DLJ9

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The DesertLight Journal Volume 1, Number 9*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* August 8, 2001 __________________________________________ The bi-weekly e-zine of the International Men's Rights Movement.For all the news all the time, visit our buds http://www.mensactivism.org in the USor http://www.angryharry.com in the UK.__________________________________________"A woman needs a man like a fish needs the river."__________________________________________*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* R-R-R-RADIO!*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*We've got two radio programs coming up featuring your publisher. I'll be on "The Men'sHour," starting on August 12th, and on "4LIES & 4TRUTH" August 17th.The Men's Hour is a response to the sexist BBC's woman's hour that is broadcast in theUK every weekday. It's an online broadcast athttp://www.geocities.com/menshour/index.htmlSunday August 12th 9pm BST, 4pm EDT"4LIES & 4TRUTH" airs live on WTAN 1340 in Tampa, FL from 2:00to 3:00pm EST and will simulcast by streaming audio on the Internet atwww.tantalk1340.com. Studio call-in telephone numbers are (727) 441-3000 and1-800-263-8559. Listeners with Internet access, a sound card, speakers and Windows MediaPlayer can listen to the show and call in._______________On Monday July 31 Dave Burroughs joined by Dan Armstrong and Mary Davis ofthe highly respected Delaware family services non-profit organization,Child Inc., appeared on Voices in the Family on National Public Radio-Philadelphia discussing the topic of male victims of domestic violence.It was an excellent show. The conversation was informative and constructiveto the listening audience. Even more exciting is that the calls--with oneexception-- were highly supportive.http://www.whyy.org/91FM/Voices200107.htmlVoices In The Family*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* EQUAL PARENTS' WEEK*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*September 24 through September 30, 2001, with candlelight vigils taking place throughoutthe United States and around the world on Tuesday, September 25, 2001Every purple ribbon, candlelight vigil, and Home Vigil helps strengthen the urgentmessage we are trying to send, not only throughout the country, but throughout theworld. The participation of every organization and every person is very valuable inhelping send the strongest message possible. We want very much to do just that.Please spread the word about EPW to other organizations, and feel free to spread theword to family, friends, and anyone else you know who cares about parents, children, andfamilies and the problems and injustices they experience which severely, and oftenpermanently, adversely affect their lives, who wants to help them by sending a messagethat they believe "The Best Parent Is Both Parents". We want to encourage as manypeople to join together, get involved, and spread the message which so urgently needs tobe sent. Please refer other organizations who would like to participate in EPW to usethe link in the EPW website entitled "Sign Up: Candlelight Vigils, Purple RibbonActivities, etc."http://members.tripod.com/epweek/profile1.html to sign up People whowant to hold "Home Vigils" should use the link in the EPW website entitledSign Up: Individuals Who Will Hold a "Home Vigil"http://members.tripod.com/epweek/profile2.html *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*COMMUNICATE!*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*ONLINE LISTS, GROUPS, CLUBS.If we gave out awards for the best list, Euro dads (and mums) would be #1!!! It's anactive, congenial group of people, which seems to have something new, something positiveto report every single day.From Julian Fitzgerald:"This list was, to my recollection, started by a certain Sean MacSuibhne, from Ireland,I think at end January 2000 (or was it 1999?), as a strictly non-censored list for allEuropeans involved in fighting to see and look after their children, to change the lawand to help each other in so doing. Sean, to his lasting credit, insisted on thenon-censorship aspect from the beginning, and in spite of occasional tiffs it remainsself regulating. It has also shown itself to be resiliently European - there is plenty goingdown on the family front in Europe and many of us use English as a lingua franca. Thereis now a family of at least three lists - euro-dads (English; g2parents@yahoogroups.com(French, trans. "Ihave2parents"); hijosypadres@yahoogroups.com (Spanish - trans.childrenandparents"); which serve to keep people from Sweden to Chile interactivelyabreast of events."http://groups.yahoo.com/group/euro-dadsPARENTS SHARINGThis group is designed for Parents, single mothers, single fathers and anyone elseinterested in establishing a Family Relationship between both parents and the children.Our Mission is to demand from every Fed. State & local official to recognize that havingaccess to both Parents is every Child's right! If you feel every child should havetwo(2)loving parents sharing in their lives please join and ask your friends to joinalso. We do not tolerate gender bashing! We are working for the rights of the childrento have their voices heard. Be sure to check the calendar for upcoming eventshttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/ParentsSharingUS PATENTS BY AMERICAN WOMENDespite the quirky title, it is about celebrating the differences between women and men,and wondering whydaheck some girls don't get it!http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/uspatentsbyamericanwomenSTOP ANTI-MALE BIASThis club is dedicated to promoting a gender-neutral approach to equality, and stoppingthe destructive influence of anti-male bias in the media, legislation, and generalsociety.http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/stopantimalebias*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* OPINION*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*"Video Poker Is A Game, Paternity Fraud Isn't"by Tony ZizzaGeorgia appears to be in a frenzy these days. Whether it's the lure of the Gold Clubtrial or the ho-hum record of our beloved Braves, it seems we are in a need to know(NTK) mode. We just have to know who is doing what to whom---right now. And then there's the hysteria over video poker. It's called a real problem.However, there is another more pressing problem which will be brought before the speciallegislative session this month that deserves far far far more attention. It's a problem called paternity fraud. Common sense dictates that video poker isa game, paternity fraud isn't. Playing video poker is a consumer choice. Paying childsupport for children who aren't yours thanks to DNA testing isn't a noble choice, butflatout slavery. Georgia needs to realize video poker is a choice some make while sittingdown, whereas paternity fraud is a crime levied against a man who did not lay down. Lying down is something Carnell Smith, a paternity fraud victim and the Directorof Citizens Against Paternity Fraud, won't do. No sir. No how. No way. Armed with HB369 which passed the House of Representatives 163-0, Smith and CAPF are insistingthe paternity fraud bill sponsored by Rep. Stan Watson D-Decatur, come out of thespecial senate judiciary committee this summer so that Governor Barnes can takeaction on it. If Georgians are led to believe video poker is a real threat to the citizenry,then what do you think the average Georgian believes paternity fraud amounts to? Apaper cut? A sunburn? An episode of brain freeze from downing a Slush Puppy too fast?You really have to ask yourself why video poker and the alleged doings at the Gold Clubgarner so much media attention, while justice for paternity fraud victims hangs in thebalance. Georgia's paternity fraud victims and their families are correct to want justicedone. The numbers are staggering, not to mention the sheer immorality of it all. Lastyear, a DNA screening company revealed that 30 percent of the men tested for the GeorgiaChildSupport Enforcement Administration--were not the daddy. You can properly assume theestablishment of child support for men to pay is a greater concern for the state thanis, of all things, making DNA testing affordable for men. Simple justice for allconcernedsimply means we get the RIGHT answer to the question: "Who's Your Daddy?!" Come on Georgia. It's time to understand video poker is a game, paternity fraudisn't. The state has busted a serious move rolling video poker machines out of stores.What will the state do for the real victims of real fraud and real slavery in the nameofpaternity fraud? No one save a few hearty souls wants to deal with fraud, which has adirect impact on men. For the most part, Georgia's political, legal and entertainmentminds cannot even fathom the possibility men can be duped big time. Men are supposed tobe ATM machines---and shut up already. And even though I listen to the talk master NealBoortz on my way to work, I always want to holler when even he, a voice ofreason for Georgians, says: "Men are pigs." We are not pigs. We will not shut up. We will not go away. On August 18th, we will be at the state capitol rallying against paternity fraudand fighting for HB 369 to be given to Governor Barnes so he can act on it. It's reallynot too much to ask. Is it? Video poker is a game, paternity fraud isn't.*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*THE TRAGEDY OF SUICIDE*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*(fwded by Lindsay Jackel, Australia)WHEN LOVE FAILSBy Bettina ArndtThe Age (Melbourne)4 August 2001 "Our darling Greg died of a broken heart," announced the death noticeplaced by his mother and sister when federal MP Greg Wilton killed himselflast year.Wilton's death attracted massive publicity, highlighting his marriagebreak-up and loss of his children as events precipitating his drasticaction. Three weeks earlier, Wilton was found in a distressed state in acar with his two young children.Wilton, 44, was well aware of the vulnerability of men in his situation.Three years earlier he gave a speech in parliament commenting on a reporton youth suicide, pointing out that the group at greatest risk of killingthemselves were adult men.Full text at:http://www.theage.com.au/news/state/2001/08/04/FFXEX9OUWPC.html*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*WHAT DO I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY?*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*An end to the gender wars, and a cure for the effects of gravity on the female humanbody. Well, since none of those are likely to happen by August 11, what I really want isreviews. Reviews of what, you ask? Of my books, what else??? ;>)If you've got a newser or other regularly published entity going, either print orelectronic, e-mail me and we can set you up with a free review copy of either one orboth of my published novels. As far as I know, I'm the ONLY author right now writingguy-friendly fiction. See my website athttp://www.desertlightjournal.homestead.com/PREVIEW.htmlfor synopses and first chapters.*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* MAINSTREAM MEDIA*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Jade Rubick, of safe4All, was interviewed by the The Salem Statesman Journal, SalemOregon. Text is here:http://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=27756*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* CALL TO ACTION*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*From www.SharedParentingUSA.comOn Wednesday August 8, we will all be sending an e-mail to George W.Bush.Here's what you do on Wednesday:1.On your email program, start a new message.To: president@whitehouse.govSubject: compassion, children and divorce2For the body of the message, cut and paste the following:You have strongly stated your desire to limit the wrongs caused by an overly litigiouslegal system. Please pay attention to the plight our adversarial divorce system inflictson children.Millions of children have to make do with only one parent... even though theother parent would love to be there for them. All too often, our divorce system removesone parent from the family. Yet, most people would agree that the best parent is bothparents.What can you do? Please make this message of compassion part of your message onvalues.3.Sign: your name, loving divorced parent of (name of kids)http://www.SharedParentingUSA.comhttp://www.custodyreform.com_________________________________________________________________"When I dare to be powerful -- to use my strength in the service of my vision, then itbecomes less and less important whether I am afraid." -- Audre Lorde_________________________________________________________________~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~We leave you with the 'Zonie blessing--"May you always have a full tank ofgas and underwear that doesn't ride up!"~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~Trudy W. SchuettPublisherhttp://www.desertlightjournal.homestead.com/PO Box 1252 Yuma AZ 85366©2001 TWSchuettThis e-zine may be shared or forwarded provided the entire publication is sent.To subscribe to the DesertLight Journal, send a blank e-mail to dsrtlite@mindspring.comwith "subscribe" in the subject line. To unsubscribe, send a blank e-mail with"unsubscribe" in the subject line.Commentary and contributed articles are not necessarily the opinion of the DesertLightJournal. We strive to include all views in the emerging men's rights movement, andtherefore cannot be expected to agree with everything.