* Re "Lifestyles and New Wives Should Come After Kids," Opinion, June 13:
I believe in equal rights for all children, women and men. In today's world, most families need two incomes to survive. It is no less necessary that both parents work to support their children after a divorce. Unfortunately, a large number of divorced women choose not to work, though capable. They choose to live off of spousal and child support and then complain that it is too low. They use their children as weapons in both the Legislature and the courts to fight for more money from their ex-spouses. Since the courts award physical custody to mothers in approximately 90% of all cases, women's groups rarely look at the equities in custody awards. If they did and they were honest, they would see that many loving, capable fathers are denied custody just because of their sex.
Should a non-custodial parent (Dad) remarry a working woman, her wages are added to his child support compilation. Never mind that she may have children of her own to support. These children are not even mentioned in any statutes or legislation. A part of their mother's salary is, in effect, taken and given to another child. The new spouse's children are treated as nonentities. Let them starve and go without necessities.
