MICHIGAN: WARNING–HB4896/4897/6287 ARE NOT CLEAN BILLS

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There’s been some talk on the ‘net that Michigan’s HB 4896 is a clean bill. IT IS NOT. Here is an informal message from Anita Field about the Michigan situation. We will have more information this later, but in the meantime please distribute this information freely. Bastardette Hi guys, Here is an update of Michigan HB 4896. You won’t be jumping for joy when you read this. Please forward all over. The original Michigan HB 4896 was really a good bill. It passed the Children and Family Services Committee by a vote of 8-5. But somehow on its way to the floor of the House, someone decided to split it into two bills. Consequently, HB 4896 was amended beyond recognition. The amended HB 4896 (4897) is now a very short bill. It seems to have 3 sections. 1. The bill will establish a Central Adoption Registry which must approve clearance to any adopted individual who requests an obc. Clearance will come after the adoptee has fulfilled the requirements of the Dept. of Human Services. 2. A CI may request the obc of an official client but the record shall be clearly marked “sealed record only.” 3. HB 4897 shall not Continue Reading →

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE EVAN B. DONALDSON ADOPTION INSTITUTE FROM BASTARD NATION

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In December 2007, members of Bastard Nation attended the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute’s “For the Records–National Conclave” in New York City. At the end of the day, nearly everyone agreed that compromise legislation to restore the right of birth certificate access to some adoptees and not others, is unacceptable. Participants never heard back from the Donaldson– until June 25, that is, when we received an email from Susan Hicks, recently hired project administrator of the Donaldson’s open records project. Ms. Hicks, self-described as the lead advocate for the Massachusetts “access” bill, sold a generation of Massachusetts adoptees down the river to get access for some. Continue Reading →

CALLING ALL CENTRAL OHIO BASTARDS: COMFEST WEEKEND

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Bastardette has a lot to write about, but I’ll have a busy weekend with Comfest here in Columbus. Although the Bastard Nation tent became just too much of a hassle to do, I work each year at the Columbus Free Press wine tent. In a couple hours I’m off to help set it up. Oppositional researcher and political analyst Chip Berlet will make two appearances at Comfest this Saturday. His schedule, according to the official Comfest program is: 4:25 PM – Bozo State (no subject)6:30 PM – Solar Stage (Progressive Thought and Political Workshop) Here is a partial bio of Berlet from the Public Eye.org Chip Berlet, senior analyst at Political Research Associates (PRA), has spent over twenty–five years studying prejudice, demonization, scapegoating, demagoguery, conspiracism, and authoritarianism. He has investigated far right hate groups, reactionary backlash movements, theocratic fundamentalism, civil liberties violations, police misconduct, government and private surveillance abuse, and other anti-democratic phenomena. He is a lively speaker defending democracy and diversity. Berlet is co–author, with Matthew N. Lyons, of Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort, (Guilford Press, 2000), which received a Gustavus Myers Center Award for outstanding scholarship on the subject of human rights and intolerance in Continue Reading →

BASTARDETTE COMMUNIQUE: RUSSIAN ADOPTEE BLOG SITE NOW UP

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On August 3, 2005, The Daily Bastardette published “Forever Family – Forever Dead: A Memoriam to Russian Adoptees Murdered by their Forever Families.” Since then, that entry and my other pieces on abused and murdered Russian adoptees in the United States, I have received hundreds if not thousands of hits from the US Government, courts, child welfare agencies, the media, Russia and other countries of the Former Soviet Union, and the general public. To make it easier for these pieces to be found and read together in one place, I have collected all the entries here: Nikto Ne Zabyt – Nichto Ne Zabyto – Nobody is Forgotten – Nothing is Forgotten. My entries on Masha Allen adopted by a divorced male pedophile, staved and sexually abused for years before her rescue by the FBI, are also here. Though freed from her Forever Father, she remains victim of the adoption industry and a blind and silent child welfare system that wants her to go away You see, Masha has talked too much She lifted up the rock. She is the Rosetta Stone of corrupt international adoption. Masha, too, must be remembered for the brave and beautiful girl she is–and to be Continue Reading →

FOREVER FAMILY – FOREVER DEAD UPDATE: KIMBERLY EMELYANTSEV PLEADS GUILTY

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On June 20 Kimberly Emelyantsev, 33, pled guilty to a lowered charge of 2nd degree felony child abuse homicide in the death of her newly adopted Russian son, 14- month old Kolya. Emelyantsev initially told police Kolya fell off a chair, but later admitted that she’d dropped him on the floor–several times–causing his death by blunt force trauma to the head. (skull fracture). Tooele (Utah) Deputy County Attorney Gary Searle said the amended charges were part of a plea bargain. “It wasn’t an accident, but the intent to kill the child wasn’t there either.” He promised that details of the case will come out during the sentencing hearing scheduled for August 15. Charges of child abuse against Emelyantsev and her Russian national husband Fyodor in connection with their 4-year old adopted son Luka were dropped after authorities and the county attorney’s office were unable to find enough evidence to prosecute. Fydor, held on bond since his arrest in April, will be released. Luka, and Kimberley’s biological children may be returned to the couple later. Luka, like Kolya, has Down Syndrome. Bailiff Frank Scharmann directs Kimberly Emelyantsev into 3rd District Court Friday. Emelyantsev pled guilty to second-degree felony child abuse homicide Continue Reading →

TEACH ‘EM EARLY AND OFTEN: YOUR MOTHER DIDN’T WANT YOU

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A year ago iBastard wrote a wonderful blog–Introducing the Adoption Apparel Translator–with illustrations. iBastard took to task those adoptive parents with their odd motives who dress their little adoptees, too young to voice their personal opinion about the whole thing, in adopta-tees: “I Grew in Mommy’s Heart” and “Mommy’s Lil’ Guatling.” (I know what you’re thinking, but …no, these are real!) My personal fav is “Special Delivery from Guatemala,” spun out of the iBastard Translator as, “No, Mommy Did Not Fuck a Mexican.” Since then, the child saving sub-industry has expanded to market new and exciting promotional material for entitled braggards. This bib,* for example, courtesy of Bubblegum Bibs, ought to be next year’s best seller due to the coming influx of Ethiopian “orphans” in the wake of the Guatemalan unpleasantness. (China is also available) TRANSLATION: Your mother didn’t want you. Oh, and by the way, your birth country sucks. For a mere $15.00 you can send a message to your little international adoptee now that will warp him or her forever. *NOTE TO ANGELINA JOLIE: Have nanny stock up!

ILLINOIS: TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME SARA FEIGENHOLTZ STYLE

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Been wondering what our favorite Illinois adoptacrat Sara Feigenholtz has been up to? If you’re as curious as an adoptee rummaging through her parents’ desk, take a peek at Mary Fuller’s latest Rights of Adoptee blog (and be sure to check out the hilarious comments.) Rep. Feigenholtz recently spammed out a campaign fundraising letter inviting her fans–for a recommended donation–to an evening with her at 3609 Sheffield Rooftop–the in-crowd place to watch the Cubs Chaos ensued. Seems that Our Sarah (or an underling she can blame) misconfigured the list. Instead of a one-time announcement list, it’s now a discussion list–and boy are people discussing! Reportedly those spammed (the ones who stuck around and didn’t demand to be removed) included at least some of those adoptees and friends who at Sara’s request sent emails to her months ago about her “open records bill” that she never bothered to answer. (NOTE: her plea for letters is still up) STEALING HOMEThis is a perfect protest event. The only problem is local adoptees would probably have to ante up the “recommended donation” to get in. First base seats (the cheapest) are $150, but since they couldn’t even make it to there with Sara, they Continue Reading →

ETHICA PRESIDENT DEPARTS; SUCCESSOR NAMED

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Ethica: A Voice for Ethical Adoption has announced the resignation of founder and president Trish Maskew. This fall Maskew will take a position with the US Department of Justice Office of Immigration Litigation. Current vice president and director of domestic policy Melissa Griebel will take over as president on June 20. Trish has the funny idea that adoption should be ethical. She and Ethica are long-time friends of Bastard Nation and support and promotes the right of all adoptees to obtain their own original birth certificates. One of my fondest memories of Trish is the evening a few years ago that friends and I spent with her at Passage to India in Bethesda where we enjoyed fine food, fine drink, fine talk and a depressing fast and dirty education on the state of international adoption. From Ethica’s press release (see front homepage): “In the past five years I’ve seen the adoption community progress towards recognizing and openly discussing the problems that can arise in domestic and international adoption, and begin working to improve accountability and transparency in the process,” Maskew said. “While there is still much work to be done in assuring that adoption always puts the needs of the Continue Reading →

MASSACHUSETTS: AND THE BEAT GOES ON!

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Oh look! The message on Ms. Morrisey’s MySpace page has changed again. Baby Safe Haven New England You Have To Wonder What’s Up When some Moron Keeps Blogging DOWN What’s on this Page.. Temporarily On Private Due To Busy Bodys That Have Nothing Better To Do! What does “blogging DOWN” mean?This grammatically and spelling challenged statement is rich coming from a SAHM with no previous interest in adoption, who apparently has had nothing better to do with herself for the last five years than busybody around adoption and undermine the identity rights of current and future adoptees through her and hubby’s “Baby Safe Haven” dog and pony show. Why does Ms. Morrisey frequently shut down her MySpace page, post bizarre messages on her profile about the closing, (aimed at me, apparently, though blogger Adopted Jane no doubt is also a public menace) and periodically keep the ever-curious public away from her own statement about her arrest? If I were her, I’d want the public to know my side of the story, not the report written by a “journalistic pig” and published by the local “journalistic rag.” (see previous entries for explanation). AND SHE CALLS US “BUSY BODYS”!The fact is, Ms. Continue Reading →