I wish we had the resources to help adopt a little girl or needy child like this, however we don't. I'm sure baby Ashton will find a home soon, if not already. I just learned about this precious baby today. If you are seeking to adopt or know someone who is you might want to learn more about adopting beautiful baby Ashton.

New, Precious Baby Needs Loving Home

Born weighing just 4 pounds, 11 ounces, Ashton has fought to live with health problems. With no parents around, Margaret Burkett became the baby's foster mom. She brought Ashton home from the hospital.

"She was very, very tiny. Basically (she) didn't do anything but just lay there (at first)," explains Burkett.

Ashton is 16 months old and weighs 13 pounds. She is thriving, but will need to continue physical, occupational and speech therapy. Ashton needs a patient family, who is willing to help her reach her potential. — Courtesy Photo

For a few more months, Ashton will wear a helmet to correct a misshapen head. She will also need to continue physical, occupational and speech therapy. But, "... she's come a long way."

Now 16 months old and weighing 13 pounds, this little girl is thriving. "She's got the cutest personality. She says 'Ma-ma and Da-da." Burkett goes on to say, "I really believe that someday you are going to see Ashton be very, very normal - other than her size."

Ashton is very alert to her surroundings and is getting stronger everyday. She can easily roll over, but is unable to walk or sit up at this point. However, she is making progress.

"She's unreal! I love kids, it's what I've done my whole life. Every job I've had is around children and I'm telling you, God's got bi
g plans for this baby. This baby is an angel, God-sent."

Ashton needs a patient family willing to help her reach her potential. "I think a family that, number one, realizes you have to go on her time. She is very time consuming right now."

But Margaret says it will be time well spent for a family. "She's motivated [my] grand kids that are much older than her. What she's brought to them and what she can bring to a family is unbelievable."

This little lady is truly a miracle, always happy and full of joy.

"She's got so much love to give, but she needs it right back and tons of it. This kid is unbelievable. It's unbelievable what she'll do to your heart."

To learn more about Ashton, join Gillian Sheridan for her "Children are a Gift" report, Monday night on CBS 19 Ten @ 10. You can also find information on www.CBS19.tv and www.tylerpaper.com

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

I don't know about you, but it seems our government is growing bigger by the day. What happened to search warrants and personal privacy rights? I guess anymore anything you post online is not private even if you have a private profile?? Makes you wonder especially after the case of Cheyenne Irish who was removed from her parents by DCYF in NH because her father had a history of abuse and firearms charges or was it because he is affiliated with the political group Oath Keepers online? However, according to news reports, she was returned today after a judge ruled they didn't have enough evidence to keep the child in state custody.

(Oct. 15) -- Think the people looking at your Facebook page just happen to share your interest in Quentin Tarantino movies? Maybe, but if you're applying for citizenship, it could be a government agent trying to cybersnoop on your daily activities.

The Department of Homeland Security has been mining online social networking sites to detect citizenship fraud, according to government documents released by a nonprofit civil liberties group. The documents also show that DHS monitored social networking data to look for potential violent incidents during the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

The Department of Homeland Security has begun using social networking sites such as Facebook to detect citizenship fraud.

The documents, posted by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, were obtained as part of a lawsuit it brought under the Freedom of Information Act, which provides public access to government records. "Of the two disclosures, the citizenship verification initiative is perhaps the most disconcerting, both for its assumptions about people who use social networking sites and for its potentially deceptive and unethical approach to collecting information," Jennifer Lynch, a staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, wrote of the new disclosures.

In the first case, a 2008 memo on citizenship fraud talks about how the Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) might "friend" suspected fraudsters on sites like Facebook, by taking advantage of "narcissistic tendencies" to learn about their daily activities. "This provides an excellent vantage point for FDNS to observe the daily life of beneficiaries and petitioners who are suspected of fraudulent activities," states the memo, marked "for official use only."

Though the memo provides explicit instructions on how to friend people and obtain access to their postings, a spokesman for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service denied that meant it was actually instructing employees to do so. "USCIS does not permit agency personnel to attempt to 'friend' immigration petitioners and their beneficiaries on social networks in an effort to reveal fraud," Chris Bentley, an agency spokesman, told AOL News in a written statement.

A second initiative involved monitoring user-generated data on social networking and news sites during Obama's 2009 inauguration. "[T]hroughout the inauguration, SNMC will look for 'items of interest' in the routine social networking posts on the events, organizations, activities and environment," the briefing read.

The sites to be monitored included Twitter, CNN's iReport, Daily Kos and Flickr, among many others.

©2008 Patricia Garza

These child abuse/sexual abuse cases disgust me,especially when the parents are the criminals who do this to their own child! Anyone who assaults, abuses or murders a child should get life in prison without parole, if not the death penalty. I also believe that anyone who does this to another adult without consent should get life in prison, but those who commit these crimes against innocent and helpless children deserve at a minimum life in prison if not the death penalty!! It is disgusting the way some people, if you want to call them people, can treat another human being. They are the filth of the world and should be treated like garbage. I get so mad when I hear about these heinous crimes, especially because they don't just occur in the US, they happen worldwide and some countries don't even persecute sex offenders! Some countries think it is acceptable to force children into marriage with an adult, such as in many Islamic countries where pedophilia is considered acceptable, because the prophet Muhammad practiced and allowed it.

At least the mother says she will divorce this creep,but to think she allowed this to go on and for how long is disgusting! I feel horribly for their son. I hope he will not grow up with extreme emotional problems or turn into an abuser himself, which often happens in these cases. I hope he is in good care and is able to overcome this horrible experience. It is unfortunate the Australian court ruled that the father is eligible for release after only nine years in jail and the mother is eligible for release in 2013!! They need to pass something like Chelsea's law which would incarcerate them for life!

A MARRIED Sydney couple have been jailed for "disturbing" sex crimes against their nine-year-old son.
The man, 57, and woman, 49, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the boy between January and November 2009 at their suburban Sydney home.

The father has also admitted streaming footage online of his wife and son engaging in sex acts.

At Sydney's Downing Centre District Court today, Judge Anthony Garling sentenced the man to serve a minimum nine years' jail.

With time already served, he will be eligible for release in November 2018.

"This man was sexually abusing his son and I have no doubt he was doing it for his own sexual gratification," Judge Garling said.

The man pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual intercourse with his son and two counts of committing an indecent act, as well as using the boy for child pornographic purposes, indecently assaulting him, possessing child pornography and using the internet to offend.

The offences included performing oral sex on the child, "massaging" his penis and having the boy do the same to him.

"It is hard to imagine a greater breach of trust than what the male offender has committed," Judge Garling said.

"This is his son, who was entitled to be protected by his father, not abused by him."

The woman was sentenced to serve at least three years and nine months in jail after pleading guilty to sexual intercourse with her son and two counts of committing an act of indecency.

The offences included the mother performing oral sex on her child.

She will be eligible for release on parole in August 2013, taking into account time already served in custody.

"(The woman's) attitude to these offences is almost unbelievable," Judge Garling said.

"She blames her husband and I am satisfied that he did have some domination over her. However, she seems to believe it is acceptable to carry out sexual acts with her nine-year-old son.

"She, like her husband, seemed to think that if her son did not protest at the age of nine, he is consenting and indeed enjoying it.

"If that attitude is true, it is disturbing to find parents with that attitude in our community."

Judge Garling found the boy, who is now in DoCS' care, had suffered "significant emotional harm" as a result of the abuse.

The court has been told previously that the woman intends to divorce the man and wants to have nothing more to do with him.

Related Coverage

• Mum blames sex with son, 9, on medicine Adelaide Now, 7 days ago
• Pedophile's appeals fail in court Courier Mail, 21 Sep 2010
• Man treated son like sex slave: court Herald Sun, 20 Aug 2010
• Parents guilty of sex with their son, 9 Adelaide Now, 27 May 2010
• Flynn guilty of child sex Courier Mail, 25 Jan 2010

Related articles by Zemanta:

• Couple jailed for sex with son aged nine
• Suspended sentence for indecent teacher
• Woman blames sex with son on medication
• NSW dad 'led family sex posted on net'

©2008 Patricia Garza

Labels: awareness, parents

At any family gathering, it's easy to predict where the loudest laughs and silliest squeal will be coming from- the kid's table! Just like turkey and all the trimmings, the kids' table is a holiday tradition where good times rule. This year, Frigidaire and Jennifer Garner are asking everyone to set a place at their "virtual kid's table" for a child in need.

©2008 Patricia Garza

Labels: charity, cooking moms dads parents nurtrition, health, save the children

My mom is a breast cancer survivor, so this issue is close to my heart. It is important to continue to support breast cancer research and raise awareness to others. While research is improving and there is also a lesser known way to detect breast cancer called thermography, which may even be safer than mammograms, it is important that women, especially those with a history of breast cancer in their family do regular self-examinations and get annual mammograms or testing. Despite what conflicting research has said on this topic I still feel prevention and regular mammograms or testing after age 30 are important in early detection. My mom may not be here today if she didn't get tested regularly and have a mammogram. So make sure you see your doctor regularly and that you do a self-examination at least once a month!

Show your support for someone special in your life that has been affected by breast cancer. Personalize a "Hello My Name Is" virtual sticker with an inspiring word of choice and photo to share with your Facebook community. Not only will your message spread the word about fighting breast cancer and making a difference, but Quill.com will donate $1 for every sticker created, up to $20,000.
Click the image below to create your sticker and spread the word!

Disclosure:
I am not affiliated with Quill.com but am a participant in a contest through MomSelect to help raise awareness and donations for Breast Cancer Research.

©2008 Patricia Garza

Labels: awareness, breast cancer, charity, women

Kidnappers say they want French veil ban lifted

France must lift its ban on Muslim face veils if hostages being held in the Sahara are to be released. Members of al-Qaeda have insisted the new ruling in France must be repealed in exchange for the freedom of hostages kidnapped in Niger. A ransom demand of one million euros has also been made. The hostages, five French nationals and two Africans worked for two French firms when they were abducted last month and taken into the mountains. The French foreign ministry has not spoken on the matter but intermediaries have suggested al-Qaeda members in the area might be open to negotiations on the matter.

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

“My fiance didn’t even get any time to bond with the baby. They came in and stole our child!”

Setting a chilling precedent and in a manner befitting the most tyrannical of regimes, the government seized a newborn baby girl today because the father has associated with the lawful, pro-peace, pro-constitution, anti-violence Oath Keepers. What makes this particularly scary is exactly that, that the ‘Oath Keepers’ is a peaceful, pro-rule of law organization which supports serving military, veterans, peace officers, and firefighters and reminds them of their oath to the Constitution of the United States in a direct and open manner.

This move is further proof of the radicalization of the government agents and their fear of the Constitution and the rule of law.  Why else would they be going after peaceful law abiding citizens who have are not charged with a crime ,and go to the extend of breaking apart the family bonds.

The father, Jonathan Irish, has helped organize meetings around his home town in New Hampshire for over a year, but as far as we are aware is not an official part of the organization.   His facebook page shows that he has an interest in the Constitution, the second amendment, the bill of rights, martial arts, guns, the Dukes of Hazard, and the bible. All thoroughly American interests.  The mother Stephanie Janvrin fits the all American girl part; Her profile shows two beautiful toddlers at her household and show pictures of a most normal family. She is 22 years old, has two gorgeous toddlers, and a thoroughly normal facebook profile:

“All a girl really wants is a man in faded jeans and cowboy hat/boots, who owns a big truck with mud on the tires…”

“is IN LOVE with a boot wearin, gun shootin, truck drivin, bocephus blarin’ country boy ”

We spoke with one of their close friends today who told us that the family had been dutifully saving all their pennies for the arrival of baby Cheyenne, and that they were ecstatic at the birth and said that she was born a beautiful and healthy baby, and that the family was in shock the government could take away a baby from their family at less than 24 hours of age, when it needs her mother the most.



Baby Cheyenne was taken away at Concord Hospital  by the so called Department of Health and Human Services, and the Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF).



This story was broken by George Hemminger, who is seen struggling with pain as he interviews Jonathan, baby’s Cheyenne father:







“We told them that we wanted the have the pediatrician come check out the baby so that we could get discharged and go home… Well the director of security comes in with the head nurse and say “No we are going to take the baby to the nursery to have the pediatrician check her out so you guys can go home” They lied to us! They got us to allow them to take our daughter under false pretenses, as a matter of fact, we didn’t even have a choice. I tried to stop them and tell them to bring the doctor in the room and they refused to, and they just wheeled our daughter out… I see three different individuals wearing suits and I saw detective badges…. I am like… Who are they!? And she says DCYF which is Division of Child Youth and Family Services. Next thing you know three uniform patrolmen and I think 3 or 4 detectives… … and proceeded to tell me that they are taking my daughter. My fiance didn’t even get any time to bond with the baby. They came in and stole our child! In the affidavit… … it says that they know I have affiliations… … a militia known as the Oath Keepers. And first of all, I don’t know if you know anything about Oath Keepers, but they are a far, far cry from a militia. As a matter of fact the Oath Keepers frown upon any kind of uprising, I guess you can say, which is what a militia could be… …Tried to refuse to allow me to give my daughter a hug and a kiss… got to spend a few minutes with my daughter and then we were told to leave…”



The affidavit  said “… the Division became aware and confirmed that Mr. Irish associated with a militia known as the “Oath Keepers”…” It was in forms from the DHHS and DCYF and signed by “Child Protective Service Worker” Dana Bicford on October 7th at 11:57AM.



If we in this “Free Country” are not free to associate with lawful and peaceful open organizations, or have to fear what many have termed “abduction” of our newborns if we do, who are we free to associate with or to do?! What government department is going to list the allowed organizations if we are not to have our children taken away from us?  Where does it stop; are we free to visit with the Boy Scouts?



Jonathan Irish and Stephanie are at home with the kids.  Neither has been charged with a crime at the time of this writing and none are expected. We at the Daily Tea Party ask them to remain strong and to know that the Freedom Movement community stands with them during this difficult period.  Everything will be alright, this perversion of justice can not last long once the light of truth and media scrutiny is shined.

Here is the statement from Oath Keepers:



We are doing all we can to confirm and document this.  But if is IS accurate, and a newborn child was ripped from her mother’s arms because the parents were “associated” with Oath Keepers by simply being members of our online ning  discussion forum, then this is a grave crossing of a very serious line, and is utterly intolerable.  It cannot be done.  It cannot be allowed to stand.



If it is true, then I will do all in my power to stop it.   We will pull out all the stops, every lawful means of seeing that this child is returned to her parents and that all persons responsible are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.   There can be no freedom of speech, no freedom of association, no freedom to even open your mouth and “speak truth to power,” no freedom AT ALL, if your children can be black bagged and stolen from you because of your political speech and associations — because you simply dare to express your love of country, and dare to express your solidarity and fellowship with other citizens and with active duty and retired  military and police who simply pledge to honor their oath and obey the Constitution.  It was to prevent just such outrageous content based persecution of political dissidents that our First Amendment was written.



If true, then this is as bad, and in fact worse, than any of the violations of liberty that our Declaration of Independence lists as the reasons for our forefathers taking up arms in our Revolution and for separating from England.  We no longer have freedom at all if this is allowed to be done.   And we will not let it stand.



Stewart Rhodes

Founder of Oath Keepers

——————————————————————



UPDATE 2:50AM



UPDATE : 10/07/2010 10.53PM PST — We have confirmed that the affidavit in support of the order to take the child from her parents  states ,along with a long list of other assertions  against both parents, that “The Division became aware and confirmed that Mr. Irish associated with a militia known as the Oath Keepers.”     Yes, there are other, very serious allegations.  Out of respect for the privacy of the parents, we will not publish the affidavit.  We will leave that to Mr. Irish.   But please do remember that allegations do not equal facts — they are merely allegations (and in my  experience as a criminal defense lawyer in small town Montana I saw many allegations that proved to be false).



But an even more fundamental point is that regardless of the other allegations, it is utterly unconstitutional for government agencies to list Mr. Irish’s association with Oath Keepers in an affidavit in support of a child abuse order to remove his daughter from his custody.    Talk about  chilling speech!   If this is allowed to continue, it will chill the speech of not just Mr. Irish, but all Oath Keepers and it will serve as the camel under the tent for other associations being considered too risky for parents to dare.   Thus, it serves to chill the speech of all of us, in any group we belong to that “officials” may not approve of.   Don’t you dare associate with such and such group, or you could be on “the list” and then child protective services might come take your kids.



Note that there is no allegation that Oath Keepers is a criminal organization or that Mr. Irish, in the context of his association with Oath Keepers, is committing any crime.  We are not advocating or planning imminent violence, which is the established line where free speech ends and criminal behavior begins (See Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444(1969), which, as Wikipedia notes, “held that government cannot punish inflammatory speech unless it is directed to inciting and likely to incite imminent lawless action. In particular, it overruled Ohio’s criminal syndicalism statute, because that statute broadly prohibited the mere advocacy of violence.”   We don’t even advocate that the current serving use violence of any kind, let alone imminent violence.  We ask them to merely stand down.



Neither is Oath Keepers a militia, for that matter.   However, EVEN IF WE WERE, that also would not be a valid reason to take someone’s child away.  PRIVATE MILITIAS, JUST LIKE  OTHER VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATIONS, ARE NOT ILLEGAL, and it is not a crime to associate with them.   To the contrary, we have an absolute right, won by the blood of patriots, and protected by our First Amendment, to freely associate with each other as we damn well please so long as we are not advocating or planning  imminent violence or directly harming our children (and no, teaching them “thought crime” like “All men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,” or that those who swear an oath should keep it, does not count — at least not yet).   A parent associating with a militia is not  engaged in child endangerment  and is not evidence of child endangerment (despite the shrill screeching of people such as Mark Potock of the SPLC, who desperately wants it to be so).   Just recently a Time Magazine article described how the reporter visited the happy home of a militia member and his family — and those kids are still at home, where they belong, as is the case with many th0usands of children across this country who have parents who “associate” with private militias and all manner of other non-criminal groups.   You had damn well better defend the rights of those parents to freely associate in their militias and keep their kids while doing so.   You can bet that if you let such an association be listed as grounds for taking children from their parents that it won’t only be militia folks who have their rights violated.   Homeschoolers, evangelical Christians, gun owners, etc. will also be on the hit list.  Just wait.  Remember Pastor Niemöller’s timeless warning:



They came first for the Communists,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.



Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.



Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.



Then they came for me

and by that time no one was left to speak up.



A modern version might read like this:



They came first for the militia members,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a militia member.



Then they came for the three percenters,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a three percenter.



Then they came for the Oath Keepers,

and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t an Oath Keeper.



Then they came for me

and by that time no one was left to speak up.



So, defend the right of even the most hardcore militia members to freely associate without that right being chilled and suppressed by means of the threat of taking their kids.



But this particular listing of an association with Oath Keepers as one of the reasons for taking a child from her parents is all the more absurd, taking it to a whole other level of Alice in Wonderland “down is up” and up is down,” when you consider that a significant percentage of the members of Oath Keepers are current serving  police, fire-fighters, and military personnel.  Three of our state chapter presidents are current serving  police officers.   How can “associating”  with such fine men and women who are daily trusted with tremendous power and responsibility constitute  evidence of child endangerment?   How can it be that a New Hampshire police department can consider someone associating with other current serving police officers as evidence of child abuse and endangerment?   Only in the bizzaro world of the SPLC are public servants who commit to simply following the law, keeping their oaths by refusing to violate your rights ,considered “extreme” and “dangerous.”



This is the camel’s nose under the tent.  We need to fight even this one instance of such a violation of the right to associate and to peaceably assemble, and we need to push back against the new world of thought crime that is being relentlessly pushed upon us.   If this listing of mere association with Oath Keepers is allowed to be used in this case to justify, even in part, removing a newborn from the custody of her parents, with nothing else alleged about Oath Keepers except that the father “is associated” with this organization, that will have a sweeping chilling effect on the First Amendment protected rights of freedom of speech, peaceable assembly, association, and petition for redress of grievances for all of us — and it will only be the beginning.



OK, now it is TIME TO PUSH BACK — peaceably, of course, using our voices and pens.  Let the officials in question know that you strongly oppose their listing of an association with Oath Keepers as one of the reasons for taking this child.  Let them know you insist that they remove that “reason” from the affidavit and issue a public retraction, and until they do so, they will hear from all of us, and also from our legal counsel.   And we won’t relent until they respect our First Amendment protected rights of free speech and association and cease and desist this chilling of those rights.  Be professional, but firm.   Make them hear you.



Please help this family, we hope that you contact the news outlets to bring awareness to this horrible travesty of justice.  Please post any and all additional media outlets contacts on the comments sections and we will regularly updated them into the page.



http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/ocom/pio/contact.htm



(603) 271-4957

Media Contacts:

WMUR -

www.wmur.com Biggest regional TV Station and where we could potentially  make the biggest impact.

Adam Sexton

News Reporter

+1.603.669.9999

a_sexton@wmur.com

Jennifer Vaughn

News Anchor/Reporter

+1.603.669.9999

j_vaughn@wmur.com

WOKQ – Citadel Communications

http://www.wokq.com/ Biggest regional Radio Station.



Phone: 603.740.5050



————————————————————————————-



The Daily Tea Party is a non-partisan Tea Party focused news site with the goal of providing the Freedom Movement  information and education on Constitutional Governance and Restoring the Republic to the Tea Party.

Stewart Rhodes

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

©2008 Patricia Garza

I'm reposting this here since this article linked to a subscription site and some couldn't view it. I hope this is allowed, since it is for a free trial subscription on Cape Arges.

Mom arrested after ‘stolen’ baby found dead

POLICE have hailed Khayelitsha residents for being instrumental in helping them to solve the mystery of a six-week-old boy’s disappearance and leading them to the baby’s body.



The discovery has led to the arrest of Simamkele Baleni’s mother, Odwa Baleni, 18.



Following up on tip-offs from residents of Green Point informal settlement, police found the baby’s body under sheets of corrugated iron between shacks last night.



The discovery followed a search that began after Baleni reported that her son had been kidnapped at Khayelitsha Day Hospital on Monday. She told police and the media that a woman had offered to hold Simamkele while she used the toilet, but when she emerged, the woman and baby were gone.



Baleni, of Khayelitsha’s Site B, gave police a full description of the woman she said had taken her son.

The security cameras at the hospital had not been working, so police had been unable to study footage that could have helped them to track a suspected kidnapper.



An identikit of the suspect was released to the media yesterday, and Baleni was interviewed by newspapers, radio stations and TV reporters throughout the day.



But the young mother’s heartbreaking pleas for her son’s safe return caught the attention of Green Point residents, who called the police to say they had seen Baleni in their area on Monday – a fair distance from the hospital.



Captain Anneke van der Vyfer said: “Some residents in the area said they saw her with the baby in Green Point and then saw her again, without the baby.”



Police searched the area, and found Simamkele’s body.

Van der Vyfer said an autopsy would be conducted to determine how the baby had died. “A case like this shows the importance of having the community and the media’s co-operation,” she said.

©2008 Patricia Garza