UPDDATE: Ariel Sellers/Isabella Kalua: How in the Hell? The foster-adoption system is more than broken.
Ariel died (excuse me! allegedly died) at the hands of her forever family, but ultimately she died at the hands of the State of Hawaii. The Sellers were “simply” the instruments of destruction. I haven’t seen such a contemptible use of state power regarding adoption and its blowback or years–though I am sure many and most blow right into the clouds–or the next news cycle, We only hear about the big cases when they are too big to hide. Of course, as adopted people, we know all about “confidentiality” and “privacy” and secrets, and ass-covering. Sealed records, hidden identities, government cover-up. lack of state and agency accountability, paternalism, social and cultural colonialism, and imperialism–that what turns the adoption machine. As adopted people, that’s what grinds away our psyche and our lives– since we were signed away–or weren’t. Oh, the mysteries behind those closed doors.closed meetings that not even murder can force open. Continue Reading →