May Activism Never Die

In the film (and book) Not Without My Daughter, Betty Mahmoody’s husband, Moody, takes her and their daughter, Mahtob, to his home country of Iran for what Betty believes to be a short visit. There, Moody undergoes a sudden and unexpected transformation into a controlling, vicious partner who goes to all lengths to make Betty stay in Iran. Moody has sole legal control of Mahtob in Iran, so Betty cannot legally remove her from the country. Betty has few rights, but at least she can leave if she wants to--alone. Moody and his family abuse Betty relentlessly. She stays with them for her daughter’s sake, accepting the abuse with the hope that some day she can find a way to smuggle herself and her daughter out of Iran. Of course, there’s a happy ending: Betty and Mahtob get out of Iran after much travail and sneakiness and arrive at a US embassy in Turkey. The testy Moody is never heard from again. Betty and Mahtob live happily ever after in the Land of the Free.

Today in Norfolk a woman, Sandra, is trying to gain custody of her daughter. Sandra happened to be born just south of the US border in a small Mexican town. Sandra’s husband, Francisco, happened to be born just north of the border in a large Texan city. They grew up in the same small Mexican town. They fell in love. Francisco, an American citizen, moved to Norfolk and got a job as a fisherman and then took Sandra there. She did not have paperwork from the United States government saying she could be in Norfolk. This, it turns out, makes all the difference for her daughter. A few months ago Sandra had to drive her knee into Francisco’s groin as he lunged at her with an ice pick. She had endured abuse in the past, and would show the black and blue photos to the judge, but Francisco really tried to kill her with that ice pick. Going before the judge, Sandra found out that the photos and witness statements meant little in comparison to her seemingly grave sin of lacking the United States’ permission to be in Norfolk. Too bad, said the judge. Too bad for you, but your daughter must live with her father--abuser or not. I don’t care if you are a loving mother, a capable caregiver. I don’t care that you are a hardworking taxpayer. I don’t care that Francisco is gone for weeks at a time on his boat, leaving your daughter in a trailer with his brother. The fact of the matter is that he gets her, because you do not have a piece of paper. Sandra can still hear the ice pick rattling to the floor. It’s almost as frightening as the sound of the judge’s gavel passing a sentence of cruel and unusual childhood for her daughter. Another happy ending in the Land of the Free.

Luckily, this might not be the end of the story. With help from pro bono attorneys, Sandra has a chance. For now, however, Francisco has their daughter. Support your local oppressed.