Lately

Lately I have been concentrating on other issues besides adoption. I know! I know! Adoption encompasses many things besides the topic itself. Adoption also involves women's health issues, children's issues, reproductive choice (abortion vs. adoption), and so much more. Adoption is such a hot button issue as a result of all of these other issues.

I write five different blogs. It is sometimes difficult to keep up with all of them. I tend to concentrate on the sites that make me money so that I can continue to support adoptees and their families in our online community.

I have been very interested in the health care reform issue. I honestly believe that if women had access to decent health care that we would not have the problems that we have with abortion and adoption. I think that universal health care will reduce these numbers. That is something that I would like to see done.

Adoptees are often blamed for increases in abortion when the true reality according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute and others is that women abort because they just do not have the money to support a child. I quote this directly from their site:

Most U.S. women cite more than one factor contributing to their decision to have an abortion: Almost three-quarters say that having a baby would interfere with work, school or other responsibilities; about three-quarters say they cannot afford to have a child; and almost half say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their husband or partner.

Adoptees have enough to deal with at times without the added responsibility for the future reproductive choices of women in the United States. Adoptees are often told to be grateful that they were not aborted. That is one of the most horrible things to say to any adoptee.

It amazes me that many in the pro-life movement and pro-choice movement ignore these valuable bits of information. I have to give credit to the pro-choice movement. They are starting to recognize the coercive tactics that are often used on pregnant women in this country. It is also dependent on which state but the pro-life movement is starting to do the same. The difference between the two is that the pro-life movement is still very dependent on crisis pregnancy centers across this country. The adoption industry is heavily connected to these centers as well. Bethany Christian Services is the worst culprit.

The adoption industry is a massive multi-billion dollar business that is unregulated. There are attempts to regulate it but they are just band-aids in reality. Adoption needs a massive overhaul so that all parties are protected. Birth mothers are being coerced out of their children. Adoptees are denied access to their original birth certificates. Adoptive parents are being scammed out of their funds and their dream. We have to make changes to the system.

There is no doubt that it will be a painful process in order to change things. It is a process that we all need to go through.

Demons In Adoption

For those who have not voted yet, there is still time for you to vote on Pound Pup Legacy for the Demons in Adoption Awards. The list is mighty impressive as it is every year. You can vote here today. My favorite is LDS Family Services for what they have done to a family here in my local.

Each year Pound Pup Legacy presents the Demons of Adoption Award to raise a voice against adoption propaganda and the self congratulatory practices of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute's annual Angels in Adoption Awards^TM

Until October 30 you will have the opportunity to vote for the recipient of this year's award.

The nominees are:

• Adoptions First for offering of a free birth mothers package;
• Athanasios Kollias aka Teo for the involvement in various Guatemalan child trafficking cases;
• Barnardos for promoting the removal of children and have them adopted as the solution to family breakdown;
• Bethany Christian Services for using coercive tactics obtaining infants for their customers;
• Deborra-Lee Furness for pushing laxer regulations in inter-country adoption;
• Harry and Bertha Holt for starting the placement of "special needs children" who are truly not adoptable, into the homes of already huge families;
• Independent Adoption Center for plugging their business on WE tv's Adoption Diaries, making them the non-denominational Bethany;
• Joint Council on International Children's Services for supporting temporary movement of foreign children to America because such trial-basis "exchange" programs "help" the adoption process;
• LDS Family Services for using coercive tactics in obtaining infants for adoption and for not respecting paternal rights;
• Scott and Karen Banks for child trafficking, coercive adoption practices and the abandonment of their adopted children;
• The Dutch Ministry of Justice for preventing research into corrupt adoption practices in China, because of diplomatic and business relations with that country;
• The Malawi Government for allowing Madonna to adopt Mercy James;