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HOULTON, MAINE - The Military Street Baptist Church, joined by several area churches. community leaders and Maine Dads, will resume a prayer demonstration in support of Wayne and Jackie Pierce this Thursday (Nov. 13) at 8 a.m. at the Houlton (ME) District Court. Judge David Griffith's order that "picketers" stay away from his court was ignored last week when more than 100 arrived on Thursday morning, Nov. 6 (Double the number of the previous week!). The event continues to draw television and media coverage despite the efforts on the part of the Department of Human Services to silence the press. Members of the Pierce family have been threatened by Judge Griffith for seeking to clear their name and the manager of the Houlton DHS office has sent a threatening letter to Pastor Randall Burns, minister of the Military Street Baptist Church. Both the Bangor Daily News and the ABC-TV affiliate covering the event have been directly contacted by the DHS and told to back off from the story. To date, neither have done so. Judge Griffith, faced with a growing crowd of community leaders demanding that the DHS show trial be halted, has issued a gag order forbidding anybody involved with the star chamber proceeding from talking about what's happening behind the closed courtroom doors. Judge Griffith's gag order, issued at the request of the DHS, effectively take the heat of DHS Commissioner Kevin Concannon and Governor Angus King to answer the department's critics. While the DHS has cited confidentiality concerns in refusing to answer questions about the witch-hunt, the Maine legislature earlier this year passed legislation explicitly exempting Commissioner Concannon from confidentiality rules so that he could respond to department criticisms. With the gag order in place and the DHS leaning on the press, state officials hope to prevent the public from learning the truth about the DHS hysteria fanning attacks on biological parents. It is important that concerned clergy, professionals and the public continue to show support for the community of Houlton as residents seek to derail an abusive judge and a renegade social service agency. Houlton is located off I-95 in northern Maine. If possible please try to be there on Thursday, Nov. 13. Your presence is needed. If you can't attend but would like to send a message of support (maybe a petition) please e-mail to Maine dads at medads@gwi.net Join Maine Dads. Visit our Website http://www.gwi.net/~medads/ and download the membership form today. |
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