Reflections on Fatherhood

It is a fact that every human on the planet is the creation of the joining of one male sperm and one female egg - or as the traditionalists maintain, one father and one mother.  It is also a fact that children who are raised by both their biological parents are far more likely to develop into a psychologically and emotionally healthy adult. It is my belief that every child should have the right to be raised by both his biological parents, regardless of whether they get along or not. Studies have shown over and over again that children who grow up with both parents do better at school, are far less likely to drop out of school, get into far less fights, are far less likely to join a gang or commit a violent crime. So why is it that fathers are practically ignored when it comes to custody arrangements?  My experience has led me to believe that Family Courts give much too much weight to the wants of the mother, and not enough to the needs of the child.  Fatherhood is a sacred responsibility, not a reward for good behavior. Unless the father presents an actual and verifiable physical danger to his child, he should be encouraged  and allowed to spend as much time as he can with his child, not denied because the mother doesn't like him. Mothers who restrict or prevent fathers from being with their children are hurting the child, and should not be allowed to do so. The trouble is, with good lawyers being so expensive, only the wealthy dads have the means to fight for their rights and those of their children. It disgusts me that this issue is such a difficult one to resolve. Mothers can make damning statements to a judge about fathers,  with or without evidence to support them, true or not, with no investigation into the veracity, and judges will still lean on the side of the mother. And we wonder why there are so many deranged people out there.