For over 2 years Bastardette, in real life, has documented and written about Biblical American activities in Central Ohio. Some articles have been published in the Columbus Free Press, and everything has been posted on my blog, Theoconia: A Central Ohio Theocon Report. BA’s focus, and consequently mine, has been on abortion, but other “interests” are queers, Terry Schiavo, John Kerry, the Ten Commandments, Ohio State Universitiy, and of course Ken I-stole-the-2004-election-for-Bush Blackwell with his gang of“values voters” and Patriot Pastors led by Rod Parsley and Russell Johnson. I try to remain neutral when I’m “working,” but early in my documentarian career I got into a scream fest with one of the local anti-aborts who takes the smallest questioning of his belief system as a Satanic attack on his personal person. One Saturday morning, standing across the street from a clinic, this person, who, I’ll call Bob, called me a liar when I told him there are women who consider adoption worse than abortion, did not feel duty-bound to breed for the desperate and infertile (no matter how “Christian” nice, and “needy” they are), regretted their children’s surrenders, and were, in fact, (gasp!) were opposed to adoption. Bob’s irritation with Continue Reading →

Gwinnetta Malone Crowell’s senior thesis at the University of Texas at Arlington will be based on the survey below. I am on a list witih Gwinnetta and this is for real. Bastardette Thanks to all of you who have taken part in my research project – Sisters from the Society of Secrets and Lies. I am very pleased with the results thus far and believe it will result in a great senior honors thesis. For decades, the only thing known by the public about women who lost their children to adoption were the theories written by adoption professionals. This is an opportunity for individual mothers to tell their story. There is still room for more participants in my study. If your child was lost to adoption between the years 1950 – 1979, please consider taking part in this study and tell your story. Also, please feel free to forward the link to any other support groups you might be a part of. There are 99 questions in the survey, many multiple choice. There is a field in every section to give you a chance to write as much as you need to explain your answers. Please note that this study Continue Reading →

I’m working on an article (not blog) which will in part cover the weird anti-abort allegation that the anti-adoption and adoptee rights movements are a pro-abortion stealth op. I found a curious quote in an essay by Dr. Jean Garton–Helping Families in Need–The Adoption Option published over 10 years ago: When the founder of an anti-adoption group was asked how she would counsel a teenage daughter who became pregnant, she said she would counsel her daughter first to keep the baby, second to have an abortion, third to commit suicide, and only fourth to put the baby up for adoption.” Although the essay is footnoted this quote isn’t, which makes me pretty curious. Goggle has been no help. If anybody knows the real source for this, not Garton’s alleged quote, please post it here. And commentgs are always welcome. Thanks.

I haven’t seen any official statement yet from Alberto Let’s-Make-a-Deal Torrico, NCFA, the National Alliance or any other baby dump hucksters on the flop of AB 1873 which would have let California parents scram their babies anonymously up to 30-days old. If anything pops up I’ll post it here. In the meantime, for your amusement I’ve added some new quotes to “Stupid Things Californians Say About Safe Havens” in the August archives. Apparently Assb. Torrico, from the sound of his quotes, believes that there are only 3 things to do with a baby: keep it, dump it or kill it. Door #1? Door #2? Door #3? Decisions! Decisions! What’s a girl to do? Goooooo Arnie! ********** Here is Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s statement on his veto of AB 1873. To the Members of the California State Assembly: I am returning Assembly Bill 1873 without my signature. California’s Safe Surrender Law provides an emergency alternative for a woman in crisis who, statistics show, may otherwise abandon, abuse, or kill her baby. The current 72-hour period contained in California statutes allows for a “no questions asked” safe surrender of a newborn and is supported by research and statistics that indicate that most neonaticide Continue Reading →

This morning’s Sacramento Bee reports that SB 1873–the Safely Surrendered Newborn Act expansion that would have extended the time that California’s “desperate mothers” can legally and anonymously abandon their babies from 72 hours to 30 days– was vetoed yesterday by Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger. No comments yet on why the bill was vetoed or from the bill’s sponsor Alberto Toricco. If they are released, i’ll post them here. The bill had lately become contentious when heavy hitting safe haven supporters, Debi Faris-Cefelli, LA County Supervisor Don Knabe, the LA County Sheriff and DA’s office opposed the expansion–as well as Bastard Nation and other adoption reform organizations. You can read more about it on Bastardette here and here. To send a letter of thanks to the governor contact Constituent Services at: Phone: 916-445-2841Fax: 916-445-4633 Email:http://www.govmail.ca.gov

When I published “BJ Lifton booted” I knew it would be controversial , but I had no idea that it would turn into a sideshow. It’s been at various times fascinating, disheartening, and amusing to observe the Language Police, Special Victims Unit morph into an anonymous CLP purge team; a smear squad intent on naming anyone who disagrees with them, including yours truly, a crypto-adoptionist. Or something like that. Since I‘ve had leggies on a committee floor call me a “baby killer“ for opposing safe haven laws, I think I can handle the accusation. Background: I did not break the story of BJ’s boot. Mirah Riben wrote about it first in her August 29 AdoptTalk blog. Mirah and I were on the same track. I just picked it up and expanded it. There were no hot and heavy emails as some surmised. BJ did not contact me or ask me to write anything. I contacted her– and had to scrounge around for her email address. So leave her alone. The blog is my responsibility. Mirah wrote something very important that day regarding the language dispute, “Respect needs to be extended to our historical roots, especially in a movement opposed to Continue Reading →

In January 2003, Terry Eastland of the neocon Daily (aka Weekly) Standard published an essay, The Forgotten Option, crying in his Coors over the number of adoptable babies “lost” to abortion each year. Why, how dare those thoughtless unwed hussies deprive the deserving married of their reason for living–a child of their very own! I replied with an online letter to the editor. Much to my surprise and delight a week later the letter was named the 2nd most popular letter of the week. I intended to incorporate most of this letter into the blog I’m putting up later tonight, but the blog is already too long, so I’m publishing it separately. I think the letter is relevant to the discussion here in the “comments” section over the last couple weeks regarding the role of the state and ownership of the female body and its fruit. While the subject is abortion, it is evident that the longterm issue isn’t abortion but women who refuse to incubate for the waiting and deserving. Top 10 LettersFrance, E-bombs, mothers who wish they’d aborted their children, and more.02/10/2003 12:00:00 AM To the editor: Terry Eastland and others mutter and moan that supposed droves of Continue Reading →

Well, color me surprised! Nobody from NOW bothered to reply to Is Maria Elena Salinas a Friend of Women? An account of the festivities, though, appears on the NOW page under the title NOW Celebrates Intrepid Women, 40th Anniversary at Annual Gala . After NOW’s praise of Salinas as an “intrepid woman” (Olga! Please tell me this is a bad dream!) we get this quote from the lucky girl herself: “Like so many Latina women, I was brought up with a set of values that I feel helped me, and also have helped several generations of women, to flourish in a role that is full of challenges and also to thrive in a society where the so-called ‘weaker sex’ can be, and is, the pillar of the home.” A pillar of the home, that is, unless they fall for Salinas’ safe haven pimp talk, toss their babies into the anonymous safe haven baybee mill and go off and die in a cheap hotel first. Shame on NOW and shame on Maria Elena Salinas! Both should know better! ********** I’ve been living virtually without electricity for the last few days due to a glitch in the re-wiring of my house. I’ve Continue Reading →

This evening (September 20) the National Safe Haven Alliance will “celebrate” the launch its national fundraising campaign with a cocktail party at Smith & Wollensky in downtown Washington. Bastrardette loves a good cocktail party, but at a minimum drop in the beg bucket of $500 to attend this shindig, I’m afraid I’ll just have to stand out in front of S&W with a sign: “BEWARE: Baybee Stealing in Progress. Enter at your own risk” (that is, if I were in Washington). Note that I said minimum. Here’s the price list: Founding Sponsor: $500-$999Safe Haven Defender: $1000-$4999Safe Haven Guardian: $5000 (and more presumably) (If you can’t make it–or if you’re rich and can afford more– for $50 you can sponsor a “safe haven family” to attend the event. Why do they get off so cheap? ) For that kind of moo-la you’d think NSHA could throw in a steak au poivre or a bottle of merlot. Last year, at the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy’s Autumn Wine fundraiser I got all the stuffed mushrooms, gourmet chocolate and expensive wine I could chow down for a mere $75. Anyway, for $500 you get the bare minimum: public recognition and an Continue Reading →

AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE: I have had a relationship with the National Organization for Women since the early 1970s. I am a founding member of the old Stark County (OH) NOW and presently a member of Columbus (OH) NOW where I have served as secretary and vice president. I am currently a board member at large. Local organizations have been energetic, politically aware, compassionate, and dedicated to improving the lives of all women. Members “get” adoption issues. The same can’t be said for the National office, which for as long as I can remember, has ignored the political implications of adoption and its effects on mothers and the children they surrender. In the 1970s NOW rejected natural mothers (and potential surrendering mothers) as women worthy of political support. As the organization approaches its 40th birthday it appears not much has changed. On September 14, the National office will honor Maria Elena Salinas as an “intrepid woman.” Salinas supports the exploitation of women through legalized anonymous baby abandonment laws. Below is the letter I emailed to the national office objecting to the award. I am speaking for myself only and represent no one else in NOW locally or nationally. *****Dear Kim, Olga, Continue Reading →