Every major study on the issue of domestic violence tells us that that women initiate serious spousal altercations as often as men do. We all know, without even depending on studies or reports, that mental health is not a gender problem either. The only major difference between men and women is that men are physically stronger than women. When all hell breaks loose in a dysfunctional family, we can predict who will probably win. But according to Judge Susan Block's recent editorial in the Post Dispatch, we should always blame husband and only provide legal protections for women.

Every major study on the issue of domestic violence tells us that the intact family is the lowest risk factor for all forms of serious abuse -- including domestic violence. This fact flies in the face of Judge Block's personal beliefs and judicial policy.

In her editorial, Judge Susan Block believes that husbands are responsible for 95% of domestic violence. This is a sexist attitude unbecome any human being -- but in particular, should be cause for disqualification of a judge. We would never allow courts to be run by known racists, and we should not allow courts to be run by admitted sexists.

Being a judge is not a right. It is an appointed position, requiring great public trust. Public safety demands fairness and justice under the law. Judges who publicly espouse such fundamental hatred or misunderstanding towards fathers should not be on the bench, much less presiding over a judicial district.

Vision for the Future

A 1998 Bureau of Justice report (cited in our handout below) informs us that 86% of serious domestic violence involves a spouse who has been drinking or drugging. It is a fact that the vast majority of serious domestic violence is a preventable and treatable disorder -- not a gender problem. In all truth, if we simply figured out who the chemical abuser was in troubled families, and got them into treatment, we could give many more children the decent family they deserve, or at least put them in the custody of the "clean" parent. We could protect the taxpayers from having to support 20 years of welfare and serious problems if we simply treated the root cause -- chemical abuse.

We reasonably demand that sexists not run our family courts. If you believe in Human Rights, you must reject sexism with the same determination that you reject racism. You can help our human rights cause by downloading the above handout, printing it out on legal size paper, and handing out copies of it at the courthouse anytime you have a few extra minutes in the Clayton area. If you are an attorney, we encourage you to network with other attorneys in forming a boycott of Susan Block. With teamwork we will win. Sexism is unacceptable in the courts, and nobody except the most radical of feminists will knowingly go along with it.