F4J Relaunch
After a few less than positive posts about fathers, in particular fathers' rights groups, in the last few weeks I intended not to blog negative stories about them anymore. However this morning, thanks to Current Awareness, I came across an article in The Independent about the relaunch of Fathers' 4 Justice. The plan is to bring parents together by providing a telephone counselling service for families in breakdown and a formal lobbying group to put political pressure on Government to change the family courts system. Matt O'Connor, F4J founding member, hopes the number of the new organisation will be found in every solicitor's office and court. This sounds laudable so why do I feel cynical?
It's all very well O'Connor saying they don't want to polarise people or be misogynistic but they have an appalling record of doing just that. F4J did a great disservice to fathers and families through ratcheting up grievances and hostilities. In a comment during 2004, Misogynistic bullies don't deserve justice, The Independent reported the image F4J promoted of themselves was "offensively misogynist" -
"It is alarming to witness F4J imposing it's uncompromising conditions on the law, society, politics, family life and the national conversation. Anyone who opposes them is given the treatment [as many of us can testify!]. The MP Clive Soley, for example, who has criticised these self-pitying warriors, gets regular warnings on the internet. One message says: "Watch yerself you wouldn't want to wake up one morning and find the BNP has stolen your seat."Let's not be too hasty and forget Matt O'Connor and his team presided over that.
6 comments:
What gets me Mrs Shrek, is that if we read his press releases as whole over the last few months, we seem to have a paranoid schizophrenic offering help and support, i know in the world of the blind the one eyed man is king, but this is pushing the limits.
I try not to read the press releases but the close of F4J and a relaunch are difficult to ignore. ;-)
You can see what the odyssey means by checking out some of Matt O'Connor's less savoury stuff.
Apparently he left Fathers 4 Justice.
Apparently to spend more time with his family.
Apparently F4J is dead.
So...
Why is he still there?
Why is he and his partner Nadine Taylor still releasing inaccurate press releases?
Why can't they just tell the truth?
Where has all the money gone that they took from vulnerable parents looking for help?
Check out this blog and you can clearly see what this cowardly, self-publicist really cares about.
httP://www.mattoconnorf4j.blogspot.com
I think we've been through it all before. In 2004/05 I remember questions were being asked about where the money was going and how F4J was being run.
Well Mrs Shrek, Arnie is about to apply some proper accounting to Fathers 4 Justice and is also looking for legal advice on litigation as to existing funds and property. I really cant see how you can legally apply a trade mark to a movement such as fathers 4 justice.
I would ask on wikivorce but I think we would get bogged down in the correct usage of the forums......also, I am a bit tied up with ongoing family bereavement at the moment, and at times,the dysfunctional management of a pressure group isn't high on my list of priorities... proper planning prevent piss poor performance dont you know ;-)
Sorry to hear of your family bereavement, Odyssey.
I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the issue of funds and property.
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