Rifqa Bary's parents and their CAIR lawyer are furious: Apparently Rifqa's keepers with Franklin County Children's Services lifted her isolation to some extent after she was declared a dependent of the State of Ohio. We now learn (from their furious reaction) that during these ten days she was even--I know this will shock you--allowed to go to church. Can't have that.
So they are "going back on" the deal for her to be a dependent of the State of Ohio until she turns 18. What does this mean? I don't know. Can they just throw the dependency into question like that by sheer fiat? Their demands now include a full-blown dependency trial, which they had previously waived, and the removal of her present guardian ad litem and court-appointed attorney. Y'know, it's a funny thing the way Rifqa's GALs and court-appointed attorneys, whatever their limitations and faults, are never willing to enforce what her parents want. I think she must be a very lovable girl.
This poor girl, in her senior year of high school, once again doesn't know what the future will bring. I thank God that her isolation was lifted for a short while. These things can be changed on a day-to-day basis, and who knows if the case goes to trial whether she will be returned to isolation.
Heageny has the story here.
Atlas Shrugged readers are asking questions of Atlas-friend lawyer John Jay to get his take on this latest development. That will make it worth reading the comments thread there, at least for me. I'll pass on what I glean for those who don't read Atlas.
Her parents really don't want her to be a Christian, do they?
ReplyDeleteRe her GAL's and attorneys, if this girl's conversion is real, if she is "stubborn" in the faith, let's say, and persistent in her witness to her own convictions, such sincerity is bound to win some sympathy, even from bureaucrats and lawyers. Let's hope it prevails.
The lawyer who comments at Atlas seems to think that the lawyers for the parents are going to have an uphill battle getting the court to set aside its dependency judgment and hold a whole trial on dependency. Hope he's right. He's of course having to rely on the newspaper account to conjecture what sort of motion was actually filed.
ReplyDeleteI think we can take it that her conversion is real! She was willing to be a modern martyr. God forbid, but it may still come to that.
Thank you so much for carrying Rifqa's story. This cannot be swept under the media rug for America's sake and for the sake of our dear sister in Christ, Rifqa Bary.
ReplyDeleteThanks, One More. We who support Rifqa are just hanging on, praying, and waiting for the fat lady to sing on this one. Because she pled guilty to the "unruly child" charge, there is _some_ sense in which the court has some sort of jurisdiction over her until she is 21! But John Jay (Pamela Geller's lawyer reader) assures all the readers that this does not mean that the court can keep her locked up after that, that she will be an adult with full adult freedom and rights at that point, etc.
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope so. The parents have such a hatred for the Lorenzes (who sheltered her when she fled) and seem to find it so hard to believe that they can't control her every move and all her Christian contacts that I wouldn't put it past them to try to get some crrrazy restraining orders put through even after she's 18. But hopefully they will fail. Her birthday is August 10.