I am walking the halls of the Capital in Jefferson City, speaking with as many Legislators as possible about the importance of all adult adoptees having access to their original birth certificates. The grassroots group has their work cut out for them since they are up against the Catholic Church and the Right to Life Lobbyists. Theses men get paid "big bucks" to lobby the Legislators against a bill currently pending allowing access, and what is even more disturbing is that the majority of the Legislators here in Missouri are under the financial thumb of the Catholic Church and Right to Life Groups.
Representative Cynthia Davis is the House lead sponsor and is being beat to death by her own Republican party because of her stand on equal rights for adoptees, having what all non-adopted persons have, access to their original birth certificate. Senator Rita Days is holding fast in the Senate with her bill allowing access, but she is a Democrat in a Republican majority and her bill will never see daylight on the Senate floor. Very sad, she is a great supporter.
My hope is that the Legislators learn from the grassroots members who are here walking the halls with me, and take action because it is the right and just thing to do, instead of hiding behind their churches and lobbyist who are donating to their campaigns.
Original identity is a basic human right and every adoptee should have their original birth certificate. I will never understand what part of that simple sentence legislators do not understand. Shame on all Missouri legislators who keep birth mother hiding in shame, adoptive parents buried in needless worry that their adopted child will love someone more than them, and for keeping adult adoptees oppressed and unable to receive their original birth certificate.
Education is key to moving this legislation along. Good work is being done here in Missouri by grassroots adoption triad members, particularly Ina Lewis and Caroline Pooler. Well done faithful adoptee warriors!!
Paula Benoit
[ http://www.adopteecare.com ]www.adopteecare.com
Adoptee Council for Adoption Reform Education
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Paula, thank you SO MUCH for your efforts on our behalf here in the Show-Me(anything but my OBC) State. Sorry about your introduction to the Bible Belt - hope you recover soon!
ReplyDeleteI pondered your advice about focusing on the civil rights issue and not getting drawn into side arguments; I agree. That was what the Bishop's lobbyist was trying to do, change the debate from OBC rights into an argument over birth parent's "promises of privacy." We should ignore that distraction and keep on topic; if birth parents don't feel existing harassment statutes protect them enough, let them organize and seek their own legislation.
Thanks again for coming to help and sharing your advice and experience! When we succeed I'll buy you ANY of your favorites off Tony's dessert temptation cart at Jasper's...