It seems that everywhere you turn, you hear about Class War. In most situations, it's in reference to income disparity and what constitutes a livable wage. Discussions about raising minimum wage, repairing what many see is a broken public assistance program, how much tax is too much for our wealthiest of citizens. I've witnessed a great many Facebook arguments over the topic. Those voicing fears over rising prices in the wake of paying employees a living wage, those insisting that people in low skill jobs should bankrupt themselves to get an education to better themselves or even the simple "They shouldn't have had a family if they couldn't get a good paying job".
It's the tip of the iceberg really. Beneath it all is another class war that is all but hidden to the public. The war of poor parent versus wealthier potential adoptive parent. Numerous cases have surfaced through the years. Young unmarried men often in the lower income bracket fighting against the adoption of their children by entitled potential adoptive parents who usually have the bigger bankroll. Cases that dragged on months or years before these young men were forced to give up either due to lack of funds or the courts finally siding with the wealthier strangers due to unfair laws or simply their ability to hold onto the child during the proceedings, never allowing the father contact. The claims of "best interest" usually used.
Dusten Brown was your average low middle income young man who managed to fight for four years against the adoption of his daughter, only to lose because the kidnappers had the backing of the adoption industry, a legal team who had connections with the higher courts, hate groups hell bent on dismantling Native Sovereignty and a public relations firm that managed to unleash a horrendous character assassination campaign. Everyone who heard the one sided story chided in with how much more the kidnappers could provide and how selfish he was to keep his daughter from a "better life".
JM and his fight against the Hodgins has run a similar course in a few arenas. The same public relations firm has gotten involved with the failed foster parents and have let loose another character assassination campaign. The Hodgins have a farm, have this, have that. The Hodgins had SM in numerous extracurricular activities. The supporters of the Hodgins have outright lied about aspects of the case made available to the public. Supporters of the foster parents have flooded internet with scorning remarks against JM, calling him selfish and unfit. It has turned into "if you truly cared, you'd let her go back and have all the things you obviously will never be able to afford".
Terry Achane fought for over two years to get his daughter back. And he dealt with much of the same bullshit. If he "truly loved" T, he'd let her stay with her kidnappers and be raised with all he could never provide on a military salary. He was called selfish and uncaring. Luckily for him, his marital status saved his hide. And that barely saved him. The simple fact that he'd been married to the mother at the time of T's birth was the deciding factor in him finally receiving custody of little T.
In all the contested adoption and pseudo custody cases that have surfaced, a common theme has emerged. How much more the potential adopters can provide. How much less the fighting parent has. Oh, you can't afford to put the kid in 4-H, you shouldn't have them. You can't afford to drop $70 on a pair of name brand sneakers, you have no right to fight for them. People literally believe if you truly cared about your child, you'd let them be adopted by utter strangers who have the bigger house, the bigger yard, the newer car and have the cash to spare to pay big name lawyers and a PR firm to make you look like a piece of shit.
Another case has arisen of a young man fighting the adoption of his daughter. The kidnappers are court officials themselves and the court he is fighting is the very court these kidnappers work in. Gag orders have come down and this young man is facing potential jail time for putting the kidnappers on blast and not keeping their identity secret. There will be more on this case when more information is obtained. But it appears to be the same formula as many others: lower income father fighting against wealthier, better connected kidnappers.
It's become a terrifying trend. Better connected, more financially secure kidnappers are taking their pick of children from lower income families and claiming them as their own. Some are finding loop-holes in the child welfare system to "legally" claim children, others are using their connections within the court system to push a fight until it financially exhausts the parent fighting back and others are simply vilifying low income parents anywhere they can but making sure to point out that THEY can provide so much more and if a poor parent truly cared about their kids, they'd give them up to wealthier families and not raise them in what they see as poverty.
Having more cash does not make anyone a fitter parent. And those who think it does honestly show just how materialistic and delusional they truly are. If it's war you want, it's war you'll get.
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