Father's Rights - A Neglected Movement

What is a father in today's society? According to television shows, commercials and movies; he's a fat, lazy, stupid, and extremely selfish individual.

While many will write that off as entertainment and marketing, it is an erroneous social consensus on what fathers are. Too many people today dismiss the role of Fathers and their importance with their children. They ignore all the wisdom and guidance of what fathers have to offer, in exchange for complicity and obedience in the child.

Quick facts on children raised in fatherless homes:

-63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes (US Dept. Of Health/Census) – 5 times the average.
-90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.
-85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average. (Center for Disease Control)
-80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average. (Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)
-71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average. (National Principals Association Report)
*1

Now that there is an established effect on children without fathers, let's look at fathers. Let's look at them as individual people, but with repressed rights:

1. Fathers with visitation rights pay 79.1% of child support. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)

2. 44.5% of fathers with no visitation rights still financially support their children. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau)

3. 66% of all child support not paid by non-custodial fathers is due to inability to pay. (Source: U.S. General Accounting Office Report)

4. 66% of single mothers work less than full time while only 10% of single fathers fall into this category. (Source: Garansky and Meyer, DHHS Technical Analysis Paper No. 42)

5. Almost 47% of non-custodial mothers default on child support compared with the 27% of fathers who default. (Source: Garansky and Meyer, DHHS Technical Analysis Paper No. 42) *2

Other noteworthy facts;

-Around 85% of women will receive primary custody of their children.
-Over 75% of men (of divorces with children) will have to pay child support.
-Women initiate nearly 70% of all divorces.
-Divorced and separated men are nearly 2.4 times more likely to kill themselves.


The best question; since a child is the offspring of a male and female(50/50), why is it acceptable by society, and overwhelmingly enforced by courts, that the mother rears the child primarily and the father secondary? Further, why is the man responsible for 18 years of financial support when he has no say on the birth of the child? I'm prolife, but if I was pro-choice I'd be infuriated that I'm enforced to pay finacially for a mutual act when I had no choice in the matter.

When will fathers have equal rights to their children? When will children have equal rights to their parents?

In this age of equality, where is the support for fathers?



Ghost





*1 fatherless generation
*2other stats

originally posted by: ghostrager
What is a father in today's society? According to television shows, commercials and movies; he's a fat, lazy, stupid, and extremely selfish individual.

"Life of Riley", William Bendix (1953 - 1958) : m.youtube.com...

Maybe we should get the ERA passed. Oh wait, it can't get ratified.

Show me the statistic of how many dads fight for custody compared to how many don't pay child support.

originally posted by: ghostrager
What is a father in today's society?

A father.

According to television shows, commercials and movies; he's a fat, lazy, stupid, and extremely selfish individual.

Yes, it is a harmless humorous stereotype that make men entertaining on TV. No one is entertained by a serious sour-pup.

While many will write that off as entertainment and marketing, it is an erroneous social consensus on what fathers are.

It is not a social consencus on what fathers are. See above. Also, I recommend not to gather your views from comedy.

Too many people today dismiss the role of Fathers and their importance with their children.

Who does that?

They ignore all the wisdom and guidance of what fathers have to offer, in exchange for complicity and obedience in the child.

Who are these "they"?

Quick facts on children raised in fatherless homes:

So you asserted the side that is clear. I want to know where the other side is.

The best question; since a child is the offspring of a male and female(50/50), why is it acceptable by society, and overwhelmingly enforced by courts, that the mother rears the child primarily and the father secondary?

Personally, would my marriage go down the drain, I have a hard rime imagining that I would voluntarily detach my child from her mother. It does not feel right.
Second, since you seem to be living in a country where the man is highly likely to be the one who is working and the woman taking care of the home, it too seems to enforce the bond between the mother and child.

Think about your rights all you want, but a child is naturally due to the physics and involved (+environment) more a part of the mother than the father.
Spreading your seed is not "having a child". It is irrelevant if the target is a vagina, rectum, towel or a picture of the queen of england.

When will fathers have equal rights to their children?

In my country at least, I think we have. I don't necessarily agree men should though, due ro the nature of things.

When will children have equal rights to their parents?

At least here, they do. What is the problem there?

In this age of equality, where is the support for fathers?

What support are YOU lacking?

a reply to: ghostrager

I think you are right on the money. In my life, I have seen women blame men for this and that, and vice versa. It is not Men or Women, for there is no stereotype. The problem is people in general. There are good women, and good men, and the rest, meh, not so good. I respect a good Father, and a good Mother. They exist, but society wants to put labels on either women or men like they are derelicts. Well many are, but a select few moms and dads are champions regardless of stereotypes.

You do realize your entire post is an attack on everyone that's not the father, right?

Where is the positive pro-father?

a reply to: Annee

You do realize your entire post is an attack on everyone that's not the father, right?

You do realize that the entire OP was a defense for children that deserve both parents equally, but are neglected, right?

What part of the OP did you have a problem with exactly? Children are deprived of their fathers while their fathers pay the majority of child support and spend the least amount of time with them.

So back to your question:

Where is the positive pro-father?

He's probably stuck between working long hours to give his money away and not being able to be to be be a father because of it.

a reply to: ghostrager

I respect Fathers. I was on the opposite side of this issue when I was young. My folks got divorced when I was 14. Because I was of legal age, I got to stand before the judge and read to him a list of the crazy things my mother did, and as a result he granted custody to my dad. My mother of course lied, cheated, and what not. Tried to duck out of her child support. It is what it is. When a woman is put in the same scenario, can you expect anything different?

originally posted by: ghostrager
a reply to: Annee

You do realize your entire post is an attack on everyone that's not the father, right?

You do realize that the entire OP was a defense for children that deserve both parents equally, but are neglected, right?

What part of the OP did you have a problem with exactly? Children are deprived of their fathers while their fathers pay the majority of child support and spend the least amount of time with them.

So back to your question:

Where is the positive pro-father?

He's probably stuck between working long hours to give his money away and not being able to be to be be a father because of it.

Is this a personal story? Is this what happened to you?

My story is very different.

The anti-male bias in the courtroom is a crime and a sin.

I have been in the courtroom more times than I can count, with a women who hasn't worked in years, to have the court say my child support plus welfare and food stamps prove that she is financially capable of supporting my child.

She was ordered by the court 3 years ago to keep and maintain employment but the court won't enforce it's own ruling.

Why?

Because the court KNOWS she's a bum who will never pay anyway and me paying is a guarantee (under threat of jail time, loss of driver's licence, etc.).

AND THEY GET A CUT.

Screw the kids, the court's gotta get paid!!!

originally posted by: abe froman

Screw the kids, the court's gotta get paid!!!

So, did you try to get custody?

a reply to: Annee

Yes, can't get past the magistrate to appear in front of the judge.

In 9 appearances, each time he says "I'll enter a written ruling"

...and 3 months later he produces some cockamamie BS that does nothing and in no way reflects the evidence actually presented in court.

I have several times submitted evidence in court that disappeared before the rulings.

Welcome to Cleremont Oh,Co Court.

a reply to: Annee

Your individual "story" is as irrelevant to the facts as is my story. The fact remains that fathers have less access to their children while paying out more. While mothers have more access to children while accepting forced monetary supplementsn from the child's father while the child has less access to him.

Maybe one day the courts will look at each individual case(god willing) and disregard parents gender, but the point of the OP is to bring light of the inequality that fathers and children face currently in the courts.

Ghost

a reply to: ghostrager

I'm prolife, but if I was pro-choice I'd be infuriated that I'm enforced to pay finacially for a mutual act when I had no choice in the matter.

That would be your choice. So you're pro-choice.

Two people make a baby. Everyone knows the risks involved.

a reply to: rockintitz

That would be your choice. So you're pro-choice.

Two people make a baby. Everyone knows the risks involved.

Let's look at this without gender:

Parent #1 has complete control over the birth of the child.

Parent # 2 has no control

Both "parents" conjoined to create the child

Parent # 2 has no say on the birth, but is liable for 18 years of financial support if Parent #1 chooses birth. Even though the act of procreation was mutual.

What possible sense does this make? If Parent #2 doesn't agree to the birth, why be FORCED to pay for 18 years, without choice, when the act of procreation was mutual and Parent #1 has the choice to abort without the consent of Parent # 2?

a reply to: ghostrager

Another frightening statistic: nearly 37% of child maltreatment is perpetrated by the mother acting alone. Nearly 19% is perpetrated by the father acting alone.

originally posted by: ghostrager
a reply to: rockintitz

That would be your choice. So you're pro-choice.

Two people make a baby. Everyone knows the risks involved.

Let's look at this without gender:

Parent #1 has complete control over the birth of the child.

Parent # 2 has no control

Both "parents" conjoined to create the child

Parent # 2 has no say on the birth, but is liable for 18 years of financial support if Parent #1 chooses birth. Even though the act of procreation was mutual.

What possible sense does this make? If Parent #2 doesn't agree to the birth, why be FORCED to pay for 18 years, without choice, when the act was mutual?

That's where you're wrong.

Both parents have control.

The choices they make are their own.

I know it can seem to be a burden, but it's a burden on both sides.

Once you give consent, male or female, you should understand the consequences.

One thing I don't think anyone wants to address, but I will, is that many women want to "stick it to the man". In other words, they are low down individuals, who know they can play a game to get child support. They will cry, cause a scene, lie. All so they can get a free ride in the form of child support. It is a mockery to intelligence and ethics, but women do it. I cannot list how many good men I know who have to deal with this deceitful crock that many women seem to think they can get away with!

originally posted by: abe froman
a reply to: Annee

Yes, can't get past the magistrate to appear in front of the judge.

In 9 appearances, each time he says "I'll enter a written ruling"

...and 3 months later he produces some cockamamie BS that does nothing and in no way reflects the evidence actually presented in court.

I have several times submitted evidence in court that disappeared before the rulings.

Welcome to Cleremont Oh,Co Court.

I'm sorry to hear that. I fully support Good Sincere fathers getting custody if they are the better parent.

I have known some fathers who did get custody.

It is unfortunate that my own story, and my older daughters was not father positive. However, my younger daughter's, daughter's father did fight for her, and even though he's kind of a jerk, he never stopped being a father. They never went to court.

a reply to: ghostrager

-90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.

Um , see anything wrong there . Might want to look at your ratios .

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: ghostrager

Another frightening statistic: nearly 37% of child maltreatment is perpetrated by the mother acting alone. Nearly 19% is perpetrated by the father acting alone.

Who has custody?

Is this married parents?

Maybe the statistics are of single working mothers.

You're statistics without detail are very biased.