Dear Editor,

Recently, I had an encounter with the child support district attorney, Cartledge Blackwell. I met with him seeking his help about a child support and visitation matter—my daughter’s mother is actively destroying my relationship with our daughter and a so called child support “debt” that’s hindering me from personal goals that will indirectly benefit my child like the purchase of a home someday—he wasn’t much help.In a lawyerly and disingenuous manner,he gave lip service to my efforts to try to be a part of my child’s life and referred me to a couple of his cronies but stressed his job was to enforce collections for his “client” the State Of Alabama.

The child support industry—yes industry Blackwell admitted it was in our meeting—is in dire need of reform.It’s sole mission has become one of hooking as many “deadbeat” dads—which is a myth by the way—into the system to get federal matching funds as it can and treats child visitation and custody as a “domestic” issue…which is lawyer speak for they don’t care.

Reform requires action.I doubt we’ll see much from Blackwell and his Department Of Human Resources.So it’s incumbent upon us fathers to do it through the vote and by speaking out.It’s the only way to change this corrupt and inefficient system.

Terry Lewis

Selma