but warned Mr Davis that he could face imprisonment if he re offended.

Mr Davis stood down as deputy but stayed on the board till 2004 elections when he was voted out.

Mayor Bob Harvey fronts the Family Violence – It’s not OK advertising campaign. Something like this would not be good for his image or for his future political career. After all, Waitakere has the most police in it’s DV unit in the country and the worst National record. Even though it has the best feminists and male socialists working along side him.

Mr. Davis has remarried since his court appearance and says life has never been better. “This is petty politics. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter who swears me in. I have been elected by the people. They put me there and I am rapt”.

Reference: Western Leader, Thursday March 13, 2008, Front page.
Author: Stephen Forbes

I’m a 45 year old, white male, well educated and (my opinion only and reading on, I have no doubt many of you will question this claim) of above average intelligence. I run my own custom audio/visual integration business (TV’s, stereos, etc), I’m far too busy and incredibly dis-organised as a result.

My wife of 10 years and I separated in June 06 (her decision, suddenly and completely without warning), we have a son X, who’s 8 1/2.

He’s an absolute diamond!

I have been “through the mill” as it were for the past 20 months my story I’m sure, not unlike many…evicted from the jointly owned family home, with only the clothes on my back, nights spent in the car, struggling in my case with a relatively new business and because of the way our finances were structured prior, (I paid the entire mortgage and all monthly accounts) absolutely cash poor.

At the tender age of 45, I am proud to say that I have never once struck, or even made to strike another person nor, have I ever been struck…even through school. As I like to say, I won my last fight by 60 metres. Based only…and I cannot stress enough, only text and phone communications from me – none of which was even remotely threatening – I was served with a ex parte’ protection order and so began the debarcle that is the Family Court.

My wife and I were in fact the first couple into the much vaunted “Parenting Hearings Programme”. (more…)

National MP Judith Collins is at it again sweeping up further hatred towards men by using the derogatory term “deadbeat dads”, conveniently failing to mention that liable mothers are at least as likely as fathers to default on paying child support. She based her latest male-bashing bigotry on one alleged case the details of which simply did not add up. If as she claimed this father of two earned $100,000 and had not paid child support for ten years, he would now owe around $950,000 including penalties rather than the $20,000 she cited. Of course, she also failed to mention that average children would never cost that much to run, and that the child support regime is largely intended to make men pay for the independent lifestyles of the women who started families with them, relieving those women of any further reciprocal obligation.

National through John Keys is shooting itself in the foot almost every day, and the concern is this will give Labour the opportunity to govern yet again with parties that support its feminist aims or are prepared to turn a blind eye to them. There is no reason to believe that either Labour or National will do anything to help men or to stop the ongoing process of increasing exploitation and state abuse of men in favour of women. I challenge anyone to point to one policy or initiative from either Labour or the current National party that is respectful or helpful towards men. Then I encourage voters to find out which parties show any awareness of men’s plight and have male-friendly policies aimed at true gender equality. That is why I am standing as the Tauranga candidate for the Republic of NZ party.

Hi John,
This person is doing research on step-parenting .

She needs men to take part.

Unfortunately she has nearly all women at present which is not good, as , given the Family Court, most step-parenting is done by men (where they live in the same house). Could you publicise this in some way that we get a vocal male voice and participation?

cheers Warwick Pudney.

>>> FROM: Claire Cartwright 10/03/08 7:30 p.m. >>>
Hi,

I do research in the area of divorce and repartnering/remarriage. (more…)

In December 2007 the Families Commission issued a Request For Proposal titled: “Research on contact, care and financial arrangements made by separated parents for their children”.

[14th March edit by JohnP – at the request of Paul Curry from the Families Commission this info is updated below:]

Families Commission Research into Child Support Arrangements:

The Families Commission wants to better understand the needs of separated parents and the difficulties they face.

We are therefore carrying out research into how separated parents manage the care and contact of their children.

The results will be used by the Families Commission to help form a view on what works, and what doesn’t work, for separated parents in New Zealand, and whether changes to the child support system are needed. (more…)

Myth: Single-mother-headed households are not detrimental to children.

Truth: Single-mother-headed households are the most dangerous place a child can be.

Proof:

The US Office of Technology Assessment (1987): “The increase in the number of mother-headed households and the corresponding decrease in father-headed households paralleled a 158% increase in child abuse and neglect in the 8 years from 1976 to 1984. 2.3% of sexual abuse of girls was by biological fathers, and 17% by stepfathers. 37% of child maltreatment occurred in mother-headed households, versus 23% in all US families. 44,700 children were sexually abused in 1979 which was .07% of all children below the age of 18 years of age.” In 1983, a study found that 60% of perpetrators of child abuse were women with sole custody. According to the Department of Justice, 55% of child murders are by their own mothers, and 6% are by their biological fathers, making mothers 9 times more likely to murder their children than biological fathers. (more…)

From July 1 all parents paying or receiving child support will have their payments adjusted according to a formula based on the cost of raising children.

As part of the changes to child support, the agency has beefed up compliance rules.

Parents who are not paying will face having payments such as unemployment and disability benefits and veterans’ and parliamentary pensions garnished.

The agency already has the power to stop people owing child support from leaving the country. (more…)

West Virginians could soon face criminal charges for falsely reporting child abuse or neglect to influence a custody case.

The House of Delegates voted 85-13 Wednesday to send the Senate a measure that would also slap any parent making a false report with a $1,000 fine or paying the other side’s lawyer fees.

The misdemeanor crime would also carry a punishment of up to 60 hours of community service.

The bill is among the goals of groups that allege West Virginia treats fathers unfairly in awarding custody and child support. Lawmakers have debated the prevalence of false reporting.

Kanawha County Democrat and House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster said the bill was amended to ensure its provisions do not chill the reporting of actual abuse or neglect.

This could be New Zealand. This needs to be New Zealand.

Peter, the worm- man, Dunne is at it agaian. He probably even believes what his Child Support gestapo are telling him.

Media statement
For immediate release
Thursday, 28 February 2008

Worm-Man Dunne speaks on Child Support Revenue:

Minister Peter Dunne is welcoming initial figures that suggest the Government’s newly-implemented measures to ensure liable parents meet their obligations to their children are working.

The Child Support Amendment Act took effect in September 2006 and allowed for a write-off of penalties each six months proportionate to the amount of child support debt paid by liable parents who have agreed to and maintained a debt repayment schedule. (more…)

Hans Laven launches his campaign for Tauranga this weekend.

“At a time when children more than ever need the strength and authority that fathers can provide, the Clark government continues to promote a culture that blames and undermines men. It continues to preside over a Family Court that destroys parental goodwill and cooperation.”

full release here.