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crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
Adding to his odious comments about “criminalizing gay behavior,” Family Research Council board member and spokesperson Peter Sprigg is now speaking out on the Janet Jenkins/Lisa Miller custody case.
Sprigg seems to be voicing support for Miller's kidnapping of Isabella, the child in the center of the case.
In his piece, A Parent's Nightmare, Sprigg says.
Imagine that you are a mother (perhaps you are). You have only one child — your own flesh and blood, conceived with your egg, borne in your body, pushed out into the world by your own exertions.
She is seven and a half years old, and for the last six years you have been her sole caretaker. Single parenthood is tough, but your parents help, and it seems your daughter is doing well. She is happy and well-adjusted. You have worked hard to support her and transmit your values to her. She goes to church with you every week.
Now, someone wants to take her away from you. Her father? No — another woman wants to be her mother. This woman lives in a different state hundreds of miles away. Your daughter once knew the woman, but so long ago that she has no memory of her. The woman has no biological relationship to your child. She has no adoptive relationship to your child. But she wants to take your daughter away from you and be her mother now.
No court has ever found you to be an unfit mother. And yet — unbelievably — the courts of two states have ordered you to transfer custody of your child to this other woman.
According to a December 2008 Newsweek magazine, the case is more complicated than how Sprigg laid it out. From the article, we learn the following :
Miller and Jenkins agreed to raise Isabella together.
Jenkins said the reason why she did not file for adoption was because she was told she didn't need to because they had the civil union (the two had married in a Vermont civil union before Isabella was born).
When the two broke up, Miller agreed to allow Jenkins to have visitation rights. Jenkins even paid child support. Miller allegedly began keeping Isabella away from Jenkins, ultimately by moving from Vermont to Virginia a state which does not recognize gay marriage or civil unions.
Furthermore, the only reason why custody was transferred to Jenkins was because Miller continued to defy court orders by not allowing Jenkins to have visitation with Isabella.
In his defense of Miller's illegal actions, Sprigg makes a huge error on what the courts actually said when transferring custody:
No court has ever found Lisa to be an unfit parent. Indeed, the courts do not even claim that it is in Isabella’s “best interest” to be given to Janet. They are simply punishing Lisa for not complying with earlier orders to allow Janet visitation. (Lisa claims that Isabella had severe negative emotional reactions after earlier visits with Janet).
That statement is false. According to the Rutland Herald, Judge William Cohen said:
“The court concludes that it is in the best interest of (Isabella) that Ms. Jenkins exercise parental rights and responsibilities. This court stated that continued interference by Ms. Miller with the relationship between (Isabella) and Ms. Jenkins could lead to a change of circumstances and outweigh the disruption that would occur if a change of custody were ordered.”
But Sprigg is right about one thing. The entire case is a parent's nightmare. But there is more than one parent involved. It all boils down to two points for me:
1. Jenkins is Isabella's legally recognized parent.
2. Why couldn't Miller have just abided by the court orders and allowed Jenkins to have visitation with Isabella like she originally agreed to?
Jenkins simply wanted time with her daughter. That's all. No plots, no plans to “indoctrinate” Isabella into the United Sisterhood of the Knit Flannel or whatever ridiculous notion there is emanating from the right.
The fact that Sprigg and Miller's other supporters (who all claim to stand up for truth and values) seem to be encouraging Miller to continue her law breaking just underscores their hypocrisy. Truth and having values also encompasses a respect for the law.
I find the entire case disturbing but what also bother me are the consistent attempts by Sprigg and others on his side of the spectrum to dehumanize Jenkins as an outsider, an interloper, and evil vagabond witch out to steal Isabella away from Miller as a part of some sort of agenda-driven plan.
The only persons who have an agenda-driven plan here are Sprigg and the rest who are throwing out feeble defenses for Miller to continue to evade the law and expose Isabella to danger.
13 Comments
They probably got a new identity for both through compliant fundie state officials
Sprigg ought to be warned that he is precariously close to the line…
What I find interestingis that Sprigg is even addressing this case at all. Talk about “picking and choosing” very specifically!
Normally, the screechings of FRC would have been about the child being denied having a father.
What about the biological father being denied access to his daughter?, Peter?
And just the other night, Sprigg advocated criminalization of homosexuals- is this to say that “ex-gays” are reformed criminals, Peter?
Great high-wire act, this…
I just half to laughHis statement is so ridiculous. Some woman that “Your daughter once knew” suddenly appears. LOL! I think he means the woman whom you entered into a lesbian relationship and civil union with and agreed to have the child with. What a freak! If this is the best they’ve got, they’ve already lost.
Bastidges like Spriggs……Just make me spitting mad.
Armband Kristians. Fur Das GottesReich!
imagine you are a child….unable to see the other parent who cared for you and loved you until your biological mother joined a cult of gay-bashing theocrats who don’t believe in personal rights.
not all biological mothers are wondrous creatures who would do anything for their children. some are violent, selfish, and cruel. this is yet another strike against real caregivers and parental figures who don’t happen to be a child’s biological parent, proving yet again that the religious fucktards on the right don’t give a shit about the real needs of kids and providing them with stable, loving homes.
Sprigg got a lot wrongWhich should not be surprising. When Jenkins was on ABC, she showed video of her and Isabella together during one of their visits. I don’t recall them stating how old she was at the time, but she was clearly not a baby. She had to be 5 – 6 in the video. Jenkins also had extensive visitation after Miller moved to VA – she actually drove from Vermont to her parents in VA to see Isabella every weekend. So clearly Jenkins has had a more extensive relationship with Isabella than the right-wing liars will acknowledge. As for the alleged damage Isabella “suffered” when visiting with Jenkins, that would have been admissible in any court. One wonders whether any real evidence was produced, or if this is just another right-wing lie – and how long it will be until Miller accuses Jenkins of sexual abuse (I am surprised it has not happened already).
Even during their separation, both Jenkins and her parents have continued to buy Christmas and birthday presents for the girl, even though they know she cannot receive them while living with Miller. Miller is not just depriving her child of one of her parents, she is depriving her of her grandparents as well.
ExactlyI saw Janet Jenkins on TV the other night and my heart broke for her.
That poor woman.
By the time that the child turns upshe will have been through a Jesus Camp indoctrination programme
So Spriggsendorses breaking a court order and thereby, the law.
They’re all liarsIf their minions and sheeple knew even a tenth of the truth in this matter, they couldn’t justify this woman kidnapping her child away from her other parent.
My mother is a follower of these kinds of people, and even though I have adopted my partner’s daughter, I STILL don’t trust the woman to even know where we live.
Someone once told me that I didn’t have to worry about my mother because she has no legal rights to my adopted daughter, and all I could think was “that won’t stop these people.” It doesn’t matter if they have a legal right or not. They will do anything and everything they can to break our spirits.
She already hasMiller accused Jenkins of sexually abusing her daughter during the multiple court cases about this custody battle. The courts found Miller’s accusations to be wholly without merit, but that doesn’t stop her bigoted supporters from continuing to make them online.
best to you and your family{{{Hugs callie}}}
I hear your fear and support your unfortunate vigilance.
Nuthin like bearing a little false witness……for these fake kristians.