As many of you know, I have my issues with DSS and its Commissioner, Harry Spence. However, I have a new name for him now, “Fighting Harry” after the way he came out swinging at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Goons. [Called ICE or Heart of Ice, for short]. See http://www.boston.co…
For a taste of what I mean, Fighting Harry blasts ICE:
The commissioner of the Department of Social Services blasted Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials yesterday for repeatedly thwarting state social workers’ attempts to communicate with susptected illegal workers…and he accused the federal agency of “…turning around and misrepresenting reality.”
Another great quote:
Despite their insistence to the contrary, DSS Commissioner Harry Spence says that ICE has not cooperated, “They stopped us every step of the way,” an incensed Spence said yesterday. “ICE’s rehtoric has been completely different from the truth.”
So, my image is of Fighting Harry riding off into the Texas sun wearing a white hat. At least for today.
But then, even when I disagree with the policies and procedures Commissioner Spence has tried to institute at DSS, I am willing to grant him good intentions.
And his quality of hands on management and personal courage have certainly been on display in recent days.
Maybe if G.L. c.119 and G.L.c.210 were amended to actually require DSS to provide real services and concrete reasonable efforts to preserve families ….[rather than the current reign of terror that allows DSS to make secret backroom goal changes to adoption as a family goal…and the DSS practice of expedited adoption rather than serious commitment to family preservation that I see over and over]… and if only Harry Spence fought to preserve Massachusetts families with the same fire he has found in himself to fight ICE, I would call him a hero at home as well as in Texas.
See http://www.boston.co…
<
p>
Maybe what Harry feels is “I’ve been had”???
…Called ICE or Heart of Ice, for short
<
p>
That was about as dumb a name choice as Heimat Sicherheit–sorry, Homeland Security.
That was her formulation during her crusade to make coffee a comestible during airplane flights.
AmberPaw,
<
p>
Seems like you might be missing the obvious here.
<
p>
Harry Spence and DSS are only going at the Feds on this because it grabbed so much BUSINESS for them into immediate FEDERAL jurisdiction and towed it all out-of-state down to Texas. That’s ALL Mr. Spence is fighting here – his access to that large cache of children that his agency could sell out at a profit for adoption.
<
p>
Harry wants that baby-sellin’ business BACK in Massachusetts.
<
p>
Deval Patrick supposedly knew about the raid beforehand, and he has a history of being involved in similar issues on a Fed level. Could be that “someone” above little Harry and his family-bustin’ Mass DSS workers decided the business and the money should go to Texas – if so, what a BOLD way to enact it, huh?
<
p>
But in any event, don’t be confused:
<
p>
They ALL gots their black hats on in this movie.
<
p>
Millman
<
p>