Ex-gay fugitive from justice Lisa Miller continues to violate Virginia and Vermont court orders that she comply with the visitation rights of former partner and co-mother Janet Jenkins.
As Truth Wins Out has previously reported, since 2004 Miller has worked with religious-right activists to undermine U.S. family law by demanding a special right of ex-gays and religious extremists to move from state to state to escape their family obligations. Had she succeeded, the ability of U.S. states to enforce custody and deadbeat-dad laws could have been damaged.
But on June 6, the Virginia Supreme Court upheld Vermont’s jurisdiction over her former partnership and the resulting child.
The Liberty Counsel vowed to find other ways to sidestep the nation’s laws, but on Oct. 27, Miller’s case returns where it belonged from the start: In Vermont, the state from which Miller fled justice in the first place.
Vermont courts are virtually certain to uphold earlier rulings in favor of Jenkins’ visitation rights.
Now the Liberty Counsel, Concerned Women for America, and antigay activist Peter LaBarbera are launching a scare campaign and a political mobilization. They warn that on Oct. 27, a Vermont judge might strip Miller of custody due to her persistent and continuing violations of family law and court rulings in two states.
Total loss of custody seems unlikely to me. However, even if it were likely, Miller can pre-empt that loss — and end her career as a fugitive — by respecting law, order, morality, and the welfare of her child.
Or, she can continue to act illegally and use her child as a pawn in a religious-right political war against family values. If she continues, then perhaps it is appropriate that Miller temporarily lose custody until she stops using her child as a political pawn — and starts obeying laws which exist to protect children from fugitive and deadbeat parents.
Far from being persecuted victims, Miller and her allies have become habitual offenders against family values and the rule of law. They are not Christian — they are egomaniacs who believe they are above compliance with any law.
One way or another, Isabella deserves better parenting than she has received thus far.
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I don’t understand your comment in the heading of your webpage “and the ex-gay myth”? I don’t have strong opinions either way on these issues but I do have a friend that was formerly gay but is happily married with kids in a monogamous marriage now. What is the myth about that and what makes you the definitive all-knowing expert on a very difficult subject?
Comment by Eric — January 5, 2010 @ 4:32 pm
Well, Eric….experience is what forms my opinion, what is the rational basis for yours, other than believing the tale of a friend?
Your assumption that your friend is in a monogamous marriage and used to be gay is likely wishful thinking on your part.
We’ve heard the ex-gay spiel many times before, and it usually is a myth. In any case, people who have claimed to have gone from gay to straight don’t have much credibility.
http://www.truthwinsout.org/scandals-defections/
And, since you are fond of experts, I suggest you read what the actual experts do say:
http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/2009/08/3706/
Ex-gay = Consumer Fraud.
Comment by Wayne Besen — January 5, 2010 @ 4:41 pm
Eric, most of the ex-gay leaders now admit, when pressured, that they haven’t lost their sexual orientation at all (they phrase it dishonestly and unscientifically), but that they simply repress it.
It’s unhealthy and it hurts families.
Comment by Evan Hurst — January 5, 2010 @ 4:45 pm