DEFIANT DADS ~ Father's Rights Activists in America ......... by Jocelyn Elise Crowley

 

Brief overview by Tom Padget, Vice-President

See Tom's story:  http://www.kyfathers.org/stories/tompadgett.htm

 

The author of this book appeared as a guest on FOX New's Hannity & Colmes program on November 12, 2008.  Interestingly enough, she is the wife of Alan Colmes, a Co-Host of the this edgy right vs. left program.  During this show, she admitted to being "very liberal" consistent with her husband's political and world views.  When pressed by Sean Hannity, she responded, "Every day I get up and think how can I be more liberal than yesterday!"  Also when inquired why she had retained her maiden name Crowely vs. taking Alan's last name of Colmes, she retorted, "During the 1960s and 1970s, there was this thing they called 'the womens' movement'!"

 

Ms. Crowley went on to say she voted for Senator Obama as President, and joked about her departure from more traditional values.  While one's political and social orientations should not effect an adult being a good parent, writer, or author, it might lend reasons to slant reporting all facts of a particular subject.  I think this is important for any reader to keep in mind as they read this book.  I did not find any references to her own personal experiences in parenting or child-rearing. 

 

The book Defiant Dads itself, does deliver a wealth of information, almost clinical-like research, and a host of interviews with fathers who have struggled with the system that too often has the cards stacked against them.

It is not a secret that most father's group emerge with intense interest in supporting their children both emotionally and physically as well as financially.

 

My major criticism of this book is far too much time and text is devoted to money (financial child support,) rather than emotional support and physical contact from fathers.  This doesn't come as a surprise since she is also the author of the book ~The Politics of Child Support in America.~  She references Parent Alienation Syndrome (PAS) on only three pages of her 306 page book.

 

I would recommend that all national, state, and local FATHER'S groups get a copy of this book.  This is not that I feel she has the best interests of children and families as a primary focus, but rather she does offer some telling insight as to some of the mistakes that some father's groups make thus compromising their being taken seriously.

 

Lastly, I would question some of her information-gathering, and hope that some other person (or group) would do some extensive fact-checking against her claims and alleged findings.

 

Defiant Dads was published in 2008 by Cornell University Press, New York & London

 

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