Outraged WND readers support Jackson family

Jackson family portrait taken while Army Maj. John Jackson was deployed in Iraq in 2010

WND readers are leaping to the defense of John and Carolyn Jackson, homeschooling Christian parents whose children were taken away in April 2010 by the N.J. Division of Youth and Family Services.

WND has reported this week on the history and current status of the case, and Thursday afternoon’s court “gag order” forbidding the Jacksons to communicate with the media.

Several readers have already called on N.J. Gov. Chris Christie to intervene on the Jacksons’ behalf, and others are offering legal assistance.

Telephone operators at the governor’s offices acknowledged that Christie has received numerous phone calls about the Jacksons and is aware of the family’s plight. A Christie spokesman told WND that Christie has no comment. “We cannot comment on an ongoing DYFS case,” the spokesman explained.

One WND reader asked how readers can help the Jacksons:

Your article about Army Maj. John Jackson’s family was a sad eye opener. I have a suggestion. Why don’t you let readers know what they can do to help? Would it be helpful if the state governor was bombarded with letters/emails/phone calls in regard to this issue? If so, then let us know!

Other readers have already found that contacting Gov. Christie is effective.

Catherine Crabill, a Virginia mother who home schooled her own children, has posted WND stories about the Jacksons on her Facebook page and is urging friends to contact Christie.

“I tried to imagine myself and my husband in that situation, how desperate and horrified we would be, and how much we would appreciate having an army of fellow Christians and homeschoolers stand up for us. I wanted to be part of that army for the Jacksons,” Crabill told WND.

Crabill described Christie as “a responsive, engaging and reasonable man” who will respond to public cries for action.

“I was pleased when Christie stood up for the young man who had legal weapons and ammunition, but was convicted when New Jersey threw the book at him,” said Crabill.

Crabill was referring to the Brian Aitken case. Aitken was sentenced to seven years in prison for having two legally owned, unloaded guns packed in his car trunk while he was in the process of moving to New Jersey, where gun laws are extremely strict. Christie commuted his sentence.

Another home schooling parent wrote:

As a home school father, I appreciate the article about what this family is going through. I will be praying for them. Please keep us updated on this story and if there is anything we can do to put pressure on the NJ authorities please let us know.

Here’s how two more readers reached Christie:

I just contacted Governor Christie about this matter through this link: http://www.nj.gov/governor/contact/
asking that he take a look at this case, as he recently did with the Brian Aitken case, and see if there is anything he can do to reunite these children with their family, or at least allow the family to practice their Christian faith together. It might be worthwhile to ask others to do this as well, politely, of course, since there IS strength in numbers.”

Another reader who emailed Christie received a quick response.

Dear Governor Christie,

I am writing to you to report an alleged injustice by the NJDYFS that was reported in the e-mail news outlet WorldNetDaily. As the report begins, “It’s every parent’s nightmare…

I believe that this case is one that you should review, as it alleges anti-religious bigotry and constitutional first amendment infractions by NJDYFS. Please investigate NJDYFS in this matter, and correct any injustice that you may find.

Thanks for you consideration on this matter. Although I was so pleased to see your election victory, I never thought that I would actually communicate with you. However, when I saw this matter described in the news, I thought that I needed to speak up.”

Christie thanked him and provided contact information: “NOTE: You can also contact Governor Christie by writing to the Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 001, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0001, or by calling (609) 777-2500.”

The WND reader added: “I will also include the Jackson family, and their quest for reunification, in my prayers (despite the wishes of NJDYFS).”

Two readers representing parents’ rights organizations weighted in, and one offered legal help:

And again, absolutely normal CPS behavior. They call this sort of case a “High Risk Case”. Not a risk to the children, mind you- but a risk to CPS having their damnable dirty deeds nationally exposed.

Leonard Henderson, co-founder
American Family Rights
http://familyrights.us
“Until Every Child Comes Home”©

and

Have Army Major John Jackson contact me about getting his children back from NJ Division of Youth and Family Services immediately.

He can contact me at the below e-mail.

I have successfully used state petitions for writ of habeas corpus to get children back in similar cases when even the parents’ lawyers said it wouldn’t work.

Now these same lawyers are using my writ of habeas corpus for their own use.

I am a constitutional law and family law paralegal and fathers’ rights consultant.

Bruce Eden, Civil Rights Director
DADS (Dads Against Discrimination)–New Jersey & New York Chapters
Fathers’ Rights Consultant
Constitutional law & Family law Paralegal-Consultant
[email protected]
www.dadsamerica.org

Another reader offered to help with legal expenses:

We were very disturbed by the article you wrote about the Jackson family. My husband wanted me to ask you a question. Has there has been a legal aid fund set up for the family’s expenses? If so, can you forward and/or print online the information so we and others can help this family?

At present no legal aid fund exists for the Jacksons. WND will print the contact information if a fund is established.