We wonder what Paul Fromm, someone who has invested a great deal of time and energy fighting the good fight as he saw it, feels about this?
The mother of two children seized by social workers after her daughter went to school with white supremacist symbols on her body pleaded with the court on Friday to let her kids stay in foster care.
The woman took the stand in Winnipeg, as part of a high-profile custody battle that comes a day after she was arrested for an alleged credit card fraud.
Appearing in court in shackles without any legal representation, she said her estranged husband who is fighting for custody isn't fit to be a parent. She told the hearing that he drinks, often in the car, and has been suicidal.
She said that earlier this year, he put a knife to his throat and threatened to kill himself in front of her. She recalled how she once came home from work to find a babysitter caring for the children -- while their father was passed out drunk and naked in the bathroom.
She has also testified that, earlier this year, her husband lost his security job in a bar when he used a racial slur against a customer.
"I don't think he is capable of caring for the children," she testified. "I believe they are safest ... right now."
The Winnipeg woman spent the night in remand jail after she was arrested on Thursday and charged with two counts of credit card fraud, two counts of impersonation and one count of mail theft, said CTV Winnipeg's Kelly Dehn.
The charges against her stem from allegations she applied for a credit card in her mother's name, then applied for a second card in her own name, and allegedly racked up $22,000 in charges.
"The woman made bail this morning, and the lawyer who represented her at the bail hearing doesn't think it will affect the outcome of the CFS (Child and Family Services) trial," said Dehn.
Her testimony on Friday was unexpected, and left little time for her to be cross-examined. She told the court she needed to appear right away, because her bail conditions dictate she must return to her home out of province immediately.
During the custody hearing the woman's mother testified that she was told she would be held responsible for the debt unless she pressed charges against her daughter, which she did.
Dehn said the woman is expected to be released on bail after she meets conditions set by the Crown.
The children were taken from the woman last year after the daughter came to school adorned with the racist symbols.
Manitoba's Child and Family Services is attempting to get permanent custody of the girl and her younger brother. Social workers are concerned the children were being subjected to racist teachings and drug and alcohol abuse at home.
During the custody hearing, one social worker testified the girl had described how to kill black people using a ball and chain.
The mother of the children has been attending the hearings intermittently, and denies being a racist.
The estranged father has said his daughter got her racist ideas from "gangster rap" played at her school and accused his wife of being a Nazi -- an ideology he said he used to subscribe to as well.
The father also claims his right to freedom of expression is being violated. He is expected to appear in court next week.
With a report from CTV Winnipeg's crime reporter Kelly Dehn
Earlier today, the news of 'Nazi Mom's' arrest reached Stormfront. And, surprise surprise, the boneheads who post there tried to spin it in the most clumsy way imaginable:
Now, as funny as that was, get this:
Uhm, actually none of us have been convicted of a crime. And we suspect that most people reading this haven't been convicted of a crime, unless one count's traffic violations. Ironically, Jesus was convicted of a crime, hence his execution (hey, we never said the conviction), but we digress.
This is how these people think. However, and much to our surprise, Bill Noble actually offers an interesting perspective:
Actually, we suspected something was funny as well. 'Nazi Mom' wrote the following Facebook profile update on Wednesday before her arrest:
['Nazi Mom'] is sorry for causing all the bullshit... «ben and «i are working things out... he is not a woman beater that was a fucking misunderstanding that was cleared up by parties involved. We are in love, that is all. Again I apologize to everyone most espescially Ben. And Craig, I would never do porn with you... or anyone else for that matter... thanks... my feet are for Ben. I LOVE MY FROG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Messed up? We'd say so.
Let's all hope that this is an opportunity for the two children to be able to lead normal lives.
I find it hilarious that Bill Noble makes more sense when he's drunk than when he's sober.
ReplyDeleteI find it amusing the WN community goes to such lengths to rationalize the actions of their constituents. Hilarity ensues.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the mother's request proves that even the most socially dysfunctional are in fact capable of making good decisions. Perhaps this incident(s) will be a turning point. We can only hope...