Lisa Wu Hartwell to Keith Sweat: Gimme the Kids!

mkrob.com says:

I wonder how Ed feels about Lisa wanting her other two children.

anon says:

Hartwell’s children “lacked structure in their lives, due in substantial part to Mother’s numerous business ventures and frequent trips out of town…”

While I am in no position to speak to Judge Wright’s other claims, I do find it troubling that a woman is being upbraided by a judge for attempting to pursue a career. Assuming this Judge Wright has children of her own, what structure is/was she able to provide to her children given the often overwhelming caseloads that many judges must contend with? How much time did she spend away from her own children preparing for court and attending to cases? And did this result in a problematic “lack of structure” for her children? Black women simply cannot win. Sit at home and you’re either a loafing welfare queen who’s a piss poor example to her children, or a lazy gold digger interested only in lunching and dispensing with your husband’s money. God forbid that you have ambition and cultivate a career, because then you’re selfish and and demonized for not dedicating a sufficient amount of attention to your children. I find it hard to believe that a man in Hartwell’s positon would be chastised for these same supposed work/family life imbalances.

Birgit says:

I wouldn’t let my kids appear on a reality show either. What does it accomplish? But to each her own.

Bianca says:

Reading this article, I have to agree with Clnmike. Although it may not have been Mrs. Hartwell’s intention (trying to give her the benefit of the doubt here..work with me LOL) it does seem that she only wants her boys back for the “reality show”. No where in the article does it states that she can provide better care for her children than Mr. Sweat. Again, I agree with Clnmike; no judge will take a child (or children) away from a mother unless there was evidence stating otherwise. The judicial system will beat a brother down by a manipulative baby mother without much proof (in a lot of cases…just ask 50 cent’s baby mother…and countless others that are doing right).

Ally says:

@Anon. You are absolutely right! When a woman/wife wants to create wealth and has something more to bring to the family’s financial table, she now lacks structure? Hilarious. So much for the Women’s Movement and Sista’s doing it for themselves :(

Danny says:

I find it odd that none of these so called black strong sistas that are bashing Kieth Sweat and the judicial system have looked at this woman and her real intentions. We have to look at the obvious here, Ed “Frankenstein” Hartwell as he is passionately known in the sports arena is jobless, a wanna be real estate developer in a dead market and husband to a attention starved wife. I agree with the brother above me that stated that no judge will side on the male’s behalf unless some serious issues are at hand. I am a long time fan of Kieth Sweat and I know that this brother is educated, business savvy, and has money. I know that she will not get those kids because she does not provide the stability that Kieth Sweat gives them, she just wants that child support check at this point!
PEACE Man bashers

anon says:

@Danny and CInmike

The two of you missed the thrust of my argument. I cannot and did not speak to the legitimacy or appropriateness of the judge’s decision to give custody of the children to Keith Sweat. That is precisely why I prefaced by saying that I could not speak to many of Judge Wright’s claims. Neither I nor the two of you are privy to the type of information that would permit us to make a thorough, fully informed evaluation of Mrs. Hartwell’s fitness as a parent. There may have been other factors that were not disclosed in the article that factored into Wright’s decision. For all I or anyone else is concerned, Wright may very well have made the correct call. My interest was in neither re-litigating the judge’s decision based on speculation and hearsay from news articles, nor, in the case of Danny, offering commentary on the status of Ed Hartwell’s professional prospects.

Judge Wright’s comments about Hartwell’s professional endeavors struck me because they seemed to underscore both the mixed messages that black women receive related to work/family life issues, as well as the incongruous standards on which men and women are judged as effective parents in our culture–women are relegated to the role of caregiver and nurturer, men are providers and breadwinners ( I acknowledge that I’m being a bit reductionist for argument’s sake). That children need to be both provided and cared for is without question. I just believe that rethinking these very circumscribed gender roles is in the best of interest of children and their parents.

And Danny, you proved my point about the sort of messaging to which black women are frequently subjected. In lieu of articulating a cogent argument, you resort to tired tropes about black women as “man haters” and gold diggers (Hartwell is only after a child support check?).

Jessica says:

Lisa looks sneaky, and I bet she was spending on self and not the kids. Sweat deserves to keep them!!!!

Lady says:

Oh and another thing anon mentioned “Black women simply cannot win.” Im BLACK! Lisa Wu Hartwell is NOT BLACK she is asian please dnt ever use that to defend her again. Only one of her parents are black and its sure not her father… (i know the article is not about that but it upset me when anon used that)

Angela says:

Another thing. Lisa not only talks too much but she is annoying. Something she needs to step back, live her life with her current husband and child. I hope things work out with the two of them, otherwise she will ask for custody and child support from him. If they were to split it would be her fault; I’m sure of it.

Monica says:

Lisa is a liar. She tries to portray herself as a little innocent housewife, when in all reality she is a two timing back stabber. She is one of my least favorite on the show. She and Sheree hold the same to me…they are both liars. You don;t just get your kids taken away for anything. I hope both parties do what best for the children and not whats best for their careers.

confused says:

The way that show is going. Me as a mother would not want my kid associated with that foolishness. Lisa definately has her share of issues.

Olivia says:

Its unfortunate that the only real motivation for her trying to get her kids back is that they can be on the show. Is she really willing to disrupt their current lifestyle, school and have to have them re-adjust to a step-father and new surroundings all in the name of ratings. I used to think that Lisa was a great example of a woman with values and morals and now I truly believe what she says “If it doesn’t make me money, I don’t do it.” Translated, “No need to get my kids unless there is some financial reward in it for me.” Its no wonder at all that she lost those kids to begin with. Normally courts are biased towards the mother and for her to have lost those kids, tells a whole nutha story. I have lost any respect I had for this woman.

Mr Wright says:

Her sons are old enough to decide if they want to stay with their father or come and live with their mother. She has visitation, so she should use this time to establish a relationship with her sons that is better than the one which caiused her to lose them in the first place. There are many mixed messages that society sends both men and women about parenting. Mature parents do not let these messages overule the common sense messages they should be recieving from their hearts and minds. The welfare of the children is the only issue here and the realization that some women, like many men, do not parent well.