Joe R. Golowka joegolowka at earthlink.net Anarchist FAQ - http://www.infoshop.org/faq
"Freedom without socialism is privilege and injustice, and socialism without freedom is slavery and brutality." -- Mikhail Bakunin ----- Original Message ----- From: <DennisNFD at aol.com> To: <chicagomayday at egroups.com> Sent: Friday, July 28, 2000 3:43 PM Subject: State kidnapping in order to prevent their mothers from protesting?
>
> Is this how the election season begins? With children threatened with
> state kidnapping in order to prevent their mothers from protesting?
> Please spread the word about this totalitarian attempt to silence women
> (and men) whose essential protest is for the FUTURE of those kids, about
>
> whom as we all know the official kidnappers do not care a damn.
>
> Dave
>
> Rockrap at aol.com wrote:
> >
> > The Department of Human Services of Philadelphia has announced
> plans to take custody of the children of those who commit civil
disobedience
> at
> the National Poor People's March at the Republican Convention on July 31.
> Rather than intervening with the city to get the March a permit (all other
> marches at the convention have been given permits) and eliminate the
threat of
> arrests, DHS has taken this despicable action, which has been condemned by
> many social work and religious leaders.
> >
> > Temple Social Work Professor's Response to DHS Memo
> >
> My name is Mary Bricker-Jenkins. I have been a social worker
> since 1964, am a professor at Temple University School of Social
> Administration,
> and serve as the board liaison with KWRU for the Social Welfare Action
> Alliance, a national organization of social workers that works as allies
with
> KWRU. Significantly in this context I have conducted federally funded
> research on child abuse and neglect and have published in this area.
> The Department of Human Services officials have said that they
> will "stand by" to be available in case of emergency. Let us be clear that
> there will be no emergency that is not precipitated by the city. KWRU
> families take care of their children, often against great odds, and are
> particularly
> responsible in their marches demonstrations, and civil disobedience
> actions.
> >
> > For this reason and because KWRU is leading the fight against the
> foremost cause of child abuse and neglect ? poverty ? this march has
> been endorsed by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW),
> Philadelphia Division and the state chapter. As we speak, motions to
endorse
> are
> moving forward at the national level and at the International Federation
of
> Social Workers now meeting in Canada. Cheri Honkala was named public
citizen
> of the year by NASW ? PA Chapter precisely because she is a responsible
> leader in a movement to end poverty ? a goal that is integral to the
social
> work
> mission.
> >
> > Surveillance and intimidation of poor people is not a social work
> mission. Being used by city officials as political police is not a
> social work mission. To ask us to engage in these is unethical and
> abominable, particularly when DHS workers are overwhelmed with bona fide
> reports
> of abuse and neglect and when they are struggling against the odds to find
> resources to help keep families together in this city.
> >
> > Front line social workers know that KWRU parents are responsible,
> and many social workers have turned to the organization for help in doing
> their jobs. We know what kind of political and economic pressures they are
> under, and we are asking them to resist and refuse ? to involve the Code
of
> Ethics of the NASW and refuse to participate in acts of intimidation and
> harassment of the people they are charged to help.
> >
> > Social workers are coming to this march from all over this
> country. We will monitor the actions of the city and support our
colleagues
> who,
> as conscientious objectors, stand with the families of KWRU. We will not
> allow ourselves to be the soft cops of this post-welfare state; we are
> determined to fulfill our mission, and that means being committed allies
of
> KWRU.
> We will march with the children and their parents to protect the children
> by demanding an end to poverty in this country.
> >
>