By Tim Brown
It began when I was presented with a press release detailing two upcoming events sponsored by the DeWitt County Sheriff and a Domestic Violence group known as DOVE where “domestic violence experts” would be giving short presentations. Both events it was explained would be moderated by a sitting Judge.
Upon reading and re-reading the press release, I decided that it seemed reasonable enough that Illinois Fathers request permission to also present at this event, and if we were denied, we would hold a small protest outside while the event played out. These events are nothing new in Central Illinois. Typically, after the event, there is an article in the newspaper which gives glowing coverage to the Judge and DOVE regarding how very concerned they are about the serious problem of domestic violence. Obviously, a public slam at fathers. The press release itself can be described as grossly biased and bigoted against fathers as it gives the public the impression that fathers are beating the tar out of their spouses/partners and their children.
So I reached out to DeWitt County Sheriff, Jered Shofner, explained that I was the sitting President of Illinois Fathers and that we would like to seek permission to also present at his upcoming events. Sheriff Shofner and I had a rather lengthy phone conversation. It was civil enough, but we had a long back and forth. Sheriff Shofner obviously wanted nothing to do with Illinois Fathers at his upcoming Father bashing fest, but he did not want to grant permission for Illinois Fathers to present, nor did he want to deny Illinois Fathers permission to present. However, days later, he (or somebody) made the decision that Illinois Fathers would not be allowed to present, and thus the stage was set for a protest to be held outside of the Library in Clinton, IL where the first event would be held.
We had a respectable showing of a little less than 20 members show up. The bulk of us remained outside and held a few signs, passed out flyers, etc. A few of our more cerebral members went inside to attend the presentations and ask questions. I was informed that the presentations themselves were very safe and factual. No outlandish anti father statistics were offered. Obviously, the powers that be altered their strategy due to the knowledge that Illinois Fathers would be present. I was also informed that when one of our own brought up the subject of Emergency Orders of Protection being used as a divorce/custody tactic rather than as an actual means of protection, that the Judge moderating the meeting actually stated that it is a problem. We also had a couple of bites from local media, however neither outlet actually released a story. What can I say? Our opponents are everywhere, even working for media outlets. I was also surprised at the near complete lack of turnout for Sheriff Shofner’s event. Other than typical DOVE employees and some County Government employees, there was only one attendee present who was not on the government dole. I do not know for sure, but I would guess that many of the people there were compensated in one way or another for their time, travel expense etc. in order to attend this presentation. Illinois Father’s members on the other hand must pay their own way, volunteer their time, etc. Yet we had far more of a showing than did the opposition.
Then there was the August 12th event to be held in Farmer City. To cut to the chase, the DeWitt County Sheriff along with DOVE simply cut and ran. They did not hold the event. They made no public announcement that the event was cancelled. They did not inform Illinois Fathers that the event was cancelled, and thus several of our members who took the time and effort to attend were left standing on the curb realizing that the Sheriff and DOVE and the Judges had simply cut and run.
The entire series of events does leave a number of unanswered questions. First off, if DOVE is so very concerned about the “epidemic of domestic violence”, shouldn’t they go ahead and proceed with their August 12th event? What is Sheriff Shofner doing sponsoring this in the first place? Is it the job of the elected Sheriff to hold a father bashing fest ? Then there is the matter of Judge Garry Bryan and Judge Richard Broach. Fair and impartial? Excuse me? A sitting Judge showing themselves within 10 miles of one of these events represent a huge conflict of interest. The secretary/assistant for Judge Garry Bryan is herself a big whig in the DOVE organization. Again, a huge, gaping conflict of interest.
Sadly, neither major political party will get close to this issue regarding what the Judges and the Domestic Violence groups are getting away with. I sometimes have to laugh when some special interest group proclaiming pro-family values gets all lathered up about children being separated from their parents due to some issue related to homosexuality. Children have been being removed from their fathers for decades now, and not one of these pro-family special interest groups gives a rat’s tail about it. Where is the media in all this? Why isn’t someone in the media doing an expose of the fraud that is perpetuated by these domestic violence groups? If a small backwater county like DeWitt county is giving $ 100,000 to DOVE, what is the money being used for? Why is a reporter not sticking a microphone in the face of Sheriff Shofner, or Judge Bryan or Judge Broach ? When will somebody in the mainstream media challenge DOVE and ask them, “are you really helping victims or helping divorcing/separating Mothers to secure custody and break up the family?”
People of the female persuasion tell me that I am taking things too far when I draw comparisons between the Divorce Industry and the Nazis in old Germany. Is it really such a stretch? When the Nazis were ramping up, Hitler would give passionate speeches where he would get large crowds all lathered up about the badness of Jewry. This all led to uniformed officers of the State removing people from their homes and sending them to camps. Today in America, groups like DOVE have succeeded in aligning with the likes of Sheriff Shofner to hold public, taxpayer funded anti-father events. DOVE has also succeeded in getting the Judges to grant Emergency Orders of Protection to divorcing/separating mothers, based simply upon the mothers statment that “she is scared of him”. This of course leads to uniformed officers of the State with guns removing the Father from his home and informing him that the very act of fatherhood is now a criminal offense.
Probably the saddest chapter is this whole sordid story is the fact that many American Citizens demand that things be this way. They demand the power to break the family and secure custody on a whim. They demand the power to criminalize innocent fathers. They gloat and brag about their divorces and the trappings that they are granted by the Judge in the process.
Who are the real victims? Perhaps Illinois Fathers should hold an event for victims of “Family Court Judges”. We would have no problem in gathering up a number of victims willing to publicly share their story of being forced into a divorce or separation that they did not want in the first place, and subsequently forced away from their child(ren). I wonder if Sheriff Shofner, Judge Bryan and Judge Broach would be willing to moderate this for us?
Tim Brown is the former President of Illinois Fathers
