Because shit like this makes me crazy

[mickeym]

A woman, fighting breast cancer, now has to fight the "justice system", and a judge, who wants to take her children away from her. Because she has breast cancer. He wants to give custody of the two children to the woman's ex-husband, who not only is abusive, but lives 700 miles away from where the woman lives.

I sent an email to some of you, but decided that wasn't enough. So I'm posting a link to the petition, which can be found at Change.org. Please sign it. Thank you.

http://www.change.org/petitions/do-not-allow-nc-judge-to-take-alaina-giordanos-children-just-because-she-has-cancer#signatures

Comments

[digitalwave]

Done, sweetie.

*hugs*

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

[maerhysetc.livejournal.com]

This is so disgusting. I don't even see how this looks rational to any human being. :/

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

I know, right? And yet, how often is a child harmed by a parent (mother or father, doesn't matter)...and that parent is given 2nd, 3rd, 4th chances to keep parenting. I DON'T GET IT.

[geneli4.livejournal.com]

that is VILE. and happening not v far from where i live, too.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you :(

[liz-w.livejournal.com]

Okay, I just spent a while wandering on Google about this. I am completely unable to find any documentation on this case at all (it was clearly a lower Court decision... those aren't reported, and all the people who are bitching about this setting a "precedent" don't know what the heck they're talking about, legal precedent is set by published appellate decisions). I've been around way too many divorce cases to be willing to jump to a lot of conclusions based on only hearing once side of the story. And I've been around enough divorce cases to believe there's probably a lot more to this story than just "it's because she has cancer".

(Also, the appellant's -- well, I assume she's about to become the appellant -- rant about how the Judge has no right to make decisions in Family Court because she's unmarried without children struck a really sour note with me, I have to say).

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Well, not sure what you were looking for; I did a google search for Alaina Giordano and found a couple of links about the ruling, and her health:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/BreastCancerCenter/north-carolina-mom-breast-cancer-loses-custody/story?id=13546870

http://ncmbts.blogspot.com/2011/05/alaina-giordano-should-not-lose-her.html

Maybe it's because I'm a single mom who's been -- and currently am -- unemployed, along with potential health issues (my weight and related health concerns). I know there are always two sides to any story, and there probably is more to it than just her having cancer. But the cancer issue seems to be key, and it's very concerning that a judge, or anyone else, could or would remove custodial rights if the health concern is currently being addressed.

[liz-w.livejournal.com]

Both of those links appear to be based solely on information and interviews provided by Alaina Giordano and her legal team.

I understand why people are reacting the way they are, especially because there's really no other reaction to have based on the very limited information provided. You say "the cancer issue seems to be key", but that's because SHE'S SAYING, "The Judge is taking away my kids because I have cancer!" That could have been a minor element in the decision, there's really no way for me to make that conclusion based on what I've seen, at least.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm willing to sign a petition asking for things to be looked at again. *shrug*

[liz-w.livejournal.com]

Is THAT what the petition is for? Okay, that's funny. I mean, most internet petitions aren't worth the pixels they're displayed with to begin with, but that's particularly inane. I thought it was just a general showing of support or something... now I see it's supposed to be a petition to the GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA? (like a death row appeal or something!) That's kind of funny. What on earth is the Governor supposed to do about a Civil Court custody decision?

She's going to appeal the decision -- I'm sure if she didn't have appellate attorneys before this, with all the publicity now she must -- and the higher Court in North Carolina will review the lower Court's decision. That's how a legal decision is "looked at again".

[liz-w.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to add -- you said you reacted to this strongly, because of how it speaks to your situation. I'm doing the same thing, to an extent We had a truly horrific custody case in our office, and every time a decision didn't go the wife's way, she was off screaming to the press. Reading her descriptions of what had happened and why the Judge ruled the way he did and reading the actual documentation of the case, you'd have thought they were two completely different cases.