Here's the letter Cheryl R. sent in response to the article published in the San Francisco Examiner titled: "Fight Over Adoption Secrecy!"
Cheryl Wrote:
Dear Editor,
I was born and raised in Southern California. I have a college education, a
full-time job, two dogs, and a loving family. Guess I am just a normal
American Girl.
I am also an adoptee.
After reading the "Fight Over Adoption Secrecy" editorial of 2/22 I was
painfully reminded of just how UN-normal many people think we adoptees are.
Worse, your editorial would like people to believe that adoptees are a
suspect class of "dangerous children" who want to "out" their birthparents
with no regard for *their* rights. Did you do your homework at all? It
would hardly seem so from the inflammatory, insensitive, and ignorant
language of this editorial.
Measure 58 was never about search and reunion. Adoptees and birthparents
find each other every day without having access to original birth
certificates (obc's). We should have our obc's because they are ours, not
because we may or may not use the information on them to search.
Bastard Nation is hardly a group that "mostly exists on the Internet". We
are living/breathing, responsible, ADULTS from all sides of the adoption
Triad. BN is extremely dedicated to changing an antiquated adoption system
that profits from secrets and lies. We will not support compromise
legislation because we know that it doesn't work (e.g. TN, DE). We are most
assuredly NOT "angry children" or political "extremists" that our
birthmothers need to be protected from.
We are angry that the adoption industry, the media, and the government
continue to treat us as if we were a dangerous element. Imagine how you
would feel if people assumed *you* were dangerous simply because of the
circumstances of *your* birth.
The next time you decide to so grossly misrepresent adoptees, birthparents,
or an organization like Bastard Nation, I suggest you go directly to the
source. You might be surprised at how normal we really are, and maybe then
you'll get your facts right!
Sincerely,
Cheryl L. Richmond
Adoptee, reunited with birthmother and siblings
Arizona State Director, Bastard Nation
More Than a Feeling.mid
