| As a necessary counterweight to the excesses | | | | don't believe me), but on the other hand there |
| of the women's rights movement, a men's right | | | | are men (and women) out there who are |
| movement has developed to fight for equity in | | | | physically abusive and could care less about that |
| the courts, in the family and in the workplace. For | | | | piece of paper a court order is written on. People |
| instance, in divorces there is significant and | | | | go to the system for help and they don't get the |
| insurmountable (unless you have lots of money) | | | | help they need. We can all agree that no innocent |
| obstacles to getting a fair custody decision | | | | woman or man should not be protected against |
| regarding your children. Restraining orders are | | | | an abuser. Surely there is some middle ground to |
| given away easily and have been used as | | | | address both sides. |
| weapons in divorce cases even when there is no | | | | Therein lies the difficulty. Activist groups, if they |
| evidence of abuse. There clearly is a need to stop | | | | want even an ounce of press or public pressure, |
| the abuse men suffer from the excesses of the | | | | must adopt from the start that the other side is |
| women's rights movement. | | | | evil and wants to screw the innocent. |
| The problem with the movement, which is the | | | | Compromise is not only difficult, it's impossible. All |
| same problem with the women's rights | | | | these groups then rank legislators on their |
| movement, is that adoption of the victim-enemy | | | | absolute compliance with their agenda. Any |
| moniker that the press imposes on every issue. | | | | leeway on their part makes them unacceptable. |
| Anyone who does marketing for television will tell | | | | So things have settled into a nice little |
| you this is the format to present any issue if you | | | | détente where the men's rights and |
| want news coverage: one, pick a victim and tell a | | | | women's rights movements resort to outright |
| sob story. This victim must be presented as | | | | name-calling instead of reasoned debate to |
| angelic, an innocent victim of a cruel and obstinate | | | | improve the status of all people. With some |
| system without regard for truth. Two, find a | | | | issues, such rhetoric is not a big deal. In this case, |
| villain. This villain is the epitome of moral evil and | | | | we are dealing with families where peace should |
| must be destroyed. For many issues, referring to | | | | reign. Instead we have dueling groups that wage |
| George W. Bush suffices (which is why political | | | | their war and leave the family asunder. Families |
| discourse in this country is so worthless). | | | | are the building block of society, and as goes the |
| Villains cannot be compromised with, they must | | | | family, so goes society. |
| be defeated. They are the bad guys and we | | | | It may be tempting for the men's rights |
| need to stick up for the good guys at all costs. | | | | movement to say "let's not compromise until |
| The problem is that compromise becomes | | | | they do", but even from a political standpoint, if it |
| unthinkable and even seeing the legitimate points | | | | is an all-or-nothing fight the women's groups have |
| of view of the other side is out of the question. | | | | more clout and that is that. Adopting a more |
| To see this play out, see any political debate | | | | holistic approach is also a political necessity if they |
| show talking about the election. | | | | don't want to be side-lined. |
| While there are significant injustices the men | | | | It is long past time for policy makers and policy |
| suffer as documented in Steven Baskerville's fine | | | | advocates to drop the all-or-none attitude and |
| book Taken Into Custody, there are injustices | | | | start to find a middle ground to find beneficial |
| that women have and still do suffer also. | | | | policies for what is best for the entire family. In |
| Retraining orders are far too easy to get without | | | | an all-or-nothing fight, one side may win, but in the |
| any evidence whatsoever (go ahead and sit in a | | | | end we all lose. |
| courtroom and watch a hearing for one if you | | | | |