Kansas: Adoptee Attacked by Political Opponent for Being Adopted

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I’ve written both in OBC access testimony and blogs about  my concern that  due to Draconian measures such as Real-ID and proposed passport regulations  bastards without original birth certificates are in danger of losing the right to run for public office and even to vote (among other rights.). Without that all-important ‘breeder document’–and yes, that’s what birth certificates are called —it is nearly impossible  to establish all other identity documents and entitlements.  It hasn’t come to banning adoptees from running for office or voting  yet,  but… an  adoptee running for office in Kansas has fallen victim to dirty tricks over his adoption and his “secret past.”. Monday the Huffington Post reported that  the Kansas Republican Party recently sent out a mailer (see it at the link) to voters attacking Democratic state senate candidate Keith Humphrey, a former actor and screenwriter  now operating four aerospace-related companies in the Wichita area. TOP SECRET  There is A Lot Keith Humphrey  Doesn’t Want You to About His Past!…. What else is Keith Humphrey Hiding? What  Keith Humphrey doesn’t want you to know about his background …  or that his name hasn’t always been Humphrey”  What can Humphrey be hiding? . A string of drug Continue Reading →

For Once! A Good NAAM Video

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I had to work all day today, and following form am too tired to do much tonight. (Try counting 48 drawers of Victoria ‘s Secret bras and see how you feel!.) To expedite blogging tonight, then, I decided to post some obnoxious NAAM video off of YouTube. And there are plenty. Instead I’m posting a video made last year by our friend Kevin Ost Vollmers from Land of Gazillion Adoptees. I don’t now how I missed this a year ago, but Kevin has some important things to say about Korean adoptions,adoptees, and first parents especially for “our” month..   End  South Korean Intercountry Adoption. (I know Kvin’s last name is hyphenated, but my hyphen key  won’t budge.)

Dan Chaon Nominated on Goodreads

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Speaking of books…. Dan Chaon, Ohio’s unofficial adoptee laureate just keeps racking up the honors, His newest collection of short stores Stay Awake: Stories, has been nominated for the 2012 Goodreads Choce Awards. in  the Horror division.  I haven’t read the book yet,but it’s described as “set in post-recession America, where dreamers, losers and troubled souls feel like ghosts in their own lives.” You don’t have to write “horror” to write horror! I’ve written about Dan before here,. here,  and .here. His 2001 collection of short stories, Among the Missing described as “a gripping account of colliding fates, the shifty nature of identity in today’s wired world and the limits of family” was a National Book Award finalist. It was also named one of the year’s best books by the American Library Association, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, and Entertainment Weekly and made the New York Times Notable Book List.  His first novel, You Remind Me of Me (2004), , is an adoption-related (and so much more) examination of identity, fate, and circumstance. It was named one of the best books of the year by The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and San Francisco Chronicle. A reviewer for the Los Angeles Times Continue Reading →

Book Review: Like One of Our Very Own

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I tend to avoid  reviewing  books about adoption.  In fact, I avoid books about adoption in general,   I’m not sure why. Maybe for the same reason that when I worked in theatre I avoided plays.  Too much like work. Besides, having. come of  age reading 19th century literary essays, the New York Review of Books, and the Evergreen Review, anything less than a 6,000 word essay referencing the obscure is beyond my patience. A “formal “book review is a mission impossible.What goes through the head fails to make it down the fingers and on to the keyboard.  Still, occasionally I find a book about adoption that speaks to me; that. I want to share. As an  historian, by training, this usually means books on the history of adoption.. And, as a specialist in the Progressive Era (which I blame most for of our current  economic and social messes) , I especially look for adoption books that cover late 19th-early 20th century. Like One of Our Very Own: Adoption and the Changing Culture of Motherhood, 1851-1950.by Julie Berebitsky is one of them. I first read Like Our Very Own in 2009. A few years earlier I’d read a conference paper Continue Reading →

NaBloPoMoing Through Adoption 2012

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Against my better judgement, I’ve signed on for November 2012 open topic NaBloPoMo .   That is I’ll post a blog every day–in this case for National Adoption Awareness Month–for the month of November. I say better judgement, because since I’ve been forced back into the workforce, I have limited time to do much of anything but work and sleep.  My work schedule is not normal. One day I start at 3 AM and work until whenever the job is done; the next day I start at 9 PM and work until 2  AM.  It’s reaked havoc on sleep, eating, and anything normal people do. All for half of  the hourly rate I made when I left the Ohio State Univeresity 14 years ago–and working half the hours. I’m not going to write about the job other than to say that as a “professional” inventory counter, I’ve got a great view of the decline of America via consumer culture and goods. Did you know that Hanes now makes underwear in Haiti? And don’t get me started on party stores, Ollie’s, and worst of all–Victoria’s Secret panty tables.  . ****** But I digress… National Adoption Awareness Month is the creature of Continue Reading →

Demons of Adoption Ballot: 2012.

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 The nominations are in! So many demons! Only one can win!  The nominees for this year’s edition of Demons of Adoption  are: The Christian Post: for running several mind bendingly biased articles about intercountry adoption; Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute: for giving their seal of approval to persons and organizations that promote the interests of the adoption industry and pushing agency friendly legislation in Congress; Celebrate Children International: for being the agency behind numerous illegal adoptions, and the agency of record for the stolen child Fernanda; Oxygen Network: for producing the absolutely horrendous show “I’m Having Their Baby.” Tasteless, manipulative, coercive, and intrusive into the lives of vulnerable women trying to cope with an unplanned pregnancy; Adam Pertman: for claiming to be a critic of the adoption system, while at the same time promoting the interest of the adoption industry; Martin Narey: for trying to speed up adoptions and make it easier to adopt, and suggesting women who want to abort should abandon; Adoption Assistance, Inc. and World Association for Children and Parents (WACAP): for their role in the adoption travesty featuring Artem Justin Hansen (Artem Saveliev) and his so-called “permanent placement” with “forever mom”, Torry Hansen, infamous Adoptive mother Continue Reading →

Nominations Open: 6th Annual Demons of Adoption Awards

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It’s baaack! The 6th annual Demons of Adoption Awards competition is now open for nominations.  I’ve made my nomination, now make yours. Go here to nominate and get more information.. I know it’s difficult . So many Demons, and only one can be chosen. From Pound Pup Legacy, founder and sponsor of the competition::In 2007 Pound Pup Legacy instituted the annual Demons of Adoption Awards to raise a voice against adoption propaganda and the self congratulatory practices of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s annual Angels in Adoption Awards.  Until September 30 you, the reader, can nominate candidates for the sixth annual Demons of Adoption Award. After that date, PPL will post a poll where readers may vote for the nominees. The link for nominations may be found at: http://poundpuplegacy.org/sixth_demons_of_adoption_nominations When posting, please state your nominee and a short explanation as to why this candidate has the dubious honor of winning the award. Previous editions:First Annual Demons of Adoption Awards (award went to the National Council for Adoption)Second Annual Demons of Adoption Awards (award went to the makers of Juno) Third Annual Demons of Adoption Awards (award went to Bethany Christian Services)Fourth Annual Demons of Adoption Awards (award went to Continue Reading →

Race, Religion and Rescjue in Adoption Conference

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While I’m not a big fan of adoption conferences (I’m working on a on piece on how, with few exceptions, they routinely disempower bastards and simply feed the egos and coffers of their sponsors), this one looks worthwhile  . On October 18-20  2012, The Adoption Initiative in collaboration with Montclair State College is holding Bests Interests of the Child:  Race Religion, and Rescue in Adoption. The schedule and list of speakers isn’t up yet, but the topic is timely and important to the never ending efforts to clean up adoption, The Orphan Rescue movement such as Both Ends Burning has made it quite clear that adoption laws and ethics should not stand in the way of child rescue aka christian conversion and humanitarian neo-colonialism.  IMO, BEM and its ilk are the worse danger we face today.  How all this will be addressed in the conference, I don’t know. but I know I’d like to be there.  But can’t. Here’s the information: The 7th Biennial Adoption Conference “Best Interests of the Child?” Race, Religion, and Rescue in Adoption October 18-20, 2012 ****EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION NOW OPEN**** Register here now: Conference Registration Location: St. John’s University, ManhattanFor the latest information about the conference, Continue Reading →