I have written about this attorney in the past. I had someone stoutly defending this woman. This woman did their divorce if I remember correctly. This story is not about divorce. It is about adoption. You do not want to be on the birth parent side of the law. It is different. You will be railroaded every time. It does not matter what you think or want. There is no guarantees of an open adoption for you. There is no guarantees that you will ever get to see your child again. According to the article, this woman forged the signature of a family court judge along with other forged documents as well. She was presenting these documents to other judges. She was sentenced to 180 days in jail along with being disbarred.
Where does this kind of corruption come from? It comes from sealed records. It comes from the secrecy that is now very inherent in adoption. This hurts those of us living adoption. Can you imagine what these adoptees will discover when they are old enough to view their records? What about the birth families in this situation? What about the adoptive families in the messes that she created? People get hurt by individuals such as these. So yea she could do your divorce perfectly but she can not do adoptions all that great. Money is the reason why people such as her get into trouble.
This is why there needs to be transparency in adoption. Oklahoma is finally passing a bill that makes the fees available to adoptive parents. It is about time that these fees are explained in detail. Keep in mind these fees for the adoption agencies do not include the fees of the adoption attorney. Those are separate as well. It is time to end the blindsiding of all living adoption. We have to make changes now. We can no longer wait to make these changes. At least this woman will not be able to work in the law field again. She will have a criminal mark on her record so she will not be able to open an adoption agency. She can not move to another state to do so either as she is no longer a licensed attorney.
You can not mess with adoption records. Everything has to be on the up and up. You have to follow certain procedures. You can not bypass someone because you want these easier so that you can collect more money. This is why we need to be checking out the folks who do adoption. We need to know that their motivations are pure. They must have a certain accountability to those living adoption. One down how many more yet to go? Lets hope more are shut down soon. I would prefer NCFA member agencies. Many of their founding agencies are the ones that have gotten us into this situation in this first place. LDS Social Services comes to mind on this issue in particular. Too many fathers are having their rights violated.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Why does adoption need to change?
Adoption must change because it is becoming more and more about others instead of the children. It is about placing adoptive parents in competition with birthparents. It has become about the needs of the agency. It is about the need to profit. It is about the agency’s need to cover its proverbial rear end. It is no wonder that more and more examples of adoption corruption coming to light.
Recently in the news was a father who was trying to “sell” his child to the highest bidder. Of course, that story is not true but we do have other stories that are similar. Women who con adoptive parents are doing time for that kind of thing. If they know it is about the money, then how can it be any different for the adoption agencies?
We have to start changing the laws to reflect what adoption is about. Is adoption about the child or is about the money? Right now from what I have read, it is about the money. It is about scamming as many people as possible. Our state legislators let them get away with it. Adoption is a feel good thing. Is it really? I do not think so.
Confidentiality is there to protect the agencies. It is not there to protect it from anyone else. Why else would an adoption agency director leave adoption records in a building to be picked up by trash collectors? Why else would social workers violate the foster parent’s confidentiality because they have to remove a child from that home. That child was abusing other children in the home.
If you think about these things, it would not take you long to realize that adoption is not a good thing. It is not the panacea for abortion. Adoption comes with its own loss and problems. Until we can fix those problems, we can not fix even abortion to a point where it is a rare event.
Recently in the news was a father who was trying to “sell” his child to the highest bidder. Of course, that story is not true but we do have other stories that are similar. Women who con adoptive parents are doing time for that kind of thing. If they know it is about the money, then how can it be any different for the adoption agencies?
We have to start changing the laws to reflect what adoption is about. Is adoption about the child or is about the money? Right now from what I have read, it is about the money. It is about scamming as many people as possible. Our state legislators let them get away with it. Adoption is a feel good thing. Is it really? I do not think so.
Confidentiality is there to protect the agencies. It is not there to protect it from anyone else. Why else would an adoption agency director leave adoption records in a building to be picked up by trash collectors? Why else would social workers violate the foster parent’s confidentiality because they have to remove a child from that home. That child was abusing other children in the home.
If you think about these things, it would not take you long to realize that adoption is not a good thing. It is not the panacea for abortion. Adoption comes with its own loss and problems. Until we can fix those problems, we can not fix even abortion to a point where it is a rare event.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
DMC and Zara Phillips Making Sweet Music
Darryl McDaniels is a hero of mine. He is using his talents to make a point in the New Jersey legislature. Darryl was one of the musical pioneers in Rap music. He is putting those raps to good use in helping adoptees attain equal rights in adoption. As many know, adoptees in 44 states do not have equal access to their original birth certificates. It is time for the legislators to consider adoptees more than just forever children and chattel of our adoptive parents.
He and Zara Philips have made a song together. These two have made the New York Times. The adoption agencies that fight this bill claim that they made a promise to these mothers of forever anonymity. What the state legislatures do not understand is that these agencies were not agents of the state governments. These agencies were not authorized to make promises to these mothers. You can not deny one person his rights and due process based on the fears of another. If that were the case our government would never have any laws.
If adoption carries the presumption of harm, why is the government in the practice of it? That is a question that has never been answered for me or any other adoptee across this country. The Privacy Act of the federal government states that all individuals have access to the documents that the government has on those individuals. It is a clear violation of the adoptee's right to privacy. Yes these mothers have the right to be left alone but these mothers do not have the right to deny an adoptee access to their own birth documents. This is point that the state legislators fail to realize. There is a massive difference between these two definitions of right to privacy. The governing entities need to step up and grant adoptees their rights and full citizenship.
Adult adoptees pay taxes, serve their country in wars, work for the government, raise their children, are married and many other mature responsibilites. It is time to restore our rights as humans. It is time to restore our human dignity. It is time to make adoptees equal citizens in the United States. As long as these laws exist, they will continue to diminish adoptees as property and chattel.
Adoptive parents need to realize that adoptee access is not about losing their child to the natural parents. It is about equal treatment under the law. The Civil Rights Movement of the Sixties gives us a Supreme Court Case that will back it up. Brown vs. Board of Education. We are tired of being treated separate under the law. Separate is not equal. We want equality. Adoptee access also protects the adoptive parents. It provides greater transparency for the adoptive parent. In this day and age, adoptive parents need that. Confidentiality protects none of the members living adoption. It protects the adoption industry at their own discretion. It is used arbitrarily.
It is time for everyone of us living adoption to stand up. We have to make these legislators aware that this "birthparent" privacy is just a myth.
He and Zara Philips have made a song together. These two have made the New York Times. The adoption agencies that fight this bill claim that they made a promise to these mothers of forever anonymity. What the state legislatures do not understand is that these agencies were not agents of the state governments. These agencies were not authorized to make promises to these mothers. You can not deny one person his rights and due process based on the fears of another. If that were the case our government would never have any laws.
If adoption carries the presumption of harm, why is the government in the practice of it? That is a question that has never been answered for me or any other adoptee across this country. The Privacy Act of the federal government states that all individuals have access to the documents that the government has on those individuals. It is a clear violation of the adoptee's right to privacy. Yes these mothers have the right to be left alone but these mothers do not have the right to deny an adoptee access to their own birth documents. This is point that the state legislators fail to realize. There is a massive difference between these two definitions of right to privacy. The governing entities need to step up and grant adoptees their rights and full citizenship.
Adult adoptees pay taxes, serve their country in wars, work for the government, raise their children, are married and many other mature responsibilites. It is time to restore our rights as humans. It is time to restore our human dignity. It is time to make adoptees equal citizens in the United States. As long as these laws exist, they will continue to diminish adoptees as property and chattel.
Adoptive parents need to realize that adoptee access is not about losing their child to the natural parents. It is about equal treatment under the law. The Civil Rights Movement of the Sixties gives us a Supreme Court Case that will back it up. Brown vs. Board of Education. We are tired of being treated separate under the law. Separate is not equal. We want equality. Adoptee access also protects the adoptive parents. It provides greater transparency for the adoptive parent. In this day and age, adoptive parents need that. Confidentiality protects none of the members living adoption. It protects the adoption industry at their own discretion. It is used arbitrarily.
It is time for everyone of us living adoption to stand up. We have to make these legislators aware that this "birthparent" privacy is just a myth.
Friday, April 10, 2009
WACSN in the news again.
A news article alerted me to problems with Liberia and WACSN. This time they removed 35 children. Awhile back, WACSN was being investigated. I researched the adoption agency a little bit. The agency is in Minnesota. They operate an orphanage in Liberia. News came out recently that the orphanage was raided and 35 children were removed. I wonder if the state of Minnesota has bothered to investigate this agency. Maybe with this article they will. I know that the IRS needs to be paying attention to this mess.
One of the things that I noticed with this agency is the website. It is very poorly done. It belongs to a woman in Tennessee. Liberia temporarily halted all adoptions in January when this story came out. While this moratorium has been going on, there have been no Americans adopting from Liberia. Canada has ceased all adoptions from Liberia. This website really pushes religious beliefs onto an individual. If you happen to ask too many questions or have a difference of opinion, you might be considered as not Christian enough. That will get your application denied.
Tax documents are also lacking. The last one filed was in 2005 where they show earnings from direct support of $222,900. They list no income from adoptions since that time. I think that I smell a skunk in here somewhere. How can this organization not report its incomes for close to five years? Inquiring minds and all.
Here is a quote from the article that really concerns me as an adoptee:
“WACSN is a Minnesota nonprofit, according to federal tax records, and has been one of the leading U.S. adoption agencies in Liberia. It is not licensed as an adoption agency in Minnesota. Under state rules, organizations that arrange international adoptions are not necessarily required to have a state license.”
They are operating out of Minnesota but they do not have an agency license from Minnesota. They do have a business filing for the agency out of Eden Prairie. It is amazing that these agencies are allowed to continue when they have children removed from their care. It is amazing that the state of Minnesota has not investigated this agency too.
The missing tax records, the weird way that the website is set up, and the fact that they are not licensed in Minnesota is enough to send warning bells off in my head. I suggest all adoptive parents to look elsewhere to consider adopting from.
One of the things that I noticed with this agency is the website. It is very poorly done. It belongs to a woman in Tennessee. Liberia temporarily halted all adoptions in January when this story came out. While this moratorium has been going on, there have been no Americans adopting from Liberia. Canada has ceased all adoptions from Liberia. This website really pushes religious beliefs onto an individual. If you happen to ask too many questions or have a difference of opinion, you might be considered as not Christian enough. That will get your application denied.
Tax documents are also lacking. The last one filed was in 2005 where they show earnings from direct support of $222,900. They list no income from adoptions since that time. I think that I smell a skunk in here somewhere. How can this organization not report its incomes for close to five years? Inquiring minds and all.
Here is a quote from the article that really concerns me as an adoptee:
“WACSN is a Minnesota nonprofit, according to federal tax records, and has been one of the leading U.S. adoption agencies in Liberia. It is not licensed as an adoption agency in Minnesota. Under state rules, organizations that arrange international adoptions are not necessarily required to have a state license.”
They are operating out of Minnesota but they do not have an agency license from Minnesota. They do have a business filing for the agency out of Eden Prairie. It is amazing that these agencies are allowed to continue when they have children removed from their care. It is amazing that the state of Minnesota has not investigated this agency too.
The missing tax records, the weird way that the website is set up, and the fact that they are not licensed in Minnesota is enough to send warning bells off in my head. I suggest all adoptive parents to look elsewhere to consider adopting from.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Samoan Adoptee in the News
Everyone has heard about the Focus on Children and their crimes against both adoptive parents and “birthparents.” It disgusts me that these operators of this agency only got a slap on the wrists. The Banks were told never to work in the adoption industry ever again. Karen Bank’s sister still owns the business in Wyoming. I wonder if Karen and Scott Banks are still listed as board of directors. The Banks and Dan Wakefield are supposed to contribute to a trust fund that supports communications between the birth families in Samoa and the adoptive families in the United States. Maybe if they use the sale of their home in Wellsville, Utah, it will help cover the costs of phone calls, trips, and post office boxes for these families.
The Sawyers have been mentioned on several occasions in various news articles around the country. It was never their intent to adopt a child who had been bought for mere cans of tuna or bags of rice by the agency. They never intended that their adopted child to be kidnapped by the Banks or any of their affiliates.
Well the Sawyers are lucky. They get to reunite their daughter with her “birthparents” this summer. It is wonderful that this family has that opportunity. I commend an adoptive mother who is able to do this. I do know that there was an adoptive father that was worried that his child would be taken back to Samoa. He did not want the “birthparents” to have the legal jurisdiction to be able to do so. Keep a watch out for this reunion on ABC news this summer possibly late fall.
Keep in mind as well that Scott and Karen Banks are serial adoptive parents. What does that mean? It means that they have adopted many children. Two of their Samoan adoptees have been sent back to Samoa to be educated there instead of the United States. Why? Karen Banks could not bond with these two children. Scott and Karen Banks also put another child, Greg, in a group home because they did not want their family home to be scratched up by his walker and his wheel chair.
Another situation that everyone needs to be aware of is the Kirkpatrick family. This family had finalized a Chinese adoption of a baby girl. They needed respite care for their daughter as they also had twin boys to contend with at the same time. The Banks took this opportunity to snatch another adoptee for their collection of adoptees. China would not let them adopt as they had too many children. The appeal on this case was recently heard. The family is currently waiting for a decision from that court.
It is a shame that the Federal government could not investigated this agency further. They too have connections to Mai Ly LaTrace as she helped Focus on Children as a facilitator. There could also be issues with many of the Cambodia adoptions before they shut down that channel for adoptions. She is listed on their 1999 tax return as well. It is a shame that the Federal prosecuter did not take it any further.
The Sawyers have been mentioned on several occasions in various news articles around the country. It was never their intent to adopt a child who had been bought for mere cans of tuna or bags of rice by the agency. They never intended that their adopted child to be kidnapped by the Banks or any of their affiliates.
Well the Sawyers are lucky. They get to reunite their daughter with her “birthparents” this summer. It is wonderful that this family has that opportunity. I commend an adoptive mother who is able to do this. I do know that there was an adoptive father that was worried that his child would be taken back to Samoa. He did not want the “birthparents” to have the legal jurisdiction to be able to do so. Keep a watch out for this reunion on ABC news this summer possibly late fall.
Keep in mind as well that Scott and Karen Banks are serial adoptive parents. What does that mean? It means that they have adopted many children. Two of their Samoan adoptees have been sent back to Samoa to be educated there instead of the United States. Why? Karen Banks could not bond with these two children. Scott and Karen Banks also put another child, Greg, in a group home because they did not want their family home to be scratched up by his walker and his wheel chair.
Another situation that everyone needs to be aware of is the Kirkpatrick family. This family had finalized a Chinese adoption of a baby girl. They needed respite care for their daughter as they also had twin boys to contend with at the same time. The Banks took this opportunity to snatch another adoptee for their collection of adoptees. China would not let them adopt as they had too many children. The appeal on this case was recently heard. The family is currently waiting for a decision from that court.
It is a shame that the Federal government could not investigated this agency further. They too have connections to Mai Ly LaTrace as she helped Focus on Children as a facilitator. There could also be issues with many of the Cambodia adoptions before they shut down that channel for adoptions. She is listed on their 1999 tax return as well. It is a shame that the Federal prosecuter did not take it any further.
Does Adoption set us up to be discriminated against?
I do think that adoption does exactly this. It sets us to be treated differently. It does not matter if you are an adoptee, "birthmother", or an adoptive parent. It treats us differently. I point to adoptee access laws around the country as a perfect example.
These laws treat adult adoptees differently. Adult adoptees are treated as incapable of handling their own affairs with their family. I read somewhere that the California bill that lists that adult adoptees age 25 and older can have access to their original birth certificates. This age was decided because that is when an adult adoptee is capable of dealing with the facts of their adoption. Okay an 18 year old adoptee can fight in a war. An adult adoptee can vote at that age. An adult adoptee at age 18 can even be a parent. An adult adoptee is capable and legally responsible to sign a contract. How can they not be emotionally capable of handling the circumstances of their birth? I know. It does not make sense to me either. I have not be able to figure out that bit since adoptees deal with their adoption since their adoption legally occurred.
“Birthmothers” are legally able to relinquish their rights even as a minor. They do not need parental consent in order to do so. This is done so that the mother can relinquish their child without their parents’ knowledge and influence which is very unlike abortion. They want to make it as easy as possible for any female to relinquish. They want to do it without any kind of influences on the mother. They want to be the sole people that influences her to relinquish. Many times, the counseling that an expectant mother receives is the reading of a book. There are no extensive counseling services offered to her before or after. In this respect, adoptive parents are getting angry at the lack of counseling for the mothers. I have read this. I have even seen the complaints about this issue. The agencies then claim to protect the mothers after they relinquish. They just want to keep their dirty deeds secret. They want to keep the coercive tactics quiet.
Adoptive parents are also treated differently. They are treated incapable of handling the various aspects of adoption on their own. They are not allowed to collectively think outside the box. Truthfully, most adoptive parents do not want to kidnap someone else’s child. They do not want to be involved in illegal activities. This is why many adoptive parents are bucking the system. They are beginning to ask questions. They are being punished for their actions in their adoptions. If they ask too many questions, then they are told that they need additional counseling. This process is called “creaming.”
Who really controls the adoption industry? It seems that the states and the adoption agencies are in it together. I believe the states should act as a governmental regulatory agency where as the adoption agency should provide the service under the regulations of the government. The state governments no longer regulate adoption. It is time that it is brought under control without the influence of the adoption industry.
These laws treat adult adoptees differently. Adult adoptees are treated as incapable of handling their own affairs with their family. I read somewhere that the California bill that lists that adult adoptees age 25 and older can have access to their original birth certificates. This age was decided because that is when an adult adoptee is capable of dealing with the facts of their adoption. Okay an 18 year old adoptee can fight in a war. An adult adoptee can vote at that age. An adult adoptee at age 18 can even be a parent. An adult adoptee is capable and legally responsible to sign a contract. How can they not be emotionally capable of handling the circumstances of their birth? I know. It does not make sense to me either. I have not be able to figure out that bit since adoptees deal with their adoption since their adoption legally occurred.
“Birthmothers” are legally able to relinquish their rights even as a minor. They do not need parental consent in order to do so. This is done so that the mother can relinquish their child without their parents’ knowledge and influence which is very unlike abortion. They want to make it as easy as possible for any female to relinquish. They want to do it without any kind of influences on the mother. They want to be the sole people that influences her to relinquish. Many times, the counseling that an expectant mother receives is the reading of a book. There are no extensive counseling services offered to her before or after. In this respect, adoptive parents are getting angry at the lack of counseling for the mothers. I have read this. I have even seen the complaints about this issue. The agencies then claim to protect the mothers after they relinquish. They just want to keep their dirty deeds secret. They want to keep the coercive tactics quiet.
Adoptive parents are also treated differently. They are treated incapable of handling the various aspects of adoption on their own. They are not allowed to collectively think outside the box. Truthfully, most adoptive parents do not want to kidnap someone else’s child. They do not want to be involved in illegal activities. This is why many adoptive parents are bucking the system. They are beginning to ask questions. They are being punished for their actions in their adoptions. If they ask too many questions, then they are told that they need additional counseling. This process is called “creaming.”
Who really controls the adoption industry? It seems that the states and the adoption agencies are in it together. I believe the states should act as a governmental regulatory agency where as the adoption agency should provide the service under the regulations of the government. The state governments no longer regulate adoption. It is time that it is brought under control without the influence of the adoption industry.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Illinois Confidential Intermediaries: Good or Bad?
I pay attention to what goes on in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio because Indiana is sandwiched in the middle of all of it. Someone told me recently that the country does follow what Illinois does.. So I watch even further now as a result.
I posted some interesting information on Midwest Adoption Center. It is an organization that does confidential intermediary work for the state of Illinois. You know how adoptees can not be trusted with their personal information! It irritated me because it affected adoptees. If it affects adoptees, I pay attention. I mentioned that Nancy Golden is one of those that runs that organization. She according to Guidestar.org is paid a $100,000 a year. I do not even think Katrina Carlisle earns that much through her confidential intermediary work with St. Elizabeth Coleman.
I found a case that Nancy Golden was reprimanded on. That number is social worker license #150001566 on November 30, 1991 (date of expiriation). I find interesting when I used a certain deep web search tool that she has an older license where she was reprimanded on. She was allowed to let that license expire. She was allowed to get a new one (social worker clinicial license #149003006) where there is no reprimand listed on it. She violated client confidentiality on it. A foster care parent lost his job over this issue. He and his family filed a lawsuit and won. Now she is working with adoptees. I wonder if their confidentiality has been violated as well. No one noticed this first article.
Everyone knows that I personally do not like confidential intermediaries. This part of the searching process irritates because it continues to treat adoptees and their families as incapable of handling their own affairs. I believe that this woman is the key in the situation in Illinois. Illinois has a bill that allows the confidential intermediaries’ previous contacts to stand instead of the mothers writing into the state of Illinois to file a contact refusal.
You see with confidential intermediaries, you have to rely on them to do proper due diligence. You have no guarantee of it. They have their own set of rules that you are not allowed to know. Their standard operating procedures are anyone’s guess. When they get completed with your case, it is anyone’s guess if they did your case right. We are not talking about children making contact. We are talking adults here. These people affect your reunion. These people affect if you have a reunion. When you spending a thousand dollars to get this done, you want some kind of guarantee. If you are adopted, forget it. Its an oh well it sucks to me commentary. We have no way of fighting back against the system.
If you have someone like Nancy Golden as your confidential intermediary, you have no idea how much she will reveal about you to someone else. This is just another example of why it is time to end the discrimination that adoptees and their families face every day. It is the adoption industry that is keeping the shame, ignorance, and deception going.
I posted some interesting information on Midwest Adoption Center. It is an organization that does confidential intermediary work for the state of Illinois. You know how adoptees can not be trusted with their personal information! It irritated me because it affected adoptees. If it affects adoptees, I pay attention. I mentioned that Nancy Golden is one of those that runs that organization. She according to Guidestar.org is paid a $100,000 a year. I do not even think Katrina Carlisle earns that much through her confidential intermediary work with St. Elizabeth Coleman.
I found a case that Nancy Golden was reprimanded on. That number is social worker license #150001566 on November 30, 1991 (date of expiriation). I find interesting when I used a certain deep web search tool that she has an older license where she was reprimanded on. She was allowed to let that license expire. She was allowed to get a new one (social worker clinicial license #149003006) where there is no reprimand listed on it. She violated client confidentiality on it. A foster care parent lost his job over this issue. He and his family filed a lawsuit and won. Now she is working with adoptees. I wonder if their confidentiality has been violated as well. No one noticed this first article.
Everyone knows that I personally do not like confidential intermediaries. This part of the searching process irritates because it continues to treat adoptees and their families as incapable of handling their own affairs. I believe that this woman is the key in the situation in Illinois. Illinois has a bill that allows the confidential intermediaries’ previous contacts to stand instead of the mothers writing into the state of Illinois to file a contact refusal.
You see with confidential intermediaries, you have to rely on them to do proper due diligence. You have no guarantee of it. They have their own set of rules that you are not allowed to know. Their standard operating procedures are anyone’s guess. When they get completed with your case, it is anyone’s guess if they did your case right. We are not talking about children making contact. We are talking adults here. These people affect your reunion. These people affect if you have a reunion. When you spending a thousand dollars to get this done, you want some kind of guarantee. If you are adopted, forget it. Its an oh well it sucks to me commentary. We have no way of fighting back against the system.
If you have someone like Nancy Golden as your confidential intermediary, you have no idea how much she will reveal about you to someone else. This is just another example of why it is time to end the discrimination that adoptees and their families face every day. It is the adoption industry that is keeping the shame, ignorance, and deception going.
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