Posted by BJ and Shalene in
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** Though we do not usually post on issues of a political nature, this cannot be ignored. Hearing news of this issue today, we could not ignore the compelling to post about it. We implore you to take time to read this, pass it on (you are free to repost the entirety of this entry as it appears without any copyright infringement issues) and take action! We as parents must cry out in protection of our innate Parental Rights. **
Protect Your Right to Parent Your Children
This right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is one that has been protected in the U.S. for decades, and it is a right that any parent knows is fundamentally innate. The government should not be allowed to usurp our right to raise our children as we see fit (except in the obvious case of abuse or neglect, wherein the government would be interceding to protect the child from proven harm). Unfortunately though, parental rights are coming under serious attack. Our federal court system has an increasing low view of parental rights. (Click here for an article that gives more information on this topic and cites specific court cases sadly showing blatant disregard for parents' rights.)
But the war waging within our nation's borders is just part of the story. Currently, the UN is seeking to ratify the The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). According to ParentalRights.org, this treaty, if made binding upon our country, would give the government the power to intervene in a child's life to advance "the best interests of the child." Though it sounds harmless, it sets the stage for some truly frightening scenarios. ParentalRights.org states that instead of following due process, the treaty would give government agencies the right to "override your parental choices at their whim because they would determine what is in 'the best interest of the child.'" What this means is that the government would have a long-arm parental reach into your home; rather than you having the right to decide what's in the best interest of your child, that right would now fall to the government. (For more information on the treaty, click here.)
What might this treaty look like in action? If you spank you child, you could be deemed an unfit parent and have your child removed from your custody. If you homeschool your children, homeschooling could be considered an act that is not in the best interest of the children, and you could be demanded to put them in a formal education system or risk losing custody of them. If you require your children to attend church, and they hear messages contrary to popular, societal beliefs, the children's church involvement could be considered harmful to their development, and you could be demanded to cease their church attendance or risk losing custody ... and the list goes on. The potential ramifications of this treaty are truly frightening! And as any parent who has borne children knows, it refutes the innate right of a parent to raise their child as they see fit.
In response to this threat, a Parental Rights Amendment has been proposed that would ensure the protection of the right of parents to raise their children. Only a constitutional amendment will supersede international law that seeks to undermine parents' rights. According to ParentalRights.org, an amendment is "the only comprehensive response to the attack on parental rights across our nation." (Click here to view the draft text for the amendment.)
Frankly, this is an issue that we as parents cannot ignore! Take time today to get involved ... Educate yourself on the topic, make others aware of the threat, and take action. ParentalRights.org is the best place to start. With a host of resources as well as links on how to join the fight, they're our best defense against this threat. If you click on "How Can I Help?" and then select "Take Action at the National Level" you will be provided with information on how to contact your state senators and representatives to urge them to support either House Joint Resolution 42, the Parental Rights Amendment (House version) or Senate Joint Resolution 16, the Parental Rights Amendment (Senate version). It doesn't take much time to contact them, and our voices must ring loudly on this matter! While you're at ParentalRights.org, take a moment to read a couple of the staff articles. The content will astound you! You can also become a citizen co-sponsor of the amendment by clicking here.
Again, this is a battle that we must engage! We cannot afford to stand on the sidelines while our parental rights are deliberately usurped. Please join us in this fight! Contact your government representatives, make others aware and pray for a hedge protection around parents and this country. We must fight for the protection of our freedoms. For as Ronald Reagan said, "Freedome is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
