For those of you living in Tinton Falls, you may know this story of a local man whose son has essentially been kidnapped by Brazil (my interpretation of the facts). Eight-year-old Sean Goldman, son of David Goldman, has been in Brazil ever since 2004. A story on FOX News gives a brief description of how the young boy came to be where he is today:
Sean’s mother took him on vacation to Brazil in June 2004, but instead of returning to New Jersey, she divorced David Goldman and remarried in Brazil. She died last year, but Sean’s stepfather continues to raise him in South America and claims custody rights.
Pretty ridiculous, huh? Thankfully, the House of Representatives passed a resolution yesterday calling for the boy to be brought back home as soon as possible. Also, President Obama is meeting with the Brazilian President today and among the topics they will talk about is the Goldman case. This seems like a no brainer to everyone who hears the details of the case as cited above. Sean Goldman should be brought home and his father should be the one who raises him, not the stepfather who drew his mother away from his father in the first place.
If our top diplomats – as human beings – can’t manage to get Sean back with his father, then how can anyone believe that there is any hope left for common sense and decency in this world? The kid should be home with his dad, period.
If the boy is ordered to be brought back and the Brazilian government has agreed to cooperated, why can’t someone just go get him? Why can’t the our president with his officials demand him over after their meeting? It is a slap in the face that they don’t take the US seriously and the US should stop doing any kind of business with the Brazilians.
They could do something to bring Sean and the other 65 children held in Brazil home. I guess that 3000 children that have
been abducted is not a big enough number to require firm action from our government. International law says the child must be returned within 6 weeks to the country of habitual residence. Not happening. Left behind parents are left emotionally and financially bankrupt just fighting for their own children. New International child Prevention and Abduction act of 2009 HR3240 sits with only 24 co-sponsors. Shameful that American children lose again as only The Honorable Congressman Chris Smith seems to really get it on how really devastating it is for these parents to live in pain and without much hope as our government puts these children on the back burner. Don’t want to rock the boat as non compliant countries continue to greatly benefit from trade, billions of dollars to drill for oil. But no human decency from the powers that be to let this continue year after year with no hope for real help for these parents.