by Mary W Maxwell, LLB
This article is presented as a preparation for a forthcoming Gumshoe article on the extremely controversial subject of Child Protection Services – CPS – in Australia.
I am more familiar with the US program than with Australia’s but the two have much in common. Here I will present three persons telling their American story, a Dad from New Hampshire, then a grandmother whose daughter had committed suicide as a consequence of having had her children stolen by CPS, then a video by the late state senator of Georgia, Nancy Schaefer.
All three of these persons suggest that the motive for the CPS enterprise is money. In1975 Congress passed a law creating a new bureaucracy that has to do with families.
According to the US Constitution the federal government can only operate in 18 areas of law (such as currency, army, interstate commerce); it certainly cannot involve itself in family matters. Yet Congress can pull a fast tick to overcome the Constitution’s provisions, and often does.
For example, President FDR got into “welfare” during the depression by having Congress invent a “Social Security Insurance” scheme. Unlike Australia’s aged pension, this law merely set up a way for workers and employers to pay into a retirement fund. No “government hand-out” theoretically comes into it. Heck, it’s just an insurance thing, isn’t it?
The feds also climb aggressively into health and education where they have no right to go. They do this by offering financial incentives to the states. No state governor or legislature has so far said “No” to this sort of thing – though they should.
I’ll make up a fictional case: the feds could say to the states “If you throw away your textbooks on Geography, we’ll compensate you $1,000 per student.” The teachers and parents might unanimously agree that they don’t want this to happen but will be told, “Look this brings our state $54 million a year; we can’t say no.”
In regard to Child Protective Services, Congress passed a law in 1975 that offered funding to states that agreed to do certain things which result in many children being moved out of their own family into foster care or adoption or institutions.
I point out that the US differs from Australia in having no federal court to oversee family issues such as divorce or child custody. The Australian government in 1975 passed The Family Law Act which provides for Family Courts in each state to carry out that federal law. By contrast, in the US only local or state courts deal with family issues.
New Hampshire
The state of New Hampshire is considered the most libertarian and the most constitution-minded — the state motto is “Live Fee or Die.” You may think that this state would compete to be first in line to say No when the “federal funding” trick is pulled. Actually I don’t see that happening here in New Hampshire.
But, then, it’s such a subtle game few citizens know how it works. If people hear about a neighbour losing custody of a child as a result of a court order, they naturally assume that the child needed to be moved out for its own good. They will “know” that governments are reluctant to break up families.
Wrong-o. Governments are dying to break up s many families as possible, by whatever means. They use law in a most outrageous way to accomplish that goal.
Why would they do that? It sounds crazy. I have written extensively about government’s participation in the new World Order, or whatever you wish to call it. I believe the plan is to chop up any source of strength for people – religion, community, and even family. This leaves the few at the top with unchallenged control.
This article will not go off on that toot. Instead, I now ask a New Hampshire dad to say what happened to him. We often speak of the mother-child bond. It is an extremely strong emotional bond – a mother gladly dies to save her offspring. But dads have been equally hurt by the Child Protective Service.
Note: this video is part of the superb Youtube series “Lawless America,“ produced by Bill Windsor. Bill drove all over the United States to interview people who had been treated horrifically by courts — not just with regard to CPS but on any matters.
On Not Winning the Superbowl
The next person who will recount here a tragic situation is Mona Gudbranson, a grandmother. She, too, was part of Bill Windsor’s Lawless America series. Bill is still hoping to put together a blockbuster movie based on his thousand or more interviews, but – of course – he has been jailed along the way.
Mona Gudbranson, interviewed by Bill Windsor, 2012 (bolding added)
“My family was completely destroyed. I will never be whole again. All it took was one false call to an 800 number, which rings to a place which calls itself Child Protective Services — and they are anything but. It was the beginning of the end for my daughter Ingrid Mae Bates and her children Brendan and Naomi and our family. I supported my daughter throughout this witch-hunt; all the endless appointments, meetings, court appearances, doctors, counsellings, groups, on and on, that the court ordered of her.
Whatever was demanded, Ingrid complied, as the clock continued to tick. I encouraged Ingrid to stay strong, everything would work out, she would get her children back, this is America, they will see. The truth will prevail. But in the end it all proved futile. “Why would they do such things?” you ask. Two words: Federal money. Title 4 funding. They [Congress] offer the states federal incentive bribes. When the system is set in place that is not a just system, and has no accountability, unlimited power, unconstitutional laws, total immunity, it is a very dangerous system. They created new statutes, committees and court-related jobs, new court-related industries. The more cases, the more grant money generated.
The worst abuse that we had experienced was at the hands of our government. It’s a state-sanctioned kidnapping racket, signed with innocent blood. The late beloved two-time Georgia state senator Nancy Schaefer, and her husband Bruce, were silenced for their attempts to expose this corruption.
After five very long and difficult years it took its toll on my daughter. They did everything in their power to physically destroy her. We had little or no money to hire a counsel, so we were at the mercy of their attorney pool. Judge William Aims from Courtland, New York’s gavel rang out time and time again, case adjourned, case adjourned, case closed.
Sitting in that courtroom, shocked by what we were witnessing, goes way beyond comprehension. Attorney Ingrid Olsen threw her hands way above her head as if she scored the winning touchdown in the super bowl. I was shocked. I said to her, as we were ordered to leave the courtroom, “This is not a laughing matter, this is our family, this is our lives.”
They stole everything precious to Ingrid. Days, months, years dragged by, my beloved Ingrid lost all hope. It’s been almost seven years since I had to bury my daughter. I am outraged at why it was allowed to take place — a blatant disregard for families the very core of our society being destroyed from within.
The day my daughter died, I died.”
(Note: a court order prevents Mona from seeing her grands until they are 18 years old, I kid you not.)
Nancy Schaefer and Her Husband Bruce
On what grounds do we fight such an unjust system? Nancy Schaefer fought it on Christian grounds. In the US, a political leader is assured of a voting base if he or she follows the party line that starts with pro-life talk against abortion. I often find that such politicians are not sincere. Their audience members are “believers” who do not think things through.
But Nancy Schaefer, a state senator from Georgia, is clearly sincere and she does advise us to think things through. She took up the cause of parents whose kids were grabbed away. She even called a meeting (in the local library) of these victims – how often do you see that happen?
Please listen to her excellent speech below. Perhaps start at 6 minutes if you lack time for the whole thing. She was speaking at a Family Issues conference in Amsterdam — indicating that these issues are global. She mentions that persons who lose their kids are “dazed and glazed”; they have no idea what to do.
Senator Nancy Schaefer is no longer alive. The baddies cooked up a scheme in which both she and her dear spouse died. It was presented – predictably – as a suicide pact. Bruce Schaefer supposedly shot his wife in the head and then shot himself in the chest.
How readily we believe such arrant nonsense. A woman on a mission does not choose to quit this world. A man who loves his wife does not put a bullet through her skull.
Did you notice? Schaefer says if a child is to be taken away it must be decided by a jury. Yay!
To repeat, this article is but an introduction to a further Gumshoe article on the CPS in South Australia where the situation is absolutely out of control. There is no justice, there is only cruelty (and I’ll bet I know why).
In the above video, Nancy Schaefer wisely concluded her speech by quoting the Old Testament, as was her wont:
Proverbs: 31:8 – “Speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves.”
— Mary Maxwell is an expat, but she gets confused about which country she is expatted from or to. A Boston-born dual citizen of US and Australia, she lives in Adelaide and is presently in New Hampshire, the Live-free-or-die state. She also has longings for Alabama.
From Melissa Honeybee
KIDS Inc Trailer
https://youtu.be/evdyHD-7fiU
sample
https://youtu.be/eOSUDX_tdlE
Holy smoke! There was just a loud knock at my door (7.30pm in NH). Very loud, the guy must have been wearing brass knuckles. “Who is it?” “Police.” What do you want?” “May we come in?”
“Of course not.” “Why not?” “What is your business?” [I thought he would say “police” after all that is his business.] “You called 911.”‘ “No I didn’t.” “Do you have relatives on Such-and such Road?” “No, I don’t.” “Are you sure you did not call 911?” “defo.” “May we come in?” “Of course not.”
“Why not?” “policy.” “Who’s policy?” “Just policy.” “Where is your accent from — England?” “No, what about you, where is your accent from.” “Guess.” i wagered “Greater Boston.” “Right.”
I decided to open the door. Vey cute cops, adorable really. The Boston one Italian of course.
After they left I thought maybe I was trying to dial Dee — which starts with 011 and my hand slipped to the number 9. But I don’t think so, and if I did, they’d have quizzed me about my phone number, wouldn’t they?
So was the visit a reaction to my above post? I have no idea but probably it was legit. (They don’t know it but in South Australia every cop is issued a 6-month “general” search warrant and can enter your home whether it is your ‘policy’ or not.)
Gotta give credit where it’s due. They obeyed the Constitution. Actually when they said “what policy?” I wanted to say “Fourth Amendment” but I was so scared I couldn’t remember the number Four.
Good thing I didn’t slip and say “Second amendment.”
Thank you, Fish. On the side bar I saw a link to this one. Father/child bond. Don’t miss it.
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Gumshoers, please weigh in on this one. Officer Shatz took the baby, and the lady said “You are kidnapping him.” Is it true? Let’s say it is an outrageous law (In US, unconstitutional, in Oz against common law).
Please address this directly: Should he disobey an illegal order?
You might keep in mind that there’s no “Proper” legislative way to have the law repealed. Senator Nancy Schaefer was removed from the Senate and also, later. killed. As far as court goes, recall Mona Gudbranson saying that her daughter carried out every request of the court for 5 years.
I repeat: Should Officer Shatz disobey an illegal order? Yes or No.
Well, look who’s first to weigh in — Israel:
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https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5350447,00.html
Quote… “Unlike Australia’s aged pension, this law merely set up a way for workers and employers to pay into a retirement fund. No “government hand-out” theoretically comes into it. Heck, it’s just an insurance thing, isn’t it?”
I hope I am not being pedantic, but Australia’s Social Services Act (1946) was a mandatory ‘one and sixpence in the pound’ contribution to The Welfare Fund, out of gross income, a Fund which was owned by Australia’s workers and was inaccessible to any government of the day.
Menzies circumvented this by offering to calculate Social Security contributions for the workers, thus saving them this arduous mathematical chore. In this way he assisted workers to forget that this was their money.
Then he offered to help the Welfare Fund investment trustees by using accumulated contributions to fund the Snowy River Scheme, which would, of course, harvest a handsome interest rate. The capital was never repaid and time erased all memory of the loan. The corporations who built the Scheme got free capital, at worker’s expense.
By the 1980s, few Australians recalled that Social Security was the brainchild of PM Ben Chifley, specifically designed to prevent corruption or government interference, or fund appropriation.
Thus, the claim by generations X and Y that they are being held to ransom by a retiring Baby Boomer Generation, is a lie… at least in principle. Workers continue to pay into the fund, but there is now no paper trail. It is now part of PAYE whereas the original contribution was from gross income (ie pre- income tax).
This is the reason why Kiwis rejected the Superannuation proposal of 1997, remembering how their welfare fund was stolen by the National’s Piggy Muldoon. They were never going to trust politicians again. Aussies appear to have more vulnerable memories.
The current superannuation setup in Australia was specifically designed to enable corporations to dip their snouts into our retirement savings… yet again.
Ignore history and be doomed forever to repeat it.
Great, Tony and please always be your pedantic self.
Tony didn’t we privatize the Snowy River scheme?
Good one, Tony.
I was about to make a similar comment but you did it well including times and people I couldn’t remember.
Please see this in full — it is perfect. Loads of info about the drug war nexus with the CPS kidnaps. I think he said 9 million kids on anti-psychotic drugs.
WARNING..’Other Person Gaurdianship’-‘THE NEW FORCED ADOPTION PROGRAM’ coming to Families here in Australia NOW, I know MY FAMILY IS UNDER ATTACK 20-9-2018
Thank you very much Phylis. I think this came from SBS:
“However, children can gain additional feelings of security
within a loving family through Other Person Guardianship
where guardianship responsibilities and powers are
shifted in certain circumstances from the Minister to the
carer of the child under the Children’s Protection Act.
It can bring a greater sense of stability, certainty and
normalcy to a child’s life, including placing important
decision making in the hands of the adults who know the
child best.
Oh for Christ’s sake.
In regard to the Residential Schools in Canada which Kevin Annett found to be genocidal of First Nations children, one kept wondering how the parents, who often lived close by, were not able to stop the harm. Answer? By a legislative signature, all those schools became the legal guardian of the children.
Notice to our subscribers: If you think Gumshoe is a magic government-changer, no we are not. The only service we can perform is to make a stink about this and that. Please know that it is you who have to think of how to overcome these problems.
I recommend anything and that includes streaking.
Well, I said “anything” didn’t I? Please don’t be shy, write your suggestions here no matter how small and local they may be. “Think local, act local.”
“I recommend anything and that includes streaking.” Legend Maxwell
Dee, the citizens of Adelaide have two options:
run naked down King William St.
or walk fully dressed on Maslin’s Beach.
Either way — makes a statement.
Without further ado :
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-21/children-living-with-sexual-predator-known-to-child-protection/10290976
Actually there’s no such thing as “CPS Australia”.
In 1992 I witnessed a failed attempt to manipulate the WA Department currently known as “Child Protection and Family Support” in relation to the education of my 8 year-old son Seth Meadows Berry
Kay Hallahan(the Education Minister) and Robert Glynn(a Local Court Magistrate) were the respective law-breakers. The situation was far from isolated but it was given virtually no media attention and my out of pocket costs remain outstanding. I’ve no doubt at all that my experience was the mere tip of a humongous iceberg, however, the relevance of the above testimonies escapes me.
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but my understanding is that, In order to lose guardianship or custody of a child anywhere in Australia, one had to be charged with some sort of offence. The Country’s “Family Court” has nilch to do with such prosecutions, in fact it’s nothing more than a forum for co-parenting disputes.
The point outlined in paragraph 2 is that government/judicial agendas are invariably farmed out to brain-dead bureaucrats so that if the shit does happen to hit the fan they can just say “O sorry, we had no idea”. In this particular case they were confronted by a welfare officer who refused to get sucked in so there was no doubt about who was steering the ship
That’s interesting Berry. I have personally had my own children forced to live with their abuser thanks to the corrupt family court after raising issues of sexual abuse. My 2 daughters disclosed to several people including a psychologist, court report writer, doctor and police. The perpetrator of abuse was never an interest to the police of what should have been a crime. In fact I had to demand for my statements to be taken each time, their excuse was ‘they don’t get involved in family court issues’. I have become wiser now yet I know so many others who still endure the bullying tactics of government departments., I was witness to 6 federal police officers man handle & drag a 14yo boy away from his mother in the Family Court building, he was returned to his paedophile father! So if it’s nothing more than a formum for co-parenting disputes, how can the federal police intervene like this???