I have had two brushes with being on the receiving end of suspicion when my son was very young. Both ended about as well as one can expect, but it is important one realize that things were very different 28 years ago compared to today. The first time involved the focus of this post. Mandatory Reporters.
It was the weekend, and we (my wife and son, who wasn't much older than a year old) were at her mothers house. I was outside mowing her lawn when my wife came running out in a panic. Turning the mower off, I was able to make out that our son needed to go to the emergence room. Following me as I ran to the house, she was excitedly explaining that he had been following one of his uncles girlfriends, and she had a cigarette in her hand. When she stopped, he ran into the ember, burning his eye. He was crying as his grandma held him, the girlfriend (a real piece of shit) mumbling that he shouldn't have been following her. Snatching him up from grandma, I rushed him out to the car and off we went to the emergence room.
I can't express how relieved I was as the doctor finished his examination. The burn wasn't directly on his eye. It had burnt the skin close to the eye, and he doubted it would even scar. It took me a moment for it to register what he was saying next.
"Tell me again how your sons eye got burned?"
My mind raced as it hit me what he was suggesting. It wasn't the question itself. It was the tone he used. Accusatory. He had already heard the story from my wife, who had been talking nonstop as he examined our son. My relief quickly turned to anger at the suggestion that this might have been done on purpose. Angrily I recounted what had happened, something in my anger perhaps relaxing him regarding his suspicions. In my case, it worked out ok. I got to take my son home with some cream for the burn, and it was left at that.
Many are not as lucky as my family was. Many find themselves in horrible nightmares when they go seek treatment for their children's accidents. Many unfortunate Americans find out every year when seeking treatment for their children that they have unwittingly become the focus of a criminal investigation for the crime of their child having an accident. The unfortunate circumstance of having to prove they are a good parent for actually being a good parent and seeking medical help for their child. It's not the parents fault, as most Americans are unaware of exactly how intrusive the government has become. Are unaware that quietly over the years parents rights have eroded as the government has stolen your rights as a parent and become the owners of your children.
They use the CPS (Child Protection Services) as their enforcement arm, but often, that isn't where you will initially find yourself being scrutinized. Passing laws that mandate your misfortunes be reported to this strong arm organization, it is mandatory for certain professionals to report you if there is even the appearance a child is being abused (or perhaps other abuse in the home).
https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/manda.pdf#page=2&view=Professionals%20required%20to%20report
You will note that this list includes:
Social Workers
Teachers
Health Care Workers
Child Care Providers
Law Enforcement
Many so far would think to themselves that this is how it should be. Who cares if a parent is upset, as I was in the story I shared, if it saves just one child? Unfortunately, due to the abuse of CPS when it comes to ripping children from homes it creates more problems than they are solving. Worse, it now gives all the groups on that list the power to now abuse you and your child. Think it can't happen, I urge you to watch this video. This family had CPS called for not showing up to a doctor visit they had never agreed to even go to. This man knew his rights however and promptly sent the CPS on their way. However, many would have been intimidated by these government bullies and made everything worse by trying to cooperate when they had done nothing wrong. Notice around the 3:40 mark as one of the CPS thugs tries to intimidate him into changing his mind about letting them in his house.
"I am a free man." He asserted his rights, and pushed them off due to not allowing them to bully him into agreeing to give them up. However, he was assisted in this by the fact he was at his home. The one area you have at least some semblance of rights left. In my opinion the only mistake he made was informing them he had a doctors appointment for that baby. This let them know the child would be in an area that he could no longer assert this right, as this next video will show.
In this video, the CPS came and snatched this woman's newborn as she was breastfeeding still at the hospital. They had no judges order and still legally took this child. Let this sink in a minute. They had no court order to take this child. And being in the hospital, the parents could not assert any rights over THEIR child.
The news anchor asks if this is kidnapping or protecting a child from danger. The charge leveled against this family was Risk of Physical Neglect. Her crime that initiated this kidnapping you ask (if you didn't watch the video)? She is poor and sought help from the government. Notice one of the themes beginning to form here. Both in my case, where I took my son for help at the ER, to this woman seeking government financial assistance. Ask yourself if one is being neglectful by SEEKING help for their child. Also notice in the video above how much more likely children are to be abused in foster care. Five times more likely. Five times. As pointed out in this video, this is getting dangerously close to the old eugenics programs.
And for those of you who may think the child is better off in foster care than with these parents, how would you explain something like this? This 3 year old was hooked on drugs by the doctor administering care for a child in foster care. Notice in the report that CPS acknowledged they had no reason to suspect that these parents had ever abused or neglected their daughter. Keep this in mind when considering that these same medical professionals are having a say in whether CPS can kidnap your child.
In this last video, there story was similar to mine. An ER visit that resulted in extra testing (at their expense) that still resulted in contact with CPS.
Notice the doctor explaining how by law they have to perform these tests to ensure there is no previous history of injury. Tests that of course will have to be paid by the parents to prove their innocence. Note that when the father had enough of watching his daughter cry and took her to leave, the doctors threatened him they would contact CPS if he did not stop and comply with their demands. They did contact CPS and in the middle of the night CPS shows up demanding they return to the hospital for the test or they would kidnap the child.
What would have happened to this family if they had been guilty of being poor like the mother whose child was snatched while she was breastfeeding? This raises so many questions.
Is it a crime to be poor?
Does the state have the right to dictate how you care for your child?
Does the medical field have the right to determine what and how many tests you will pay them to perform under threat of having your child kidnapped if you do not comply? Miss an appointment you didn't agree with and here come the goons. Is this in the child's best interests, or is it in the best interests of others financial profit?
Before you may think these are isolated cases, I assure you they are not. I could have filled this post with hundreds of videos without scratching the surface. Hundreds of stories of normal people like us who are trying their best to care for their children only to find unreasonable demands to outright kidnapping taking place against them.
With the laws written as they are, everyone on that list at the top of this post can blackmail you under threat of having you investigated. Threat of having your children kidnapped from you. Kidnapped and placed into situations that INCREASE the likelihood of something bad befalling the children. Can you see this has to stop? That it is time we demand a stop to this by those passing these laws as though we are their property and not free citizens due our common law?
How Can I Help
I urge you to speak out on this. To make your voice heard that this is evil and needs to stop. One way you can help fight back against this is to support @familyprotection here at Steemit. They are helping carry the fight back against this evil machinery, and every bit of help you can give them is appreciated. You can read more of what they are about here
Ways you can help them are:
Dedicate 1 or 2 votes per day to those within our community who are currently involved in this evil process. They are posting under the familyprotection tag and are easy to find, as well as they are being resteemed by @familyprotection.
I notice that @familyprotection comments on these posts. I also notice that mine is usually only one of a few upvotes. Please consider upvoting their comment. Every little bit helps.
If you know of a family in trouble, please direct them to familyprotection. Urge them to share their stories, that there are those of us who care. That they are not alone.
Spread the word to those you know. In the short time I have become aware of how widespread this is, the one common theme I see being played out is no one realizes what they are in for when the CPS shows up. It is crucial we educate people BEFORE they find themselves in these horrific situations. I can't emphasize this enough. If possible, at least show people the familyprotection feed. There will be no denying this is not a matter of mistakes happen. It is happening with to much frequency for it to be dismissed so easily.
In closing, I am going to say this is my last post that will come under the familyprotection tag. Being my son is an adult and there are no grandchildren on the horizon I do not see myself having a reason to use it again (knock on wood). I initially was drawn into this by posts about Alfie, who the doctors with government backing insisted must die against the parents wishes. I will continue supporting @familyprotection through the ways I outlined above, but honestly I have no stomach for spending hours as I did last night looking at so many stories in such a short time. And I barely scratched the surface. I think it will be enough for me to read the few posted here daily and will leave it at that.
Thank you for everything you do.
I've been aware of this abuse by the system for longer than I care to share... it's heartbreaking. Thank you @practicalthought for sharing and shedding light on a topic that many are unaware of or turn a blind eye to. God bless you.
That is the scariest part, how many are unaware of it. I mean, I had heard random stories over the years, but until recently I hadn't realized how rampant this issue was. Most don't until it is to late for their families. I am struggling to come up with ways that the masses can be educated on this. So hard when people think as I did these are isolated events or that it could never happen to my family.
Sad, but true fact that the vast majority of people are unaware of this and many other important issues. Life keeps them "too busy" and distracted to notice much beyond their day-to-day. I think you've done well with sharing this post to shed light on the issue, but I also understand how difficult it is to sift through the mountain of stories in order to do so.
Thanks. I am very interested after reading your tag #familyprotection. I just saw this tag and this post today. Maybe this is a gift for me. I read several times even though I have to use a translator.
I think this is an educational endeavor for all. I strongly support this idea. I hope this tag can run as we hope.
I am not a consultant or a health person. But we're from a medical family. I hope I can contribute to this tag. My wife (@nostyle) is a nurse who might be able to write about this.
Hope we can work ama build this tag.
Greetings from Indonesia.
Thanks for your interest in the @familyprotection group and what they are working towards.
I actually called CPS once because my foster sons siblings were in a hideous situation. it was either call the police or CPS. I hated making the call knowing that it could end very badly. But to my amazement it ended well and with a positive outcome. Yes, when we ask the paternal State to care for us we give ourselves up to the State. They own us. Glad you are forwarding the rewards to a good cause. Blessings.
I am glad it worked out well for you. One of the things that shocked me as I was researching this post was that they love to target families on assistance. I am guessing because they don't have the means to fight back.
You foster son was lucky to have you there for him and his siblings. I lean towards thinking it was because you were involved that helped things to a good ending.
It's a long story I'll share one day, but for now I'll tell you that me fostering two boys from this family was not done through the state. The woman actually gave me her son. She didn't want him any more...at least in her home. So when I turned her into CPS there was the very real chance that the boy I had (and his younger brother a couple of years later) would have ended up in state care or in the foster care system. But it was not meant to be. I believe there was some divine intervention or something because none of the kids were taken out of her home. She was doing drugs, the house was waaaay beyond filthy, and she was having her two little girls join her in bed with men visitors! And... well, other stuff too. So that the kids were not taken still surprises me. But by the grace of God I was able to raise the two boys and they turned out pretty good, all things considered. They are now 28 and 24 and work for my son. He is a painting contractor.
Perhaps, because it is Nevada, and we get so many transient people here, so many homeless families living on the streets, the State simply had no place for the kids to go so they left them in place. Thats probably what happened. The incidence of this type of thing is much higher here than in most states.
Wow, that mother sounds so evil. I am thankful you and your son were and continue to be there for them. I look forward to your sharing when you feel the time is right. I can't imagine the damage that woman caused to those poor girls, probably forever damaging their ability to pair bond with men as they were exposed to such scum at an early age. I hope that in your future sharing it will include those girls somehow being rescued at some point, although the damage done will forever haunt them.
ONe of the daughters ended up hooking on the streets as a 13 year old. No kidding. She ended up being institutionalized by the state for a year. Didn't do any good. Perhaps ignorance ( or stupidity) is bliss. Neither the mom or the two girls are very bright, so they don't know anything else. A whacky life is normal for them. The daughter now has 4 kids (3 different dads) is married to an illegal alien, and lives with her mom, 5 dogs, 3 cats and her other sister who is a fetal alcohol syndrome victim who has two little boys from a mentally handicapped father. Grandma actually wanted the handicapped girl to have kids, hoping they would be mentally handicapped so she could collect social security. I'm telling the truth. She got her wish, one of the boys is autistic. Anyway, they all live together. Lets see... 6 kids, all the animals, grandma, the two daughters, one mexican husband and one of the boys (who I raised for a few years) is there temporarily. He is an alcoholic but works for my son. Stays sober during the day. I'm not making any of this up. Theres more but ... later. I've joked with my oldest foster son that his family would make a great TV show. All of America would feel better about themselves when comparing to this family. One big sorrow: they constantly supply sugar to the little toddlers. Now the one little boy, almost 3, has to have dental surgery to remove most of his rotted teeth. Oh my....I've tried to get them to control the sugar but it's like talking to a brick wall. I gave up. It really is a slice of life most people can't imagine, but I suspect is far more common than we know. Some of the people I've seen come and go over there really makes one wonder if there is any hope for humanity.
Definitely a sad truth that it probably is more common than we know. Heartbreaking.
Greetings! Glad to see your comments. Hope to see more of you around. Blessings.
Thank you for sharing a bit of your story. And I agree with you about divine intervention. God's got it, especially when we do not. God bless you.
Thank you so much for joining in the effort, I am not sure what else I can say other than thank you for taking the time to do this.
I did a post about two weeks ago that was inspired by my anger over what had happened to Alfie. I have been unplugged from the news for over a year now, and @ladyrebecca had made some posts on it. Through those posts of hers I became aware of familyprotection. Looking through their feed, I saw how they were helping people. I mean, really helping. Not that fake ass shit you see like with Goodwill or something. I want to be part of what they have started, and help where I can.
I thought I could help by sharing my story of when I was questioned like an abuser for seeking help for my son. I realized about two hours into looking at supporting material last night I do not have the stomach for spending hours looking at these stories. So this will be the last post I will make, but certainly just still in the beginning of trying to assist their noble effort.
I will say that your post yesterday helped spur me to get this one done before my son gets here today (he just called and is on his way from the airport). He will be the feature of my daily gratitude post tonight if I have time after visiting with him. Seeing they murdered the senator for trying to help stop this madness gave me the strength to watch those videos last night.
So thank you for putting that together my friend. I look forward to seeing any future posts you make on this. Just please know when to step back so it doesn't eat at you.
It does not get to me bro, I have a plan, and nothing will stop me achieving it, and I mean nothing, not even a bullet or 50. I don't know how or why I know, but I do know, it will all change, and not in a very long time. Just humour me for now, positivity is the key, I hope it all goes fantastically well with you and your boy, have fun my friend, and never stop smiling, let the happiness shine, not the dark side.
Thank you, I am so happy he is here. This is going to be a great week.
I do not doubt that for a second, and I know you will shine like a beacon, go to it my friend, be the leading light you are.
This is an excellent post @practicalthought! Mandatory reporters are like cougars, waiting to pounce at the first sign of a problem.
I was in a shelter once where the employees were mandatory reporters, and they would just stand by and watch while the kids were playing in the playroom, waiting for something to happen.
Another time we took our kids to head-start for our at the time 4 year old, before the school year started. It was some kind of open house to meet her new teachers. There were snacks and refreshments there, and my 8 year old went for the pretzels. I hastily said, "No, Naomi, you can't have those." Two women rushed up from outside of the room and stood in the doorway, all alarmed. I continued, "I have supper in the Crock-Pot, and I don't want you to spoil your appetite." It was the truth too, aside from the fact that bowl of pretzels probably was teeming with germs from all the kids that came before us. They looked at each other knowingly as if saying Ok, she's fine. Then they went away. I'm convinced they were mandatory reporters.
Yes, being poor definitely puts one at risk. They prey on the weak and vulnerable...
Kind of disappointed you won't be writing for family protection anymore. I would've liked to see what else you could dig up. I understand though. Much love. :)
That's scary to be in the position you were in, knowing exactly what you saw unfolding. Thankfully you were quick enough to recover and explain aloud to call them off (with the crockpot).
Thank you. I am really good at ferreting out information. When I came up with this idea last week, because I could draw from a personal experience, I wasn't prepared for what I was going to find as I looked into this. The mixture of anger and sadness after watching the videos tells me I am not cut out to watch hours on end of this. I am willing to see a story here and there, but saturating myself in it isn't healthy for me.
I will continue to support this cause, but no more deep immersion for me. I honestly don't know how the people who are working not only as the social workers, but the reporters as well can look at themselves in the mirror. The last straw was the video where the parents were recreational drug users, so they took their 3 year old daughter and THEIR doctor got the child hooked on drugs. Of course, I thought several of the videos before that were the last straw, and had about 6 more I collected to post but couldn't bring myself to write on this post any longer.
God bless you @practicalthought
This post was upvoted and resteemed by @thethreehugs. Thank you for your support of @familyprotection.
Hi..i am @nostyle form Indonesia. Very good post and information.