No Such Thing as Reverse Discrimination

Today I was listening to the morning radio show on my way to work. They started discussing some election stuff like everyone now that the primaries are happening. They started talking about Clinton and Obama. Now being a registered republican in Albany New York I can only vote in the Republican Primaries. It really doesn't matter because I am probably going to write in my vote. Anyway this radio station mentioned the words reverse discrimination. These words, when put together drive me crazy. I am a middle class white male in my thirties, I have not been reverse discriminated against, I have been discriminated against. There is no such thing as reverse discrimination, discrimination is horrible who ever you are. This was brought up because they were talking about black votes are going to Obama and woman and idiots are voting for Bill's wife. Election time brings out the idiots of all kinds. I for one would love to see a Black Woman in Office. I have no issues voting for a person that has views closer to me than anyone else. If I stood up and said I am not voting for Obama because he is black, then I am a racist. If a black man stands up and says he is voting for Obama because he is Black he is patted on the back. I was actually talking to a friend of mine and a coworker the other day who are both Black. My friend said he was going to vote for McCain. The Coworker actually got pissed at my friend because he is not voting for the Black person that is running. Am I horrible because I will never vote for McCain, I am a Veteran and so is he. I am not voting for "my kind" Who is a Black woman suppose to vote for? Does she turn her back on her race or gender? Vote for those you agree on and leave the skin tone and gender out of it.

Discrimination against the Single Father

I think women should have the same opportunities as men, Raising two daughters I have come to the belief that women are smarter and more able at a lot of things than men. I also believe that men should have the same opportunities as women, Children raised by a man should be treated the same as children treated as women. I recently went to court the other day for Child Support, Again... It has now been 18 months since I was granted custody of my youngest daughter. We have Joint Custody with Primary Physical custody awarded to me. Since there are 4 states between us there is no everyother weekend visitation it all goes off of seperating holidays and school vacation. 18 months without child support, 18 months of paying for a 3 bedroom apartment so each of my daughters has their own personnal space. 18 months of $700 per month in Pre School and Daycare tuitions = Thats $12600... For Court we both had to do Financial Paperwork and according to that and research of how the state figures out child support I have come up with the figure that she should be paying is $1200/month. I am asking the court to provide me Child Support of $1000 per month to help cover Daycare, Preschool, gymnastics and Figureskating costs. I have been turned down four times. Well I will take that back. I haven't been turned down, I have been told that we need to pospone another month for the past 5 months. Will I ever get child support? The Ex-wifes lawyer is good at one thing, posponements. I have been told, She should not have to pay since she lives so far away and she has to pay phone bills, and travel costs to see her daughter. My answer, She is the one that moved so far away. I have been called a loser because I am trying to take money from a woman and a man should be able to make enough to provide all the great things a child needs. This last time, her lawyer actually got up in court and said that I do not deserve this money because I should be able to get a higher paying job as an Information Technology Professional. My answer to this, She is on TV every night working for a major network, She will make a lot more than me. I might get offers making almost 2 times what I make now but those would cause me to travel, move or work very long hours. I work 80 hours every 2 weeks, that is it, no more no matter what. To me that is neccesity so I have all that off time to spend with my daughters. The latest job I was offered was 3 times what I make now but it would have made me move to New York City, at least 50 hours a week and on average 6-10 days a month out of town. Now either way, I am a parent of a little girl that wants to learn Figure Skating, I had to pull her out of the classes so I could pay my electric bill. I am a parent and I make all my decisions 100% with my daughters in mind. I do not deserve to get child support because I am a father? When you go to family court it is usually very stressful anyway. When you go as a father you are the most sterotypical, Dead beat, tempermental, abusive man that anyone has met. Getting custody is a major accomplishment and you can tell a lot about a mother if the court grants custody to the father, look at Britney. But as soon as the custody is over you are back in the courts eyes for a worthless loser that just wants to screw the ex-wife over. Why don't women have to pay child support?

Sexism

I am not trying to say one sex has it easier than others. But here is a little bit about my story. I am a single dad, I have had 2 marriages, 2 divorces, 2 custody battles, and have custody of both my kids. My first battle was short and sweet, I lost my dog but got my daughter. The problem was, I was a long way from any family and was new to the area so I had no friends. I was kicked out of the house with a back pack that contained a few days of clothes for me and a few days of clothes for my daughter. At the time i think I was making about $300 a week. I had no place to go and could not afford a hotel room. I was unable to find a shelter. There was a womens shelter there were rooms at the YWCA, there were Churches that would take my daughter but because they specialized with battered women they didn't want a man in the place. Finally a minister invited me to his house where his wife and oldest daughter watched my daughter so i could go to work. I got to the point where I finally could get a one bedroom place where we had a bed and a kitchen table. I applied for WIC (Women, Infants and Children) I could not receive this benefit because I was a man. After the divorce and everything with custody was settled I found a guy I worked with that had furniture and a 3 bedroom apartment so he let me and my daughter move in with him to help me get on my feet. My ex wife was not ordered to pay child support, Help with daycare or even medical benefits. I had nothing but the income I was working for. About a year later I finally got enough promotions and raises to get my own place. I called a friend of mine that was a lawyer and told him my story. He gave me a phone number to a newly formed group that was called Equal Rights for Fathers. They did paperwork for me so I could try and get Child support. Finally, 2 years after the divorce my ex was ordered to pay $300 per month for child support. She has yet to pay. after 2 years of non-payment I went to court again. I was told, "She is a stay at home mother. She is going to school full time and is not working. If we take her drivers license away she will not be able to get food for her children. If we send her to jail there is no one to take care of her kids." Her husband was making over 6 figures at this time, according to people I knew in that area she was living in a 4 bed room 2500 sq. ft. House and both drove BMW's. I was living in a 2 bedroom apartment and finally bought a TV. 9 years and 32,000 dollars in back child support I am trying to get it again.