I've been blogging for a few years now and made some amazing online friends. I've shared our non-traditional lifestyle without fear because I've found so many other families who believe the same things; and many who disagree but still respect our right to self-determination. I've shared so much here and will continue to do so despite having my beliefs held against me by those who seek to harm my family.
I took a short break from blogging to focus on getting my son home safely. I fully believed that he would be returned on June 5th. He was not. I want to share with you exactly what my family has had to endure.
At 11:39 pm on May 28th six police officers and two social workers kicked my front door in and dragged my screaming & crying child from his bed. I was handcuffed, dragged to a police car and my left wrist was fractured. I spent the next three hours in jail and my son (who is on the autism spectrum) was whisked off to emergency foster care.
One of the officers who came into my home that night was especially concerned not with any alleged crimes but with my personal beliefs. He asked if I was "one of those 'occupiers'" and suggested I "go read a liberal magazine." He then went on to lecture me about how if his grandfather hadn't fought the Nazis we'd all be speaking German right now. I requested an attorney and didn't speak to him after that.
The next day I called the social worker who was listed on the custody order frantic to get my son home safely. Some of the issues/concerns that were brought up by the assigned social worker included him not being vaccinated, not attending public school, not attending church, being a vegetarian and lacking proper (physical) discipline. They even wanted to know my political affiliation (Socialist btw) and asked how active I was with the party. They believed that I was "hiding something" because I refused to invite Youth and Family Services and the police into my home without a warrant.
REQUIRING A WARRANT HAS BECOME SO RARE THAT SIMPLY ASKING FOR ONE IS NOW SEEN AS SELF INCRIMINATING.
Yes. You read that correctly.
My son was ripped from his bed because:
We don't immunize.
We don't utilize public schools.
We don't attend church.
We don't eat meat.
We don't spank as a form of punishment/discipline.
I required a warrant for entry into my home.
The department of social services filed for an emergency custody order and has kept my son in foster care for eleven days. I had to undergo psychological testing to prove I wasn't insane (because obviously homeschooling, no-vax, heathen, vegetarian families are all insane) and I retained an attorney. Perhaps any one or two of these things would not have triggered such a drastic response from the state, however none of them are illegal and no combination of legal activities should result in law-abiding citizens being treated like criminals.
However, despite none of the things listed above as 'concerns' being illegal. We still have to live this nightmare.
Every time I speak to my son he tells me that he is hungry and asks to come home. My heart is breaking for him.
Our rights are being slowly stripped away and I honestly believe that if we (as a society) don't do something my story will be the norm for any family that opts out of the government sanctioned capitalist brainwashing machine. Even if you have nothing to hide (which I didn't and don't) we have the right to privacy. We have the right to determine how our children are raised and educated.
Even if you don't agree with me personally most parents agree that short of abuse parents, and not the state, are the ones who should determine how a child is raised.