PURPLE HEART SOLDIER

GREETINGS. I AM NOT A PURPLE HEART SOLDIER. HOWEVER, I AM A PROUD

FATHER WHO CAN STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN
BECAUSE OF THE SACRIFICES MADE BY OUR MILITARY OVERSEAS, FIGHTING
FOR OUR FREEDOMS. I AM ALSO NOT AN ORATOR, BUT WHEN I WAS ASKED TO
DELIVER THIS PRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF A PURPLE HEART SOLDIER, I
GLADLY ACCEPTED.

THE REASON WHY THIS PERSON CANNOT DELIVER THIS STATEMENT HIMSELF IS
BECAUSE OF OUR DESIRE TO PROTECT HIS INTEGRITY. YOU SEE, THIS GOOD
SOLDIER, WHO TOOK A BULLET FOR US IN A FOREIGN WAR, ATTEMPTED TO
TAKE HIS OWN LIFE AS A RESULT OF ANOTHER WAR HERE ON THE DOMESTIC
FRONT.

IT’S CALLED DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURT AND THE STATE WAS THE ENEMY.
LITTLE DID HE KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT HE WAS FIGHTING FOR ALL THIS TIME
WOULD ORDER A BATTLE OVER HIS OWN CHILDREN. IT WAS A NEEDLESS WAR
HE COULD NOT WIN SIMPLY BECAUSE HE WAS BORN DIFFERENTLY THAN THE
OTHER PARENT WHO MADE THESE CHILDREN POSSIBLE. IN THE END, IT WAS A
FIGHT WHICH WOULD JEOPARDIZE HIS LIFE MORE THAN ANY FOREIGN ENEMY
COULD.

IT OCCURRED ONLY A FEW SHORT WEEKS AGO. IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE

CONFIDENTIALITY INTERESTS OF THIS GOOD FATHER ON A VERY SENSITIVE
MATTER, I WILL NOT FEED THE INJURIES CAUSED BY OUR DOMESTIC RELATIONS
COURTS. I WILL SIMPLY REFER TO HIM AS “MR. AMERICAN”.

THIS GOOD CITIZEN TOOK UP THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY AND FREEDOM WHEN HE
ENLISTED FOR SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY DURING THE
NINETIES. HE SHOWED US PICTURES OF HIMSELF IN FULL METAL JACKET BESIDE
ARMORED VEHICLES AND FELLOW FRONT LINE SOLDIERS. ON AT LEAST ONE
OCCASION, HE WAS FIRED UPON AND INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. HE WAS
THEN CREDITED WITH SAVING THE LIVES OF OTHERS AND WAS CONFERRED THE
HIGHEST OF HONORS AS A PURPLE HEART SOLDIER. HE EVEN FURNISHED
COPIES OF SOME OF HIS AWARDS.

UPON HIS RETURN FROM ACTIVE DUTY, MR. AMERICAN MET A WOMAN AND
FATHERED A CHILD. NOT UNLIKE MILITARY SERVICE, HIS JOB TOOK HIM TO FAR
AWAY PLACES. HE COULD NOT BE HOME ON A REGULAR BASIS. HOWEVER, HE
KEPT HIS PICTURES, MEMORIES AND PHONE CALLS INTACT. THE ABSENCE FROM
HOME DID NOT DIMINISH HIS LOVE AND COMMITMENT TO HIS CHILDREN.
WHILE WE SPOKE TO HIM, HE PROUDLY SHOWED US PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIS SON,
YOU KNOW THE KIND, THIS ONE WITH THE LITTLE SIX YEAR OLD IN THE
COCKPIT OF A PLANE WITH HIS THUMB UP.
PURPLE HEART SOLDIER
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UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE SO MANY OF US FACED WITH HARD TIMES, MR.

AMERICAN BECAME SPORATICALLY UNEMPLOYED IN RECENT YEARS. HE WAS
FACING A PARTICULARLY WEAK LOCAL ECONOMY.

HERE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, JOBS HAVE BEEN LEAVING IN LARGE NUMBERS.
JUST LOOK AROUND YOU AS YOU TOUR OUR METROPOLITAN AREA. YOU WILL
SEE THE EVIDENCE EVERYWHERE.

THESE JOBS ARE LEAVING NOT JUST FROM OUR REGION, AND NOT JUST FROM
OUR STATE, THEY ARE LEAVING OUR COUNTRY FOR PLACES LIKE CHINA, INDIA,
AND FORMER THIRD WORLD NATIONS. IN FACT, THEY ARE LEAVING FOR SOME
OF THE VERY COUNTRIES WHICH MR. AMERICAN WAS PROTECTING IN THESE
FOREIGN WARS. THEY ARE LEAVING BECAUSE OUR GOVERNMENT IS TAKING
OVER PRIVATE ENTERPRISE ON THE DOMESTIC FRONT. IT IS VIOLATING OUR
CONSTITUTION WITH IMMUNITY AND NOW IT IS TAKING OUR VERY CHILDREN
FROM US.

IN ANY EVENT, IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE MR. AMERICAN FOUND HIMSELF

UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH A GROSSLY EXCESSIVE SUPPORT ORDER ISSUED BY A
FAMILY COURT JUDGE. HE FILED PETITIONS AND COUNTER-PETITIONS UNTIL
THE LAWYERS AND COURTS DEPLETED ALL OF HIS ASSETS AND SAVINGS.

IN ORDER TO SURVIVE, HE SUBSISTED ON UNEMPLOYMENT CHECKS AND

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. TIME AND AGAIN HIS PETITIONS WERE REJECTED BECAUSE
THE SAME FAMILY COURT JUDGE, WHO NEVER FACED SUCH CONDITIONS
HIMSELF, SIMPLY KNEW BETTER HOW TO RAISE HIS OFFSPRING.

MR. AMERICAN WAS REDUCED TO A FURTHER HUMILIATING CONDITION WHEN

HE BECAME DEPENDENT ON FAMILY, FRIENDS AND A GIRLFRIEND TO AVOID
LIVING IN THE STREETS. HE WAS REDUCED TO THIS CONDITION, IN PART,
BECAUSE THERE WAS LITTLE TO LIVE ON AFTER SUPPORT DEDUCTIONS AND
TAXES WERE REMOVED FROM HIS CHECKS.

FINALLY MR. AMERICAN WAS SENT TO A DEBTOR’S PRISON AND FORCED TO

SPEND CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS IN A JAIL CELL, IN AN ENVIRONMENT SHARED BY
CONVICTED FELONS AND COMMON CRIMINALS. ASK YOURSELF RIGHT NOW,
WHAT WERE YOU DOING THIS PAST CHRISTMAS WHILE ONE OF YOUR FIGHTING
HEROS WAS FORGOTTEN IN THIS MANNER.

IT’S NOT LIKE OUR HERO COMMITTED ANY CRIME OR FAILED TO ACCORD THESE
COURTS THEIR DUE RESPECT. HE TRIED TO PLEAD WITH THE JUDGE,
EXPLAINING THAT THE SUPPORT ORDER WAS BASED ON 2005 TAX STATEMENTS.
PURPLE HEART SOLDIER
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THIS WAS THE LAST TIME HE DID HAVE A GOOD JOB. BUT THE JUDGE WOULD
HEAR NONE OF IT. AGAIN HE KNEW BETTER HOW TO RAISE CHILDREN WHICH
WERE NOT HIS OWN. THERE WOULD BE NO MERCY. THIS JUDGE SIMPLY
DECLARED THAT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY COULD STILL BE EARNED. SO
HE PERFORMED A SLIGHT OF HAND KNOWN AS IMPUTED INCOME WHICH,
SIMPLY STATED, IS AN ARBITRARY PROCESS WHICH PROVIDES IMMENSE
REVENUES FOR THE STATE AND THE LAWYERS. THIS PROCESS MADE IT EVEN
MORE DIFFICULT FOR THIS WAR VETERAN TO EVER CATCH UP HIS ARREARS.

WHILE TRAVELLING AROUND THE STATE ON VARIOUS JOB ASSIGNMENTS, MR.

AMERICAN WAS FACED WITH OTHER OBSTACLES CAUSED BY AN OPPRESSIVE
STATE GOVERNMENT. UNABLE TO SEE HIS CHILDREN ON A REGULAR BASIS, THE
JUDGE THREATENED TO SUSPEND HIS PARENTING TIME. THE STATE
COLLECTION AGENCY THEN SEIZED HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE AS A FURTHER
PUNISHMENT. ULTIMATELY, THIS DESPERATE MAN FOUND HIMSELF UNABLE TO
KEEP A LAWYER AND MAKE COURT APPEARANCES.

ON ONE OCCASION HE DEFAULTED ON A PETITION BY THE STATE SUPPORT

COLLECTION UNIT SEEKING MORE MONEY. HE DID NOT HAVE THE SKILLS TO
REOPEN THE JUDGMENT, AND SO HE WAS ORDERED TO BECOME CAGED LIKE A
WILD ANIMAL.

IN A FINAL EFFORT TO SECURE COUNSEL, HE GAVE ONE LAWYER A SUMMARY

OF HIS WAR SERVICE. THIS LAWYER WANTED $5,000, OR ROUGHLY TWICE THE
AMOUNT DEMANDED BY THE JUDGE TO GET OUT OF PRISON. WHEN THIS
FAILED, FAMILY AND FRIENDS SCRAPED UP $1,000. ONE HALF WENT TO THE
LAWYER AND ONE HALF TO THE STATE. HE WAS RELEASED AFTER THE
HOLIDAYS BUT MADE SUBJECT TO WEEKEND INCARCERATION WHICH IN TURN
COST HIM SOME OUT-OF-TOWN JOBS.

TO THINK THAT THIS MAN WAS REDUCED TO AN OPTION OF TAKING HIS OWN
LIFE TWO MONTHS LATER IS THE ONLY CRIME THAT WAS COMMITTED HERE.
AND IT WAS COMMITTED BY YOU AND ME, OR MORE ACCURATELY THE
GOVERNMENT THAT WE ELECTED.

I AM A PROUD FATHER AND A PROUD AMERICAN. BUT I AM DEFINITELY NOT

PROUD OF THIS. IT IS NO WAY TO TREAT OUR RETURNING SOLDIERS. YET
STUDIES AND STATISTICS REVEAL THAT COUNTLESS GOOD MEN ARE CHOOSING
THIS OPTION. THEIR CHILDREN WILL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN.
PURPLE HEART SOLDIER
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AS I READ THROUGH THIS PURPLE HEART STORY, I HAD TO ASK MYSELF THE
QUESTION, WHY DID IT HAPPEN? WHAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT WOULD DO THIS
TO A GOOD FATHER AND A GOOD SOLDIER. WAS MONEY SO IMPORTANT THAT
LIFE ITSELF MATTERED NOT AT ALL? IS MONEY THE TRUE REASON WHY OUR
COUNTRY IS NOW ENGAGED IN SO MANY FOREIGN WARS? WHOSE FREEDOMS
ARE WE FIGHTING FOR ANYWAY?

THE STORY I’M BRINGING TO YOU TODAY IS NOT PRETTY, BUT THE VICTIM FELT
THAT IT MIGHT HELP OUR CAUSE FOR PARENTING REFORM. HE IS HOPING THAT
IT WILL BENEFIT OTHER SOLDIERS AND FATHERS SO THAT THE LIBERTIES AND
FREEDOMS FOR WHICH HE FOUGHT MIGHT MEAN SOMETHING AFTER ALL.

MR. AMERICAN TOLD US THAT HE HAD HEARD ABOUT MR. LEON KOZIOL AND
THE PARENTING RIGHTS INSTITUTE WHICH IS SPONSORING THIS CONVENTION.
HE TRIED TO CONTACT MR. KOZIOL FOR MONTHS, BUT BECAUSE HIS LAW
PRACTICE HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN, HE WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. HE THEN
RESORTED TO THE SELF DESTRUCTIVE PROCESS DESCRIBED BY OUR PURPLE
HEART STORY. THERE ARE MANY MORE LIKE IT.

YOU SEE, THE WAY OUR GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK WAS NOT THE
CASE HERE. MONEY AND NOT CHILDREN HAVE BECOME THE PRIORITY IN OUR
DOMESTIC RELATIONS COURTS. A CITIZEN HAS A RIGHT TO RECEIVE DUE
PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION WHEN HE PETITIONS AN AMERICAN COURT
FOR ASSISTANCE.

COURTS ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY DESIGNED TO BE NEUTRAL, UNAFFECTED BY

MONEY OR CONTROL OVER OUR CHILDREN. THEY WERE CREATED BY OUR
FOUNDING FATHERS TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR VIOLENCE AND THE TAKING OF
LAW INTO ONES OWN HANDS. BUT WHEN THIS SYSTEM BREAKS DOWN TO THE
EXTREMES THAT IT HAS HERE, THE PEOPLE WILL TAKE EXTREME MEASURES IN
THEIR PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION.

WELL TAKE HEART MR. AMERICAN. YOU HAVE NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN. ALL OF
US HERE TODAY SALUTE YOU. WE ARE AT YOUR SIDE ON THE DOMESTIC FRONT
JUST AS YOU WERE FOR US ON THE FOREIGN ONE.

THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!

PARENTING RIGHTS INSTITUTE

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FATHERS, INC.
1518 GENESEE STREET
UTICA, NEW YORK 13502
(315) 507-3103