The Writers Voice
The World's
Favourite Literary Website
Tony's Law
by
Maggie Murphy
I am trying to
propose and get passed a new law in the State of
California. Let me tell you a little about myself
and the background on the cause of this proposal.
I graduated with honors, in the top of my class in
1994 from Mission Bay High School. I worked 2 jobs,
and at times 3 jobs to make it on my own and
succeed. But life happens, and in 1996 my son was
born. I was forced to handle the full
responsibility
of parenthood alone. I had to quit work and was
forced (not by choice) to go on welfare, food
stamps, and medi-cal to survive. We lived in a run
down 1 bedroom apartment in Southeast San Diego.
Thanks to the new food stamps program there was
always plenty of food. But after paying rent that
left about $40.00 for non food essentials such as
diapers, or toiletries. And I still had the phone
bill and gas and electric to pay. I was forced to
use my credit cards (which were in good standing
at the time) to survive that dreadful year.
Now lets fast forward to 2003. I have a great job,
wonderful family and friends, and I started a
support group called The F.A.D.A. Project (Families
Against Dead-Beats and Abandonment). I have a nice
fairly new paid off car (thanks to earned income
credit), but what my life lacks most is child
support and affordable housing, and or housing
assistance. I have yet to receive a
dime let
alone a
dollar from the absent father. It has
been well over 6 years now. We eventually had to move
out of my 2 bedroom after another rate increase
made payment impossible without having a roommate.
And now that I am comfortable to search again, no
one accepts my applications. I hold no evictions,
my work history is immaculate, but because I used
my credit cards and became in debt, my credit is
not in good standing. I have been on section 8
(housing assistance) waiting list almost 5 years
now. But I may not even qualify now given my
current income status. Where is the justice? Why
must the children suffer like this?
My proposal is quite simple. There should be a new
law that if an absent parent has 0 visitation, and
has paid 0 in child support, then that should mean
he has 0 chances left. And on the child's 5th
birthday he/she should be held accountable. Maybe
then he/she will remember that child's birthday. It
should thus become a felony subject to jail, and or
fine, and mandatory wage assignment. And given each
case is unique, he/she can be held liable anywhere
from 50-60% wage garnishments automatically. To
start paying back any state assistance, and of
course back child support plus interest.
Why should the custodial parents, mothers and
fathers, suffer from the actions of the absent
parent? I will probably have bad debt for the rest
of my life. I refuse to file for bankruptcy, I want
to correct the debt. But why should housing be so
difficult in California for single parents? Why
should the responsible party suffer in this
way? Where is the justice for the children? They
don't deserve this act of punishment.
Tony is striving, but it will take years to heal
the wounds. He saw domestic violence at the hands
of the absent father, and has since been
traumatized. He has violent dreams at least 3 times
a week. And of course kids can be cruel. There is
no Father's Day. His last Christmas card inscribed:
"To my family, Merry Christmas, I love you. Love,
Tony." The family part was his teacher's idea, since
the rest of the class wrote, "To mom and dad." It
shouldn't have to be this way. Please help make a
change. Make a difference in Tony's life, as well
as others like him. They deserve a better and
brighter future. Their future is now,
the time for change is long overdue.
Critique this work
Click on the book to leave a comment about this work
