Have you had experiences with certain individuals who always seem to come up with some excuse as to why they are not responsible for their actions or their inaction, breaking promises and just continue with negative behavior without regard to others? One of the consistent traits of such people is their willingness to blame everyone and everything else but themselves. Another trait is to make short term decisions that sacrifice the long term good. The excuse offered serves a three fold purpose, to justify the behavior, to continue negative behavior and most importantly to misdirect the listener from the central issue of making bad choices.

For those having to deal with fallout of irresponsible individuals, the first step in combating the excusatory behavior is zeroing in on the defacto admission of negative behavior the excuse is designed to cover up or justify. "It’s not my fault for being late to work, I don’t have a car." The admission is being late for work when it is their responsibility to make arrangements to be on time. Such people rarely have isolated events, they show a consistent pattern of behavior. In dealing with the person making the excuses, they must be directed at the negative behavior, the consequences for others and reminded this was not an isolated incident, i.e. they have shown a pattern of behavior indicating a conscious decision on their part. They of course will claim each circumstance was different, however, the effect is still the same. They must be redirected to take responsibility for their actions by not accepting further excuses.

The Family Court system has embedded itself with a whole series of excuses why equal treatment under the law does not apply to their proceedings. All these excuses are defacto admissions of bias on the basis of gender. We hear clever euphemisms designed cover up and justify the current pattern of behavior. This first starts with the denial of their actions through silence and stone walling on the issue of 90% of their custody decisions favoring one group, women. Their claims that they review each case on its merits despite coming to the same decision disportionately using precedence such as possession. Claiming the "tender years" doctrine as why women are chosen more often. Their utter silence on why it is that 70% of the prison population comes from broken homes, when single parented children only constitute 25% all children. Their deliberate misdirection when they claim children’s characters are formed by age seven when in fact the disproportionate outcome of single parenting does not fully manifest itself until years later in juvenile delinquency.

We remind judges and other court appointed personnel that the US Constitution is unequivocally clear in the 14th Amendment that all citizens are guaranteed equal treatment under the law and that also means the long term Best Interests of Children. The word contained in this amendment is the all important word "guarantee" not promise, which carries a very specific legal meaning. Guarantee means regardless of circumstance, exception, or in contract law – a force majure, that a result will occur in the manner proscribed. A promise can be broken under extenuating circumstances as interpreted by reasonable people. This guarantee means that all legal proceedings, with no exception, will be conducted without reference or consideration of an individual’s group. Groups such as gender, age, color, nationality, religion, or any other grouping an individual may be identified with others by common traits.

Judges are supposed to be the gatekeepers of the legal system, i.e. the guarantors. What good are the guarantees of the Constitution when the guarantors are unwilling through excuses to uphold the most basic tenet of the Law? How are we to achieve a just and fair society when it’s guarantors make excuses to justify discrimination?