Children need both parents.....

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I had met with General Parker, a well known youth advocate here in Peoria. His website, Illinois Fathers, is promoting the passage of HB 1604, the Steven Watkins Bill, to protect the rights of children and non-custodial fathers in the state of Illinois.

Despite the awakening in our society of the equality of parents when it comes to raising children, in matters of divorce the courts almost always award custody of the children to the mother. In some cases, this means the parents of the mother, the grandparents of the mother, and even aunts and uncles are able to place pressure on the mother to make it difficult or near impossible for the father to spend time with the children. It doesn't matter if the father is a positive role model and a hard working man who just wants to let his children know he loves them. The mother's family can usually manipulate the mother to make life impossible for the father.

Does this happen in every divorce? Thankfully, no. But it shouldn't happen in any divorce. Children need to know both parents love them, even if the parents no longer love one another. Despite their differences, parents should not seek to interfere with one another when it comes to their children, and should allow the children to be exposed to the positive father figure in their life.

I am going to include two documents with this article, and invite you all to write your Illinois congressmen and Senators to support this bill. The decision is yours, but this is an important piece of legislation that will not burden our court system, and may in fact prevent other problems from occurring.

3rd Annual Fatherless Day - May 10th, 2011

Regardless of your political or religious views, occupation, race or sex, we all can agree that children need both parents NOW more than ever.

EACH and EVERY DAY in our Illinois family law courts, children in the Land of Lincoln are unjustly separated from their good parents for no good reason. BUT together we can save our children from this dark situation by standing shoulder to shoulder at our State Capitol Building in Springfield on May 10th, 2011.

Join IllinoisFathers.org on May 10th, for our 3rd Annual Fatherless Day in Springfield where mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers and sisters will rally to celebrate parenthood and to support House Bill 1604. HB 1604 (the Steven Watkins Memorial Bill) seeks to give children greater access to BOTH of their parents after divorce or separation. HB 1604 has strong bipartisan support in the Illinois House and is on the verge of being voted on in the Illinois Senate.

If you are someone who is suffering from little to no contact with your children or if you believe that children need both parents, join us on May 10th in Springfield.

Bikers…contact www.illinoisfathers.org to get your patch and attend the rally with the many other bikers riding in on the Capitol. Bikers, meet at Hall's Harley Davidson at 2301 N. Dirksen Parkway in Springfield, IL at 9:00 a.m.

If you need help with transportation, or to donate transportation, please go to our website at www.illinoisfathers.org and contact our statewide transportation coordinator, Juan Carlos.

Together we can make a difference for ALL Illinois children.

Fatherless Day – Steven Watkins Rally 2011

Bikers meet @ Hall’s Harley Davidson
2301 N. Dirksen Pkwy.
Springfield, IL 62702

Bikers from around the state of Illinois will gather at Hall’s Harley Davidson at 9:00 a.m. We will then leave at 9:30 and ride together to the state Capitol Building located at 2nd and Capitol Streets.

With one biker, Steven Watkins, losing his life for visiting his daughter, it’s time for Family Law reform.

“IT’S NOW OR NEVER”
Keynote Speaker: Penny Watkins
Guest Speakers include: Rep Constance “Connie” Howard
Rep. Al Riley
Sen. John Mulroe
Sen. Mattie Hunter

For more info: http://www.illinoisfathers.org
or Contact Mr. Parker @ (309) 696-7930
general.parker@illinoisfathers.org


Sponsored by Illinois Fathers and the Justice for Steven Campaign