Santorum Called Out on Sandusky During Iowa Speech

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I’m no fan of Barrack Obama   but I really like this. Last Friday, Rick Santorum  pimped his hopeless campaign at the University of Northern Iowa in a speech sponsored by NIU and Iowa Public Radio.  It was all pretty ho-um and predictable until the Q & A.  I’ll let Linh Ta, government reporter from the Northern Iowan in Santorum argues for government to return to past ways,  take it from there:.  …Another audience member questioned the candidate about Santorum awarding former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky with the Angels in Adoption Award. Santorum explained that he lacked knowledge of the situation at the time and noted that the award has since been withdrawn. In response to his explanation, the audience member asked, “So we shouldn’t trust Obama with our kids, but we can trust you?” It was no news to me that Santorum had sponsored Jerry Sandusky glad-hand award from the Congressional Coalition for Adoption  (Even Bill Pierce found the award self-serving an referred to it the industrialist winners, in a private correspondence with me, as  “the hoity-toits”. who like to get their pictures taken with government big shots), I’m thrilled, nonethetless, that someone in Iowa–an adoptee perchance–had the Continue Reading →

Judy Ohles Kooistra – RIP

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A few days ago we lost another good one.  Judy Ohles Kooistra, friend, blogger, and somebody who “got it.” passed away in Canton, Ohio after a hard fought battle with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Diagnosed in December 2007, Judy went into remission in December 2008. In early November this year, she learned the cancer had returned. On December 8  Judy went into hospice and died the same day.. Jenna Hatfield (Chronicles of Munchkinland) wrote this about her good friend and co-blogger  A Pause for Judy.  Judy has been a voice in the blogosphere for years. About adoption, about ethics, about books, about faith, about cancer, about life. I encourage you to pause today to read a bit of Judy, to say a prayer for both Judy and her family and to cover them all in your love today. and after her death:  Thank You Judy As with anyone who dies, there are things left unsaid. And so… Followed by a wonderful tribute of thanks. Judy is survived by her son Nate, husband Frank,  her mother, brother, sisters, and other family. A remembrance of Judy’s life will be held at the John Knox Presbyterian Church in North Canton on December 17.  Contributions Continue Reading →

UPDATE: A Summary of the Sentences of the Killers of Murdered Russian Adoptees in the US

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 SUBSTANTIALLY UPDATED POST:Since 1996, 7 Russian children have died at the hands of their forever families. Except for Dmitry Yakolev/Chase Harrison, all were victims of physical abuse, starvation, and systematic torture by adults who were judged by the US adoption industry and the US and Russian governments to be fit to adopt someone else’s children. The Polreis case attracted national attention, but most cases, until recently, have rarely gotten more than a few lines. The Russian press has covered some, but not all of the cases, and covered the Harrison case extensively. Lately it has covered the Dykstra and Craver classes.  The Russian Investigate Committee is now looking into some if not all of the cases, and threatening to take action on its own.  Though it is highly unlike that Russian courts will accede to the wishes of the IC, the investigations and threats are indicative of the anger and frustration the Russian government has with Russian-US cross-country adoption. Below is a summary of the legal outcomes of the 17 cases on record. . These summaries are taken from the larger account of each case found at my Forever Family, Forever Dead blog entry. There are also many links to Continue Reading →

Ivan Skorobogatov. Cravers want new trial; custody of Dasha

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The Russian Investigative Committee  (IC) isn’t the only one demanding that the Cravers get a new trial. Last week Michael and Nanette Craver, convicted last month of involuntary manslaughter in the death of their adopted Russian son Vanya Skorobogatov  filed separate post-sentencing appeals with Judge John S. Kennedy, the presiding judge of their trial.  They argue that the verdicts were “against the weight of the evidence.”  The appeals are not online, but according to the York Dispatch, Cravers ask judge to overturn their convictions and grant them new trials,:the couple argues:  prosecutors presented no evidence to show either parent physically abused Nathaniel, other than testimony from a forensic pathologist who said he believed the injuries were intentionally inflicted….   …The forensic pathologist testifying for the defense told jurors there was no evidence the injuries were intentionally inflicted, and a number of medical experts testified to Nathaniel’s “numerous and serious medical and mental-health conditions,” including self-injury, according to Michael Craver’s motion The jury didn’t buy  that argument and found the couple guilty of involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment and conspiracy. The couple was originally charged with first degree murder, with an option of death penalty specifications.. If the Cravers’ appeal is granted, they Continue Reading →

More Trouble for Russian-US Adoption Relations: Russians say they didn’t know about Dykstra case until after trial

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The other day I wondered why the Russian government  hadn’t commented on last month’s acquittal of Brian Dykstra, charged with murdering his adoptive Russian son, Isaac Jonathan Dykstra.  Now we know why. The Russian government didn’t know about the case!  I almost find this too fantastic to believe. Isaac (whose birth name has now been revealed in the Russia press as Ilya Kargyntsev), died in 2005 after being in the US for only three months.. Under Russian-US adoption agreements, the US government is required to report the death of any Russian adoptee immediately to appropriate Russian Federation authorities. Remember that’s how back in 2008, European Adoption Consultants got in trouble   (see other EAC posts in right sidiebar for more) after the accidental death of  Dmitri Yakolev/Chase Harrison. The agency failed to report the death in a timely manner that satisfied the Russians.  ‘m not sure if that agreement was in force at the time of Ilya’s death, but it’s been negotiated since and more safeguards (for what they’re worth) are waiting to be ratified by the State Duma, Common sense tells us the death should have been reported, even late, if for no other reason than to try to look Continue Reading →

New York "Safe Haven" Hotline: No emergencies in 10 years

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The other day I was contacted by Rick Karlin, a reporter for the Albany (NY) Times Union with the news that the state’s “safe” haven” hotline (not to be confused with the AMT-Children of Hope hotline operated by Tim Jaccard) had cut back its hours of operation. Karlin told me that the so-called hotline had gone down from 24/7  service to 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM  and was off weekends and holidays.  In fact, it had been operating like this for two years–and nobody noticed. I talked to Rick quite a awhile on the phone and sent him some material about New York’s law.  The article came out Friday.. Abandoned Infant Hotline: Call during work hours The story is self-explanatory.  I was quoted three times.  Not surprisingly, Tim Jaccard and I had basically the same response: this is crazy.  Even if I vehemently oppose “safe haven” laws, the question is:  What’s the logic in a part time emergency hotline?. The answer is contained in this WTF moment in the article: Since the hotline opened 10 years ago, it has received about 100 calls per year. Also: “No one who was about to abandon a baby has called the hotline since Continue Reading →

The Adoption Journey: Adoption is an Act of Obedience

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 (NOTE:  Last night I had technical problems and the last part of thie blog disappeared.  I re-wrote that part this morning.) To celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month, Bethany Christian Services, Lifesong for Orphans  (“Bringing Joy and Purpose to Orphans”), and Lifeline Children’s Services.have unselfishly launched a new webpage, The Adoption Journey Project. a resource for couples “starting to think about adoption” aka reeling in more fish. The November 30, 2011 Adoption Journey Project press release informs us that most adoption agency websites don’t post information about adoption  needed by new or thinking-about-it paps.  Who knew?  I’ve never seen an agency webpage that wasn’t full of answers in search of questions. From  the  Adoption Project press release: “The vast majority of resources being published by adoption agencies and supporting organizations are for families that are either close to or have committed to the adoption process already,” said Marc Andreas, Vice President of Marketing at Bethany Christian Services, the largest adoption agency in the country.“We recognize that couples just starting to think about adoption have completely different perspectives and needs regarding the discernment process for adoption in their lives.  This project will provide tangible resources to help support them and the beginning Continue Reading →

Ivan Skorobogatov: Investigative Committee Rejects Court Ruling; Intends to Continue Craver and Possibly Other Prosecutions

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The Russian Investigative Committee (IC), undetered by yesterday’s decision by Moscow’s Basmanny Court and the Russian General Prosecutor, to dismiss IC’s petition to extradite  Michael and Nanette Craver, has declared its intent to continue its prosecution of the couple even if the prosecution has  been ruled “illegal..”(see blog directly below this for details) According to RIA Novisti,  Vladimir Markin, spokesperson for the IC said the investigation in to the Cravers will continue no matter what the court rules: “The refusal of a Russian court to arrest the Cravers in absentia will not hinder further investigation of the criminal case in Russia, as well as the international efforts to find the suspects, detain and extradite them,”  He said that though international laws prohibit a second sentence for the same crime, it applies only to legal procedures in one state, within the national jurisdiction. I have no idea what this second paragraph means.  It appears to be a deliberate misreading of US and international law, and the Basammy and General Prosecutor’s office’s interpretation of both..  There is simply no way for the Cravers to be retried here. Unless there was  unique jurisdaictional stipulation in the adoption agreement  that gave  Russian authorities some Continue Reading →

Vanya Skorobogatov. Russian Court and Prosecutors Refuse to Issue Warrant for Michael and Nanette Craver; Vanya Victim of "RAD" Quackery?

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Russian media reports tonight that  the Moscow Bassamy District Court, backed by the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office. has refused to issue a warrant for the in abstensia arrest and trial of Michael and Nannette Craver in the death of their Forever Son, Vanya  Skorobogatov. (Nathaniel Craver)  Citing double jeopardy, the court said any prosecution of the Cravers by Russian authorities would be “illegal;.” The Cravers, originally charged with homicide (with aborted death penalty specifications), conspiracy and child endangerment,  were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in September, and in mid-November were sentenced to time served and  3/1 years probation.. An autopy revealed 80 injuries to the boy including 20 to his head. The Russian Investigative Committee placed the couple on INTERPOL’s wanted list (they have never appeared on the online INTERPOL list) and called for their arrest and trial in absentia. From ITAR-TASS: The prosecutor explained that the U.S. citizens had already been convicted on this case in their native country, “which means that they cannot be prosecuted for the same crime in Russia”. Therefore, the prosecutor’s representative (Vanya  said that he objects to the arrest of the U.S. citizens in absentia. In connection with the verdict earlier passed to the Continue Reading →

Blue Denim: Another Lost Film

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I’ve written about  Blue Denim (1959, a moving and scary film about teen pregnancy, before. I read the play in high school and saw the film once or twice on TV  in the late 1960s or early 1970s. and never forgot it. Like That Hagen Girl, Blue, Blue Denim has virtually disappeared from public memory. It has never been released on DVD or video. It’s listed in the TCM online catalogue, but I’ve never seen it run there. The film might be available for viewing on the ‘net. Blue Denim gets short shrift from feminist scholars, too, who concentrate on the abortion narrative and complain about the focus on Arthur’s “coming of age.”  As someone who considers herself a feminist scholar, I find their kvetches short-sighted and as a bastard, annoying..  Professional feminists, of course, rarely consider bastards and our mothers and fathers of much interest or value.anyway.  We’re the crap in their punchbowl. To make it worse, unlike its bookend A Summer Place,  released the same year, which can qualify as anybody’s guilty pleasure,  Blue Denim  isn’t deliciously smarmy or entertaining.  It’s one of those films that makes me sort of sick to my stomach–even the out-dated parts which Continue Reading →