This concerns our right to parent in a manner that we feel is in our childrens' best interests. Our court system needs to be sent a STRONG message on this one.... Ingri ************************************************************ Hello Friends, You may or may not know me personally; my name is Siri Wright. I am the Boise mother going to trial for not leaving my nursing child in order to serve on jury duty. Many people have been helping to share my story so you may have heard some of what has been happening. Here is the rest. I am the mother of two small children, 4 and 2. My daughter is still nursing. She has never been away from me. We are indeed a unit. My children have never been to daycare and have never had a babysitter. Idaho law provides that " a mother nursing her child shall have jury service postponed until she is no longer nursing the child." (Idaho Code, section 2-209) The jury commissioner, Marji Shepherd, had > grudgingly postponed me from jury service and refused to postpone me any longer. On August 28, 1999 I received a call from Marji Shepherd. She said I had to give her a date within the next four months when my daughter would stop nursing and I could serve. I explained, as I had explained our situation to her before, that I was not able to give her a date, but that I would be happy to serve when my children were not so dependant upon my care. She told me that that was unacceptable and assigned me a new jury service date for December. On December 9, 1999 at 8:00 a.m., I reported, with my children, to the jury commissioner's office. Upon giving the clerk my reporting number, Marji Shepherd stormed out of her office. She snapped, "CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED IN HERE! THIS IS NO PLACE FOR CHILDREN!" I told her I agreed that it was not. I again explained my circumstances. I explained that my daughter was still nursing and could not be separated from me, that my children had never had a babysitter, that I had no daycare and had no money for one, and that I had no family in state. I also explainrd that my husband was away on a mobile job and wasunreachable. She insisted, "THAT'S JUST NOT THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS!" Then she demanded, "YOU TAKE THEM SOMEWHERE AND YOU'D BETTER DO IT FAST BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT TO START!" I told her I was not able to do that. She said, "I'M MARKING YOU DOWN AS A NO SHOW!" and then said that she would procede with having me prosecuted for contempt of court. Her hostile tirade finally ended with her saying , "AND DON'T YOU DARE BRING THOSE KIDS WITH YOU TO COURT!" This was very upsetting to the children and my little boy clung to my leg, actually trembling. At my home on Monday, January 24th at 2:30 p.m. I was served with an order to appear in court. Two deputy marshals served me with a summons and one pointed to the hearing date, Wednesday, January 26, 9:00 a.m. "As you can see", he snickered, "that's comin' right up." (This was not the legal amount of time between service and court. "An order to show cause must be served at least 5 days prior to the date of the hearing." [Idaho Court Rules, Rule 6 ) (2)]) At the court hearing just over a day later, Judge Horton did not dismiss the case as I had hoped. Rather, he chose to take it to trial. I plead not guilty to a charge of criminal contempt. This charge carries a penalty of 3 days in jail and a $100 fine. The attorney was able to get a continuance and I was assigned a trial date of March 13. I feel the charges were not dismissed at the first hearing because the judge, the prosecutor and the jury commissioner intend to make an example of me. I believe the judge has already made up his mind. As it turns out, it was Judge Horton's court in which I was unable to serve on the jury. It seems as if he has taken my inability to serve, personally. I am asking for as many people as possible to join me at the courthouse on Monday, March 13th at 9:00 a.m. I believe who is watching and how many are watching will be what it takes to influence Judge Horton's decision on the day of the trial. I wish I could rely on the fact that the law is on my side. However, since the law has not been followed so far I must rely on silent support at the courthouse on the morning of the trial. I hope that the support of the community and the media coverage (there will be media coverage) will cause the judge to reconsider his position. Perhaps, with many eyes upon him, it would be too costly professionally to convict a mother who has not broken the law. I care for my children at home, myself. That is not illegal. This situation has caused such upheaval in our lives and I don't want any other family to have to go through this ordeal. This is an important issue not only for nursing mothers but also for single income families, single parents, homeschoolers, and anyone home with children or caring for family members. I wonder how many other people have been put through something like this? If you would kindly forward this letter to two people it would encourage others to show their support and help raise community awareness surrounding this unnecessary injustice. The trial is Monday, March 13 at 9:00 a.m. The Ada County Courthouse is located at 514 W Jefferson. (just east of the Capitol building on the next block) Judge Horton's court is on the 3rd floor and the courtroom will be posted. This is a show of support; not a protest and no one will be called to testify. Please feel free to contact me if you have and questions or comments, or would like to help further. I'd love to have a copy of any letters or e-mails sent on my behalf.

Sincerely,

Siri Wright siriinboise@aol.com

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 25, 2000

Answers

ABSURD !! What an outrageous charge !! I hope the media 'burns' the court system and generates an enormous amount of public support for Siri. I live in CA, but if I lived close, I'd bring a vanload of people to the courthouse. I will, however, petition God Almighty to bring justice to this case.

-- Kenin marble (kenin17@yahoo.com), February 25, 2000.

This woman is still breast-feeding a two-year old child??? I have a feeling there's more to this story than meets the eye. What is the other side's version?

-- You've got (to@be.kidding), February 25, 2000.

Hey!can we start a defense fund.Go all the way to Supreme Court? Cool! Let's start a real fight with them.jim

-- Jim Sta (jimsta1386@yahoo.com), February 25, 2000.

"This woman is still breast-feeding a two-year old child???"

That's not unusual and it's totally natural to breastfeed into the 2nd year and even beyond. (I knew a mother who breastfed her 4 year old. The child turned out happy and well adjusted.) Our culture dictates that this is somehow "weird", and you seem to be of the same attitude as the court in Idaho. You imply that there is something wrong with these people, when they choose to live as they choose. Don't you get it? People don't need to be told how to behave and raise their children. From the above, it sounded like the court was saying "play by our rules, or we're gonna screw you." Is that the society you want to live in?

-- (no@bottles.here), February 25, 2000.

Mabe theres not much other food?

Mabe it comforts mother and child.

Not for you to ask.

-- oral craving (bottlefed@birth.coldglass), February 25, 2000.

Breastmilk is the natural food for humans and that includes babies and toddlers, as long as the parents see fit. Not for us to question. Stay out of my body, my spirituality and my house!

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 25, 2000.

I smell a troll!

-- canthappen (n@ysayer.com), February 25, 2000.

I e-mailed this mom the number for Home School Legal Defense Association. I hope they can help her.

re. nursing a two year old. I know that current trends say to have the baby off the breast or bottle by age one. My children were not able to get enough fluids from a cup at that age to keep them hydrated. Those motor skills still need some work at a year old. IMHO we should be able to raise our kids as we see fit. (Of course I don't mean endangerment)

My son was taken off the breast at 10 months. Not because he was too old but because he had seven teeth by then and that was as far as I could go! I did, however, give him a bottle for about another eight months or so.

We must allow our kids to develop at their own pace. Pushing them into conformity seldom benefits anyone.

-- grannyclampett (notress@pass.ing), February 25, 2000.

"not for you to ask"

But maybe good to ask if the question indicates lack of knowledge on this subject.It's not something most Americans are comfortable about, since our culture is as a whole so ignorant about breastfeeding.

For the record, United Nations figures show that in non-industrial countries the mean figure for weaning from the breast is about 4 years old. Mary probably nursed Jesus that long. For many children, it is a matter of life and death. The mother is still manufacturing antibodies to help the baby avoid disease. The family's precious cash income has not been squandered on artificial formula, and the baby is less likely to develop fatal diarrhea from dirty water used to mix it. It is a source of comfort for little ones, and gives a harried mother some guaranteed time during the day of total bliss. For the mother it also stimulates the release of prolactin, known as the "mothering hormone," which promotes better bonding with the child.

I nursed my first child for three and a half years, my second for four. By the end of that time it is just a sip here and a sip there, mostly for comfort. The teeth are not an issue, in case you were wondering. When the child leads the weaning timetable it is nice and gradual, and you know that it will not be an unmet need that they still have to work out later. Sometimes it feels like it is going to be forever, but so do the diaper changes before your kid finally gets toilet training. I'd occasionally ask myself whether I really wanted to go on, but then realized that it was still important for my child and didn't pressure.

It was one of the most glorious things about being a mother that I've ever experienced, and I think it is part of what made my kids the wonderful kind and connected kids they are.

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), February 25, 2000.

Siry needs to read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights right away. Then she can tell the courts to go straight to hell with their crap! Once you know your Constitutional Rights and invoke the protection of your rights in court just outside the little fence in the courtroom, the government cannot touch you!

Once inside that fence they have jurisdiction over you. They must dismiss the case for lack of jurisdiction if you invoke the protection of your constitutional rights!

Never hire a lawyer, because they are an officer of the court and beholden to the judge. I even read a traffic cop my rights and he let me go. He would'nt touch me with a ten foot pole! Omnce you know your rights, then you become free in an unfree country!

-- Nofradycatanymore! (nofr@dycatanymore.com), February 25, 2000.

Egads, the women turned it into a breast feeding thread, probably followed with discussions on natural child birth with their hands firmly over their bellies fondly remembering good times.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley@bwn.net), February 25, 2000.

This is not simply about the right to breastfeed. The right to raise one's children is at least as important as the right to bear arms.

I think the only reason that we don't have things like this in the bill of rights is because the Founders would have considered it unimaginable for the government to have become so crass.

Parental Rights? There has to be a right? What insanity!

By the way: The following [reformatted] thread has Siri's e-address, for those who have more help to offer.

-- tim phronesia (phronesia@webtv.net), February 25, 2000.

Troll alert!

-- canthappen (n@ysayer.com), February 25, 2000.

Siri's email address followed her name in signature, but I guess some of you missed it siriinboise@aol.com

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 26, 2000.

And Guy, what is your point?

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 26, 2000.

Hello All, I am 15 miles from Boise and well connected. I intend to be there to show my support for this woman and have the networking abilities to make it noticible to TPTB that we are tired of this kind of invasive and dictitorial crap is unacceptable!

I will also put in a call to La Leche League to see what kind of support we can fire up from there.

unfortunately this dosent surprise me much as this kind of abuse of people here in Idaho by the (so called) justice system happens all the time.

there is an excellent publication called the Idaho Observer that is dedicated to printing the truth about abuses of citizens that are happening around the Pacific Northwest. You can read a sampling of their articles online at http://proliberty.com/observer/

sorry, I am link impaired. if someone has the time could you E me on how to post a link in this forum? I would appreciate it.

Thank you,

Laurie in Idaho

-- Laurie in Idaho (laurelayn@yahoo.net), February 26, 2000.

Good for you Firemouse! When I was living in England I witnessed many women feeding their children through toddlerhood. Women are really encouraged from the time they give birth, and health visitors, and clinics lend further support. I can not believe what they are doing to this woman. It's neandrethal.

-- Gia (laureltree7@hotmail.com), February 26, 2000.

well, allI can say are the governments and courts are messing with us constantly. I would be there in court to support but alas... I live in Texas, and gas is to expensive now to get there.

The last time I got summoned in Texas for jury duty tho, I got out because I had kids under 12, and I was going to school.

As for breastfeeding , well, I think if you gotta serve you ought to be able to bring the kiddo with you, after all this is AMERICA.

What's the problem with breastfeeding? I asked my dog that today, she has more or less cut the pups off after a month. I gave them milk and they are lapping it up. My dog said to read the last page of Grapes Of Wrath. I did

I think the establishment hates the idea of mothers and their milk, it may save the world. Good luck on your quest. Salene

-- salene (salene814@hotmail.com), February 26, 2000.

See thread one above this one for more information and webpage that Siri's lawyer set up (including a forum for comments and encouragement).

-- Sheri (wncy2k@nccn.net), February 26, 2000.

Love this forum! Maybe we should call this thread Politits. Now to be serious!!!!!!

The issue is unwarranted government intrusion into very private life, is it not? Along with that particular focus is unbridled abuse of government power. I also live in Texas. We are suffering here from a serious attitude problem on the part of government, which follows the philosophy of "we do it because we can". I used to think this happened because as a region we have so many residents who are unversed in the democratic process. Lately I am beginning to perceive this is a universal problem. I hope Siri gets all the support she needs to address her situation. Also, I'd like to note that I worked for a very long time in child and adult protective services. I saw plenty of violations of due process during that time that impacted families destructively. See plenty of violations of due process now on a daily basis from another vantage point in the system and this is "word": The "State" never remedies its mistakes unless the victim has plenty of power and money to pose a real threat in Civil Court-and that just doesn't happen.If the victim had power and money he or she wouldn't be on the receiving end of system screw-ups. He/she would be solicited for campaign contributions and votes. Maybe net communication is the tool that'll refresh democracy. We'll see.

-- little wifey (wifey@home.com), February 26, 2000.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

Can't Happen: Why do you keep shouting "troll" on this thread and on the other one. To whom are you referring, and why? Your comment is inarticulate. Does breastfeeding make you uncomfortable? This is an appropriate topic for this forum. If your country should suffer an economic collapse, breastfeeding will be the way babies and toddlers can survive. It is useful to know how poorly one can be treated for merely having opinions that differ from the local powers that be. Think how you will be treated if you are brought up on charges of hoarding. Wouldn't you like to know as much as possible about the mindset of people who would have this amount of power over your life?

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), February 26, 2000.

Guy,as a man there is no way you can truly understand what it is to be part of a mother/child breastfeeding pair, but the next best thing is to listen to the experiences of those who have been there.

The object was not reminiscence, but education on why you cannot break up a breastfeeding pair. Most Americans with a bottle culture have trouble understanding the dynamics involved, for they are very different ways of parenting for the most part. There is a deep bonding when breastfeeding that can be traumatic if disrupted suddenly.The court seems to feel that one can just suddenly stow the kids somewhere on a whim. I used paid baby sitters exactly 7 times in the first 8 years of parenting, and the rest of the time the kids were with my husband or me or on rare occasions with my mother for a few hours.

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), February 26, 2000.

FYI Idaho Mom, Look up FIJA. Might help.

-- Ma Kettle (mom@home.com), February 26, 2000.

This lady is right on.

For publicity get ahold of Dr. Laura Schlesinger. She will scream bloody murder once she gets a sniff of this and MILLIONS of people listen to her program.

-- Dana (A_Non_O_Moose@xxx.com), February 26, 2000.

Only subjects and strawmen or strawwomen have to bow down to the king and his nobles not sovereigns under our consistituion. Contact a Right way law chapter in your area they can help you learn how to fight the fraud. God bless and Keep the faith.

-- y2k aware mike (y2k aware mike @ conservation . com), February 26, 2000.

I for one think it is very important to serve on jury duty when you are called. I also think it's very important to breastfeed an infant. But one can certainly do both.

I have a neighbor who I thought handled this situation very well. She too was called for jury duty, although at the time she was breastfeeding her 10 month old child. But, she also had other times when she was not be able to breastfeed him, so she would express milk with a breastpump, into a bottle for him so her mother or whoever stayed with him could feed him.

This worked very well and the baby was not deprived. She was proud of the fact that she served on the jury as she felt she contributed an objective point of view to the case.

While the person in the above post seems to feel persecuted. I do not think everyone has the priviledge of never spending a minute away from their children, nursing or not. This does not mean the children are deprived. My daughter-in-law nursed my grandsons, but occasionally she would express milk, and leave them with me for a few hours. I enjoyed the time spent with them, and she had a few hours to spend as she wished.

I personally feel one should served on jury duty when at all humanly possible. After all, I think most of us would rather be doing something else, but I really think it should be considered a civic duty. That's not too much to ask, and the children won't starve, nor suffer deprivation from being with other people fior a few days.

Frankly, I think she's making a mountain out of a molehill.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), February 26, 2000.

Oh, and by the way, my grandsons never seemed to be the least disturbed by being with grandma and a bottle for a few hours. They did not suffer the slightest trauma, nor did my neighbor's children.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), February 26, 2000.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

One cannot know in advance which trial they will serve. A jury is sometimes sequestered in a hotel for weeks or even months. A more humane solution would be to allow the child access to the courtroom. But judges are control freaks and that will never happen.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), February 26, 2000.