The Little Brown Reader

Alabama LP Release: Libertarians call for Fuller’s resignation

PRESS RELEASE

Libertarian Party of Alabama • 2330 Highland Ave • Birmingham, AL 35205
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For more information contact:

Stephen P. Gordon
Vice Chair, LPA
(256) 227-8360
stephen@gordonnet.net

-or-

Jonny Letson
Huntsville District Chair, LPA
(256) 603-2824
jonlet@twintronix.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Libertarians call for Fuller’s resignation

Huntsville - October 26, 2003 - North Alabama libertarians are calling for either answers from, or the removal of, Bill Fuller as the Commissioner of State Department of Human Resources (DHR). Huntsville District Chair of the Libertarian Party of Alabama (LPA) Jonny Letson states, "Bill Fuller, in showing no expression of urgency or major concern in an undelayed reuniting of Marta Alonzo and her infant son, causes me, and I am sure, many other parents, to feel he is lacking in his abilities to act as commissioner over a children's welfare service."

The DHR has become involved in the case of Marta Alonzo, a working Guatemalan mother and her infant son, Javier. For months, Marta, probably aged around seventeen, and Javier, who just turned one, have been placed in separate foster homes. There have been no allegations of child abuse made in this case. Until yesterday, there had be no mention of neglect.

Baby Javier was taken from his home in February while has mother was at work. Two women reportedly walked by the baby’s uncle, who was babysitting, and removed the Javier from his house. The baby had, at this time, just begun treatment for scabies by Dr. Ernie Hendrix.

After the child was taken to the local hospital, he was unnecessarily treated for scabies again, and would have been released from the hospital, if not for the intervention of one of the women who reportedly took the baby from his home.

At this point the DHR became involved. District Judge Jeanie Anderson ordered the Alonzo family to be split up and placed in separate foster homes. There is ongoing debate as to whether the Alonzo’s civil and other legal rights have been violated.

Alonzo was provided a Spanish interpreter, and not one in her native tongue of the Joyabaj dialect of K’iche’ Maya. This is a native American language which has no relationship to Spanish. According to Helen Rivas, an activist for the Hispanic community and an expert on Maya culture, "This girl has never had the opportunity to defend herself or her actions in her own language."

Mike Gibson of the DHR defends the translations with, "We believe in this case Spanish was the appropriate language."

Decatur Attorney Clint Brown wonders how she can communicate with her attorneys. He adds that cases like this illustrate why the Civil Rights Act mandates that any agency which uses federal funding, such as DHR, must provide clients written notice in their primary language of their right to an interpreter.

The Athens News-Courier reports that Alonzo has signed letters written K’iche’ Maya, English and Spanish requesting that she be represented by Brown.
Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Abuse Protection Reform, maintains that the state has flagrantly violated the R.C. consent decree if the child was removed from his mother with no evidence of abuse or neglect. Wexler added, "And you absolutely never remove a child [from his mother] just because the child’s poverty is being confused with child neglect."

Rivas agrees with Wexler’s assessment, saying, "We cannot take children away from the poor."

Fuller said that he spoke with Alonzo and that she was happy with her court-appointed attorney, Brian Jones. He also said that she cannot choose her own lawyer because she is a minor. Fuller also denied a request from Brown to meet with him.

Brown responded, "We're talking about something as basic as the right to confer with the counsel of your choice."

The Birmingham News reported yesterday that Fuller said the baby was "in such bad shape from neglect" that he was admitted to the hospital. However, the Decatur Daily states that Dr. Hendrix reported that the baby was healthy and there were no signs of the abuse and neglect that usually are cited as reasons for removal of a child. Hendrix also reports that Marta took meticulous care of the baby, who was in good health other than the scabies.

Before being silenced by Judge Anderson, Hendrix detailed his version of the story in the Athens Times-Courier. This accounting is available on the internet here. As Hendrix is now under a gag order, citizens must trust public officials, such as Commissioner Fuller to provide accurate and complete information regarding the case.

The Birmingham News reported that Fuller said, "These DHR caseworkers on the [February] 26th saved his life. There's no question but that he was in imminent danger."

The American Academy of Dermatology states scabies is caused by a mite, and the most significant symptom is serious itching. It is quite common, with an estimated 300 million cases worldwide each year. According to the American Social Health Association, scabies does not usually cause anything more than discomfort and inconvenience. Occasionally, secondary bacterial infections may occur due to aggressive scratching, they add.

Tony Cheek, Libertarian and web master for the el Jaguar internet site agrees with the medical experts, stating, "The kid probably had better chances of being killed by a falling meteor while in his crib."

Stephen Gordon, LPA vice chair stated, "Bill Fuller seems to have had the power to reunite the Alonzo family for some time, and has not done so. I am sure that Fuller would not tolerate such DHR delay had he been separated from his baby for over half a year."

"Clearly, this case of scabies was not life-threatening," said Gordon. "No allegations of child abuse have been made. Fuller needs to immediately provide sufficient information to substantiate his claim that the life of the child was spared by DHR actions, or resign from his office as a consequence of his statement and the refusal of the DHR to allow a breast-feeding baby the comfort of his own mother."

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Additional information: http://al.lp.org/alonzo.htm

Most recent updates:

News: http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/106707334833691.xml

Editorial: http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/opinion/editorials/031026a.shtml

From the platform of the Libertarian Party:

We believe that families and households are private institutions, which should be free from government intrusion and interference. Children [in this case, Marta Alonzo] always should have the right to establish their maturity by assuming administration and protection of their own rights, ending dependency upon their parents or other guardians, and assuming all responsibilities of adulthood. We call for repeal of all "children's codes" or statutes which abridge due process protections for young people.