With the Democratic National Convention upon us I thought you guys might want to read this report (.pdf file). I certainly applaud identifying fatherhood as a necessity but we see the same rhetoric: fatherless homes are the sole result of male irresponsibility. As for the 'opportunity for women' section, its the same B.S. MANN battles on a daily basis. It's frightening this language appears in a document sponsored by our government. Excerpts:

p. 18: 'When women still earn 76 cents for every dollar that a man earns, it doesn’t just hurt women; it hurts families and children. We will pass the “Lilly Ledbetter” Act, which will make it easier to combat pay discrimination; we will pass the Fair Pay Act; and we will modernize the Equal Pay Act.

http://www.lostfathers.org/

'LostFathers.org is an online community.

Our mission is to establish contact for fathers (and mothers) who, after a divorce or separation, were denied to normal visitation rights and lost contact with their children.

On this website you can, after registration, post your own profile and we will approach your children, or you as a father, to establish new contact with each other.'

Story here. Cyrstal Gail Mangum, the notorious false rape accuser, is writing a book. She is also graduating from school. Don't you think she should serve 3 years in prison and 10 years on probation for the crimes she committed? Excerpt:

'DURHAM (WTVD) -- Since three former Duke Lacrosse players were declared innocent of rape and assault charges, the alleged victim in the highly publicized Duke Lacrosse case has remained out of public view until now.

In a press release, Crystal Mangum's manager has announced plans to release a tell-all memoir entitled "The Last Dance for Grace: The Crystal Mangum Story."'

Story here. Think of the disparity in sentencing. Women found guilty of similar offenses often get parole, or far fewer years in jail, if any. Excerpt:

'GOLDEN — A former Evergreen band and music teacher was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student.

William Robert Eisenman, 33, was convicted in June of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust as a pattern of conduct and providing alcohol to a minor.'

Father-bashing makes it to the Olympics. Well, at least to a blog about the Olympics called Fourth-Place Medal. Apparently, someone didn't see Michael Phelps' father in the spectator stands so he decided to use the opportunity to portray him as a bad father. The article is at The mystery of Michael Phelps' missing father.

"During Michael Phelps' races, camera shots of his mother Debbie were a fixture on NBC. The network showed endless replays of her falling to her seat after that memorable 100 butterfly finish. She even watched one race on camera with Cris Collinsworth, squeezing his knee the entire time. And after her son won his eighth gold medal, Debbie was all over NBC getting interviewed by Bob Costas, Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera. Michael's sisters, Hilary and Whitney were also in Beijing cheering on their little brother. All this coverage of the Phelps family led to one obvious question from our readers: Where was Dad?"

A send-up of gangster-esque rap maybe? I don't follow the trends. At first I was a little taken aback but in the end I decided to roll with it. Losing your sense of humor tends to mean your losing you perspective. So in the vein of "No publicity is bad publicity" I'll give this little ditty a thumbs up. If you want to deconstruct it and what not go ahead.

Article here. Excerpt:

'Some of these same shelters that turn away battered men are now telling their "abused" women, "And remember to bring Fido!"

That's right, the American Humane Society has recently launched its "PAWS" program - Pets and Women's Shelters, get it?

So gals, if you need a place to dry out and want to take along your pooch, go to the Center for Abuse and Rape Emergencies in the Tampa Bay area. The dedicated C.A.R.E. staff has established a "foster pet parenting program" just for you!

Or head over to Quigley House in Orange Park -- they have a kennel right on shelter grounds. Its canine center features a dog bathing area, benches to accommodate family visits, and of course a waste containment station.'

New York State is one of the few remaining states that does not cater to the No-Fault doctrine of divorce. An article in today's Newsday, No-Fault a Split Decision, tackles the debate concerning the movement for NY to cross over to the no-fault side.

However as you read the article it becomes very evident that it should have been titled "How No-Fault Affects Women", and I mean women only. The reporter, Melanie Lefkowitz, does not have one iota of text in her story about how it will affect men. She has the audacity to mention how this form of divorce will help prevent female suicide. We are all aware that men make up 70% of suicide victims.

You can contact Ms. Lefkowitz here melanie.lefkowitz-at-newsday.com.

Story here. An ex-wife breaks in to house where she no longer lives to retrieve baby items. She busts the door open with a crowbar. She isn't arrested. Would a man be treated the same if the tables were turned? Will he have to pay for the damages to rental property? Excerpt:

'An Omaha man comes home and finds someone has broken in and stolen several items. But was a crime really committed?

At 2-and-a-half, she is the love of Justin Snelling's life. "Her name is Calee. I love following her around doing whatever she wants to do."

Last Tuesday, Snelling returned to his home at 60th and Birch and found his door pried open, though curiously only Calee's things were missing. "I go in and I notice diapers are gone, DVDs are gone, potty chair is gone, wipes are gone, everything that was new that I hadn't opened yet is gone.”'

Most female cops, like male ones, are good cops, and good people. However arguments in favor of churning out as many female cops as the academy can because of the more "communicative feminine style" of policing are based largely in stereotype. Also, suggestions of the moral superiority of women as compared to men being a better hedge against corruption or bad deeds are hard to defend when things like this are happening. Excerpt:

'Two off-duty female cops yelled, "We are the police!" - and then pistol-whipped a Bronx man in what authorities call a case of road rage.

NYPD Officers Michelle Anglin, 37, and Koleen Robinson, 24, were charged with assault, gang assault and criminal possession of a weapon for the Williamsbridge beatdown.
...
Anglin and Robinson were suspended and stripped of their guns as they were arraigned Sunday on the gang assault charges. Robinson's bail was $10,000 cash or bond. Anglin's bail was set at $25,000 cash or bond.'

Story here. Excerpt:

'The woman who became the youngest person ever convicted of murder as an adult in Rhode Island will be paroled this month, despite having a sexual relationship with her work-release job supervisor.
...
Corrections Department Director A.T. Wall says Gonzalez won't be disciplined because department policy holds only supervisors responsible for sexual relationships with inmates.'

Story here. Similar story to what you've read before. She's old enough to be his mom. Excerpt:

'FLINT, Mich. (AP) - Authorities accuse a former Michigan elementary school teacher of having sex with a 12-year-old boy she was tutoring at her home.

Allanah Benton-Wells of Flint was arraigned Tuesday on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The 42-year-old could face life in prison if convicted.'

This story is all over the news media sites, and all over the blogosphere.

'Feminist' Columbia University demonizes men, lawsuit claims

"Anti-feminist lawyer Roy Den Hollander sued Columbia University Monday, accusing it of turning feminism into the school's religion - and teaching that men are "the primary cause for most, if not all, the world's ills."

Hollander says Columbia discriminates against men by teaching a doctrine that scapegoats men for all of history's troubles.

In a suit filed in Manhattan Federal Court, he complains that the Ivy League school in Morningside Heights uses federal money to fund a "religionist belief system called feminism."

I just think that this a positive sign. I'm sure someone may nit-pick it but I think it's positive. Excerpt:

"The Women's Movement, the Peace Movement, and the Industrial Revolution, all have made sweeping cultural changes that have gravely affected the lives of men, generally redefining "male" identity. Some men have welcomed these changes and made the adjustment. Others have actively resisted the forces intent upon redefining them. In the wake of this cultural evolution, many men find themselves lost and confused, angry and alienated. Most of the changes have come about so rapidly that orderly social adjustment has been impossible."

Story here. Excerpt:

'A Pickerington couple and their son are fighting for custody of a baby born to a Lancaster woman charged with having unlawful sex with the boy, who was 15 at the time of conception.

A paternity test shows that the teen is the father of the baby born April 7 to Jane C. Crane, who was 19 when she became pregnant. Now, a judge has ordered him to pay $50 a month in child support and set visitation at seven hours a week.

Crane, meanwhile, faces criminal charges. A Fairfield County grand jury indicted her last month on two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a fourth-degree felony. Conviction carries a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison and a requirement to register as a sex offender for 25 years.'