Like yesterday, this will be a short piece. I’m currently holding down two jobs plus Bastard Nation and blogging.. Some days I just want to sleep So the following thoughts wafted through my head today as I mindlessly inventoryed a few thousand winter gloves and hats at Tractor Supply in Kenton, Ohio. It’s a bit hyperbolic, but I feel hyperbolic tonight.
Unlike legislators, policy wonks,and paid lobbyists, who sell their labor for big bucks and usually have no dog in the fight, those of us in adoptee rights live the cause. It is our civil rights, narratives, histories, relationships, and health, that are affected adversely by archaic sealed records laws. We don’t have aides to do our scut work. We don’t have the luxury of going home at night and forgetting it all. We squeeze in time between work and personal responsibilities to get the work done.
We write own own letters testimony,op-eds, raise funds, spend our own money to lobby, to travel to hearings, conferences, and meetings. We take off work, skip weekends and vacations to get the job done. I know people who have lost their jobs, divorced, strained family and friendships, all to restore adoptee rights in this country today.
We do not have the power of the state, the Catholic Church, Big Adoption $ and its fat cat hangers-on footing the bills. We speak for ourselves. We fight for ourselves.
Our lives are not for sale.
