Dear Hank, 
Thank you so much for writing. 
 
 HB> Valery, good luck, I probably know exactly what you are going through!
 HB> My wife spent 18 months in prison on a 10 year conviction of something
 HB> she could not have physically or mentally done to a small child she was
 HB> keeping in our home...
 
How horrible for all of you.  How is your wife doing now?  I know so many 
people now that have served time for things they didn't do.  It really
tears at my heart, not only for them and their families, but also for the
loss of the American ideals that I grew up believing in ... "That truth
and justice would prevail." and "That the legal system is a just system."
 HB> CPS did not take our own children from us, but
 HB> they were instrumental in trumping up the case along with the DA, the
 HB> judge, and a doctor who didn't even see the child!  
 
Believe me, I BELIEVE YOU!  It used to be when people would tell me that 
all these people were in on a conspiracy to put someone away, I would 
suspect them of lying.  But now, I know all too well how easily and how
frequently it happens.  I would not have believed it was possible, but 
it is not only possible, but prevelant, and that really concerns me.
 
 HB> CPS workers here in Texas do not even have to have a degree in that 
 HB> field...ANY college degree will work!   
 
Here, a barber must have a FOUR year degree, and pass at least TWO state 
licensing boards in order to be allowed to remove so much as one inch of 
HAIR.  Yet a social worker needs only a two year degree, in any subject, 
and there is no state licensing required to remove a CHILD.
 HB> I also found out that the worker on our case had a degree in interior
 HB> design! 
 
Maybe she/he didn't like your decor.  (No that was not an attempt at 
humor, it is simply how they seem to rationalize things.)
 
 HB> Anyway, here in Texas, one cannot sue any of the state officials in 
 HB> a case like this even if you prove they were wrong because they were 
 HB> "just doing their duty as they saw fit". So, good luck and I hope 
 HB> that you do well...If I can help you, I will. 
 
Supposedly that is the same here; however, if your civil rights have been 
violated (and they probably were) that falls into Federal Laws and there
is no immunity then.  At least that's my understanding.  You might want
to check into that.  Especially the first, fourth, fifth, eighth, and 
fourteenth amendments in the Bill of Rights.  If you think you have any
thing that might apply, let me know, and I'll see what I can do to help 
you too.  Your offer of help is so greatly appreciated.  I'm sure you
understand just how important all the moral support is, and I don't think
I could be getting through all this without it.  The support has been
tremendous, and is always appreciated.  :)
 
 HB> BTW, I see so many people who either have been wronged by CPS or
 HB> dislike the way they are; why hasn't anyone been able to get the
 HB> federal government to change things?  
 
Well, for a lot of reasons I think.  Probably the main one being that  
most people that have been wronged by CPS are afraid to go public because
of the stigma that's attached to it.  When someone says "CPS took my
child." the image that comes to mind are children that are bruised and
bloody from severe physical abuse.  We see it in the papers and on the
news, the sensationalized cases that make the headlines, but how many
cases are out there that no one talks about?  Thousands every year, and
most of these people will keep silent out of fear of what others will
think of them.
 
 HB> Is there not enough support to put pressure on the right politicians?  
 
Probably not enough support yet, or perhaps just not organized enough
for the support to appear as large as it really is.  And then there is
the little fact of "WHO" are the "RIGHT" politicians?  There are some,
but finding them is the key.
 
 HB> I'm not a very good organizer, but I can make one heck of a member!
  I'll count you in!  I'm a fairly good organizer, and am involved
with networking with several different parents rights groups.  The 
information I am getting is amazing, but I can't post it yet as some of
it is not "out in the open" yet.  But it will be soon! :)  I will keep 
you posted then, I promise, and perhaps in the near future several of
us can organize something and then we'll take it from there.  One 
friend of mine suggested loading box cars (trains) full of case files
of people that were victimized by CPS and sending it to the White House.
There could be a whole lot of media attention and I think it would really
generate a lot of interest, but who knows how much good it would do?  
It also helps to have a reasonable alternative or another plan to follow
if we should manage to pull CPS down, as there are children who do need
protection from their families, and we don't want to leave them stranded
in bad situations.  Whatever we do, it HAS to be done right.  If you 
have any ideas, I'd love to hear them.  
Talk to you later.  Say HI to your wife and kids for me.
Val
~~~ ReneWave v1.00.wb2 (unregistered)
--- Mankind = One Family
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