Vaclav Havel, playwright, dissident, former Czech president  died today at the age of 75. His obituary is all over the media. My favorites are the Christian Science Monitor’s, Vaclav Havel:  Remembering the Czech President, Playwright, and Peacenik   David Remnick’s, Postscript: Vlaclav Havel, 1936-2011 in the New Yorker online. I have always believed there is a seamless line between art and politics (excluding Hollywood hacks, HuffPo progs, and Thomas Kinkade). I’m not sure if art or poliltics came first for me, but they have always been one in the other.  Mississippi Freedom Riders, Tuli Kupferberg, Yippie! the early Yoko Ono, Merce Cunningham, Charlotte Moorman, Norman Mailer, Gene McCarthy,  Gore Vidal, Beckett, Ionesco, Big Bill Haywood, The Velvet Underground, Randolph Bourne, Gilbert Seldes, Alfred Nock.  Even Thomas Jeffrerson and Beethoven are part and parcel of my political package tied up in a big red ribbon by Emma Goldman. So, it’s not strange that I came to Havel through theatre, not politics.  I’m hardly an expert on him so I won’t try to write about him.  I want, however, to post a couple things–or rather point you to them.  I am particularity fond of Havel’s essay,  Totalitarianism  and Stories,  (April 1987), which weaves Continue Reading →

 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 →

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 →

 (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 →