Gun-owning family needs help keeping their kids

[roguetek]

wally- it's the whole moral relavatism thing.

 

[sammoh]

The title of the thread caught my eye. I have three kids. I'm divorced. My ex-wife was a crazy little woman. She kinda scared me. All that said and done, during the year and a half I was going through a divorce and child placement/custody negotiations, I didn't buy anything that wasn't necessary to conserve my funds. Those 18 months saw me with making no gun purchase, no ammunition purchases, trips to the range were limited to a max of once a month, I went a few months without firing a single round at all, my tv died and I went to Wal-Mart and purchased a 23" tube tv for $99. I didn't buy a big screen tv even though I had the funds for it at the time. I also needed a new computer for work. I went to a local retailer and purchased a $400 POS laptop so I could use it for work. During Christmas, I usually gave many expensive gifts as I worked in a position I could afford to do so to my friends and family. I didn't do that during those 18 months. I had my kids make christmas presents from crafts and stuff, I gave just cards with photos of the kids and myself and asked everyone's patience and forgiveness for my lacking of gifts that year.

Luckily for me, the divorce did not cost me nearly as much as the Byrnes said their litigations are costing them. My ex and I settled peacefully regarding the kids. I guess I was extremely lucky there.

What I'm saying though is that yes, hindsight is 20/20 but foresight is more important than hindsight. They knew they were going to end up having a court battle. They knew they were going to have to fork over large sums of money. The big screen tv, even at half price, was an unnecessary buy. Same with giving away 7 computers? Buying and keeping 3 for themselves? What about guns, did the gun hobby go by the wayside? Did the trips to the ranges drop in frequency or stop altogether? Trips to conventions?

All things money considered, what about what the children are being taught? I'm not saying that people aren't allowed to teach their children the things that are expressed in the Byrnes' site but is it really helping them at all to teach them that? That's hatred. I'm not muslim nor am I christian. I'm also not white. Being asian and growing up in a strictly white community, I experienced that same kind of hate. I don't hate whites though, I love whites. My girlfriend and the mother of my new baby is white. I have friends who are christian (most of them are) and I have a few friends who are muslims. When we all get together, noone fights, noone is throwing out verbal trash at one another. We just accept that we all believe in something different. We also accept we're all there as friends. Its the same kind of radical activism in the ranks of the muslim world that stirs up thoughts of jihad and terrorism. We don't need to foster that same radical activism and hatred here. Do we really want a religious war between the two largest religions in the world? Above all, do we really want to teach our kids that people who believe in the same god we believe in, just with different methods of worship are so evil, so bad that they need to be persecuted and hunted?

I empathize with your situation, Mr. and Mrs. Byrnes. I really do. I'd hate to have to go through that situation myself but I really can't give you any sympathy or support. I believe you've managed to dig yourselves into a hole that had been started and is being perpetuated by a jealous and perhaps sociopathic ex. I am not saying I condemn you, I'm just saying (from experience mind you - I've made major mistakes in life and if you really want to know what kind pm me and I'll elaborate outside of this thread) that previous failures to consider the broader spectrum of your situation has helped in bringing you to where you are now. I'm also saying that while I'm not going to demand that you raise your children in a certain way, the things you do and the things you teach them are going to come back to bite you in the rear if the courts catch wind of these.

All things said, I guess I'm just trying to say (with more words than perhaps necessary) that I feel for you and your children but I can't give you my support, emotionally or monetarily. Kudos to you that you were able to raise so much money so soon. That shows you have many friends and also proves that it is completely true, people react primarily based on emotion. I can't afford to react based on emotion otherwise I'd be sending you my next paycheck.

I'll close with a bit of advice (feel free to disregard this if you want). You've made your mistakes. Learn from them. It seems as though your litigations are far from over and plan as such. Don't spend any more money on guns. Don't buy any more ammo unless you're in real and present danger of being attacked or invaded. Don't buy any more electronic toys. Save all of that money for the kids. In fact, if times get tough, sell your guns, not all of them. At one time, I'd sold all of my guns save for my one 1911 so that I could use the money to feed and clothe my daughter (at that time, my only child.) If I were ever in that situation again, I'd gladly sell my firearms, my swords and anything else of mine I had to sell to care for my kids. If you truly love and cherish them, sacrifice for them.

Be well, be safe and may your god shower you with his grace.

Sam

 

[Combat Controller]

As I stated in my earlier post, I don't agree with some of Chris's ways of expressing himself. This does not make him a drunk or a redneck though. The comments on this thread about Team Infidel are some chickens coming home to roost for sure, but a number of folks who actually know Chris, vs. what they see on the internet are still helping him out. Why would that be if he was not an upstanding fellow? Chris is not a wenzel, he is a man who loves his wife and her children immensely, and is reaching out for some help.

If you find that it does not suit you to donate, for whatever reason, that is your choice. If you must debate his choice of expression and use it to sway your thinking, fine. To wish that Mel's kids be taken by an abusive man who has lost his case three times already, and is heading for a final fourth and final time.... What kind of person are you? The fact that several judges do not see fit to even award joint custody, the kind of thing that even crack heads often get.? What does that say about the biological father? Are you so depraved that it seems like a logical and sane alternative?

I am a moderator on another gun board, and perhaps it is because we are a smaller community we maintain standards that are tighter than THR can. Still, the mods have left this thread up, and lots of folks have jumped in to speak up for Chris, that must say something about the man's credibility.

For those that have helped the family, thank you.

 

[AndyC]

Chris and Melody have my moral support in this - I really feel for you guys and hope you win your case quickly and with little further expense.

While I wish I could do more (about to go back to school so money's a real issue right now), I have to say that I for one could care less about the issues muddying the water that give some here an excuse to yap.

 

[Autolycus]

I am not saying that the children should go to an abusive ex or anything but I am very skeptical of what is written and said by both parties in a divorce. So I should believe them because it is written on a blog. I am sorry but divorce and child custody are very emotional things and I am skeptical about what any parties say in these cases.

I have seen numerous threads on different gunboards about how ex-wives and ex-girlfriends say all kinds of things to get their ex-husbands and ex-boyfriends in troublel. So I should believe this woman because her current husband is pro-gun. I am sorry but that dog don't hunt.

Perhaps the kids could go to an orphanage, a foster home, or some other facility where they will not be safe.

Sammoh: I found your post to be excellent and well thought. I wish I had the ability to post my thoughts as clearly as you do.

Roguetek: You are correct in that Islam is not a race. So how about bigoted people? In my first post I did not use the word racist but I did use it in my example. You never answered my question though. Would you want children to be raised by people who are bigoted and xenophobic? They go shooting then they go drinking afterwards? Please answer the question.

I dont want to punish anyone except the bad parents. I especially do not want to punish the children. However I dont feel that the kids are safe in that home. I admit that I was unaware of the abusive nature of the ex-husband. Truly they are the victims in this particular case. Perhaps they would be better off in the hands of the state, or a relative who is proven to have made better choices?

 

[Flintlock Tom]

I have met with, shot with and eaten with both Chris and Melody. I find them both to be as upright, straightforward and honest as anyone I have known. At times I have found Chris to be an insufferable know-it-all but I would stand back to back with him in a fight any time.

Donation sent.

 

[Combat Controller]

Well, if you won't take a bunch of peoples word on it, people who know the Byrne's, and people who know the whole story, then reading select excerpts from a blog are certainly not going to convince you.

To suggest the children are not safe, well... Unpopular speech is just that. Chris is not xenophobic, racist, rarely drinks, and is a open and friendly guy. He was very pissed a number of years ago. He has moved on, but at least has the integrity to leave all the stuff up, warts and all for people see. I personally found the whole incident appalling, and I am an atheist. Further, he has refound his faith since then, something a closer look at his writings would show. Yet I still support him and his family. It is easy to cast aspersions, harder to dig down and find the facts. Since you don't have a clue what's going on, and don't seem to want to, I post this in response to those who read your words as a rebuttal.

I do agree with your point that both parties in a custody battle will say all kinds of things, but as someone "in the know", I can assure you that the ex is what has lately been called a "toxic person". They really are out there, and he is really one. Hence my pubic defense of my friend.

I admit at first blush Chris's writings can be taken badly, but he has written more on the subject and it has been passed over for the quick judgment. Those with a discerning eye will understand where he was coming from at that point in his life.

You don't know me from Adam, nor Chris, so not taking stuff on faith is fine. To support and advocate loss of his children is disgusting.