A father responds to Rick Santorum

Dear Mr. Santorum,

I read and was aghast at your piece on fathers in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

I could not agree more with you that much of the problem in America's society stems from the lack of involvement of father's with their families.

But do you have any idea the obstacles the current custody "system" places on us to have anything to do with our children?

Do you have any idea of the financial burden placed on us to "prove" that we are worthy of raising our own children?

Do you have any idea of the utter lack of due process afforded us in our efforts to simply be with our children?

As a man of principle, you owe it to fathers to look into the holocaust of the American family as has been created by the custody courts in America today.

As a man of principle, you should be standing with those of us who have given so much just to see our children.

Any father who is not a criminal threat to his children should have the right to raise them half the time; and we should not be forced to prove (at great expense, and without child support paying an attorney to work against us) we are not criminals or monsters in order to have this right.

(name withheld)

PS I was a former faculty member at a prestigious university and nearly had my entire career destroyed for my simple attempt to prevent my daughter from being taken from me. I am a terrific father and would give everything for my child. How can you possibly be on the other side in these matters?