I don’t tend to believe in coincidences, nor do I consider it paranoia when somebody really is out to get you. And especially when my children are involved.
For new readers who may not yet fully understand my political views and philosophy, I think they are best summed up by the immortal words of late Reagan press secretary Lyn Nofziger, who famously said, “I don’t like government; it’s just that simple.”
Oh, and I don’t like labor unions any more than I like government.
Politically speaking, I’ve made a lot of enemies over the years.
So there I was around three o’clock yesterday afternoon - writing my national Muth’s Truths weekend column on the Westboro Baptist Church in the back room - when somebody knocked on our front door. A few minutes later my eldest daughter came back and said Momma Gia wanted me to come talk to the lady.
I walked outside - allowing our “vicious” puppy to scoot out the door and begin running around in circles chasing her tail in the driveway - and found my wife holding our baby in her arms with our daughter by her side talking to an older woman. My wife began explaining: “This lady is from Child Protective Services and she’s investigating an anonymously filed report that our kids were playing in the street with no shoes on and she wants to see the kids and inspect our house and…”
WHOA! Stop…right…there!
Gia, into the house. Kristen, into the house. Cujo-puppy, into the house.
If there’s one government agency that strikes more fear into the hearts of parents in this country than the Internal Revenue Service (which I’ve also had some unpleasant experience with), it’s Child Protective Services. These people have the power to take your children away from you, and their actions are often triggered by anonymous “tips.”
This is not to say there aren’t children out there who truly need the intervention and protection of CPS (in Nevada it’s actually CFS, for Children and Family Services), but they are nevertheless a government agency with an enormous amount of power. That someone sic’ed CFS on me anonymously was a threat I took DAMNED seriously.
So I told the woman, who was pleasant enough and just doing her job, that the conversation was over; that I had nothing further to say without my attorney present; and that no one was going to inspect my home or question my kids without a court order. End of discussion. Thank you for stopping by.
First things first: Call the lawyer. He said not to worry; just email him the contact information for the CFS investigator and he’d take care of it first thing Monday morning.
Next, remind the kids that they are not to talk to or go anywhere with strangers, ESPECIALLY if they say they’re from the government. With that, back to normal life.
Dropped the frightened 7-year-old off at Boys & Girls Club after assuring her that I wouldn’t let the government take her to “juvy hall.” Then took the 5-year-old, her friend and the baby to the Children’s Museum to get them out of Momma Gia’s hair for a couple hours. While there I read a few chapters of Jack Goldsmith’s book, “The Terror Presidency,” about how lawyers are gumming up the war on terrorists and inhibiting our soldiers’ ability to win.
Back home around 5:30 p.m. for a meeting with the lovely and talented Randi Thompson - the woman who made sure our recently-concluded Conservative Leadership Conference ran like clockwork - after which she’d be staying for dinner with the Muth clan.
Momma Gia left with the 5-year-old, her friend and the baby to Boys & Girls Club to pick up the 7-year-old and her friend, all of whom would be staying overnight at our humble abode for one of those slumber party things young girls seem to enjoy so much.
I had no sooner opened a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and poured Randi and I both a glass when there was a knock on the door. I figured it was another of the neighborhood kids who was coming over for the slumber party, but to my shock and surprise there were two uniformed sheriff’s deputies on the porch instead.
Nothing like answering the door and finding two police officers investigating a child welfare complaint with a glass of liquor in your hand!
Anyway, the officers informed me that the CFS woman had reported me to them and that they were there to see my kids and inspect my home to see if they had clothes, shoes and beds to sleep in. I was even told they wanted to look in my refrigerator to see if I had milk and food in the house.
OK. Now this…was…serious.
I informed the officers that the kids weren’t home; that my wife was out picking them up. I also informed them that I wanted to talk to my lawyer before letting them into my house. I knew I had the right to stop them from entering without a court order, but I also knew that in a matter dealing with children they would surely obtain one with no problem. It was simply a matter of letting them in now or letting them in later. Still, my inclination was to force the issue and wait for a court order.
As I was explaining that I suspected this was all a politically-motivated investigation due to my work, Momma Gia pulls up in the driveway with the kids. So much for waiting for a court order before letting the law see and inspect the children. Fortunately, when they emerged from the van they all had their shoes on for a change.
“Well, you may as well come in the house now,” I said.
As luck would have it, my wife had already pre-set the dinner table with our “fine china” because of the slumber party and because we always “put on the Ritz” when Aunt Randi comes over for dinner. There was a pot-roast in the slow-cooker on the counter and pots of corn on the cob, potatoes and gravy on the stove. And since Thursday was payday, we’d just come back from buying a couple hundred dollars worth of food and beverages from Costco. So Mother Hubbard’s cupboards were anything but bare when I opened them and the fridge for the deputies.
The girls’ room looked like a typical girls’ room - which, of course, means it looked like, in my mother’s words, a pig sty. But yes, my kids do have beds and there were even sheets, blankets and pillows on them.
Needless to say, the police officers were completely satisfied and let me know they would report positively back to CFS. On the way out the door, one of the officers noticed the picture of Ronald Reagan I have hanging in our entrance hallway and remarked, “What a great man.” That made me feel a little better. Not much. But a little.
I fully understand that the CFS worker and the police officers were just doing their jobs, and that any report involving child welfare needs to be taken seriously. But that doesn’t mean the whole incident didn’t scare the hell out of me. God help whoever filed this frivolous report thinking it was an funny or an appropriate payback - whether it was politically motivated or just some busy-body neighbor - if I ever find out who it was. Even the mafia draws the line at going after someone’s children.
OK, I’m outta here. Taking the kids for a LONG walk DEEP into the woods today. And this time, I’m going to make SURE none of them bring any doggone bread crumbs with them!
Posted on November 3rd, 2007 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: National
[…] read more here […]
I love how you handled this Chuck. So many people just let this agency run roughshod over them and their rights! Way to go!
Wow! Shocking and freightining.
I have my disagreements with you, but “Whoa” this is wild!
Since when are kids outside without shoes considered ‘at risk’?
Sorry to hear about this, Chuck.
It wasn’t me.
…..as I think about it, that USPS person could have seen your kids, outside without shoes. Payback?
Chuck, when you find out who filed the complaint you need to take them to court and sue the beejeepers out of them and possibly go after the faceless folks at cps for harrasing you, when there are real cases out there that get past over because no one cares enough!
Golly,
Growing up in Hawaii, we did not wear shoes (or in many cases, did’nt own shoes), until we reached the 7th grade! We only wore them starting in the 7th grade, and only to school because it was required then.
I agree with L.P. Daniels’ comments. Go get em !!!
I don’t like government either. But government with no oversight and unlimited power is the most scary. As you have discovered. The family courts 2nd tier system of law operates under this very assumption.
The contempt with which you were treated when you attempted to assert your god given rights illustrates this power grab most succinctly.
For more info on family court and parents rights and childrens rights visit our web site.
[…] The first story is chronicled here… the second, even scarier story is chronicled here. […]
On the other end of the stick from childrens services is the public guardians office. On the report of a neighbor they can confisticate your money and move any adult to care centers or mental hospitals for a “study” period. Both Childrens Services and The Public Guardians office need to be looked at. Can you help us here Bob?
Your essays are always excellent and set my aged blood boiling but this one has created a vesuvius sensation within my tired carcass which has nearly given up on the so called “human” race. Your response is outstanding and I (a mother of four, now fully grown, who often went barefoot as do I now, whatever the season, if the temperature permits … and am in my 78th year) will follow the battle avidly and with enormous gratitude. Eleanor Culberson
my computer and I are having a severe disagreement and I just found this looking “UNsent” … so will attempt to send it again. eleanor
[…] Such is the case with the recent political attack on Chuck Muth in Carson City, Nevada. The story begins with his first post about CFS showing up at his door. He explains in the post why this might have happened. I don’t tend to believe in coincidences, nor do I consider it paranoia when somebody really is out to get you. And especially when my children are involved. […]
No Shoes???? On the Streets? In November???? OMG You awful parent you! Do you know how may children suffer from third degree burns when going barefoot on a public street in November in Northern Nevada?? How dare you!
I bet that if we dig deep enough that we will discover that you allow them to go swimming in the same water as members of the opposite sex! You probably allow them to eat candy in school too you sick people you!
On top of it all you dare to require that enforcement officials follow the law while investigating? Oh the arrogance! You must certainly have something to hide.
Sad stories like these bring me to tears.. i started crying reading these because this is my life too, and that’s what i do when i find out i’m not the only one dealing with people who aren’t afraid to lie, and hurt and point fingers (singled out if you will ) to put food on their table and support their families is a very hard life to live and trying to stay cheerful when the chips fall and your left empty handed. to give anyone a good idea of this purposely inflicted pain my brother wrote this on my behalf because who knew me, and cared enough and see me for who i am, not made to look like… i’m not perfect, but not entirely at fault…..
The Systems Way : by Randall L
In a world of contradictions and malevolence,
a lone figure bares the brunt of countless assaults,
Singled out by past discretions not only of her making,
but continously penalized for being sentenced to a life
by the system.
From a young age forced from a family, by conditions that most would find appalling, and thrown into a den where she was taught to fear the
people who were suppose to ’save her’. Given no assitance once so ever she endures, through
years of mental and physical abuse.
Then one fine day she is blessed with a child and reunification with the family she should have known.
Only to be cast off again and left alone lost again in the world. Surprizingly she survives battered but not beaten. Once again she brings new life into her lonely world. Still the assaults continue on the young lady’s mind without any guidance to show her the difference.
She grits her teeth and pushes forward, The system hovers and circles waiting for the moment to strike. Another year another beautiful child enters, but not in her world. The sun does not rise and her days remind darkened, TIme passes, and with the ticking of the clock, she recieves a reprieve, Her reasons for continuing on, return.
With a new hope, she begings to take the world by the horns, begins following her own heart and evades the watchful eyes of the system for a time.
Although physically free, the past continues to haunt her life. One cold day in her life one child chooses to leave, due to the confinements of her personal freedom. Tearing at the emotional wounds that have never been given the chance to heal.
Then once again an angel comes to bless her.
Then madness attacks, and a man she shared her years with leaves her after committing a form of adultery that would digust. Once again she stands alone in the maelstrom. The system plots. The cards fall, and her family begins to crumble. within a short time, Her youngest is the on ly one still held.
The system hovers. Althought she tends to her youngest’s needs, both emotional and physical, correcting the mistakes she made from when she was without guidance.
Then within the following years she begings to renew the bond with two of her older children, and after a few brief moments with her one missing link, and continuous bariers. He is led to believe that he is not wanted. The system begings to keep surveillance upon her, and after increded scrutiny they found an excuse to tear her wourold apart. Now her time is spent suffering as she was taught, by the heartless world. No matter how much support she recieves.
I cry everytime i read this..he covered my whole history pretty good in his words.. But he is my brother and he was around for most of this.. He’s a great writer..
Enjoy Its a good read.. I WUV YA BRUDDER!!!!! O X O X O X O X O X
Emb!!
Hope you Enjoyed… Take Care Readers