The NCFA...?

Question

The NCFA is the largest opponent to equal rights for adult adoptees with respect to their birth certficates.

Who is powerful enough to change their position on this important issue?

Thank you for any related thoughts on this too.

Answer 1

The public, the adoptees especially. I believe we will continue to unite and lead ourselves into victory and overthrow the enemy. i believe that public opinion on open records is in general in support of equal access for adult adoptees. Studies are showing it, laws are starting to change state by state, statistics are showing its positive for us and first mothers. Change is inevitable, change always happens, its only a matter of time until it is so.

Answer 2

I've always thought the AMA (American Medical Association) could oppose them.

Physicians are always telling adoptees how important it is for us to know our histories. Their endorsement would be purely scientific--no soft science involved.

But like everyone else, they'd need incentive, and adult adoptees offer none.  We're 'valued' as infants when we're pre-verbal, not as 'angry and bitter' adults.

Answer 3

I guess if enough people share their stories about how their "physical" health could have been compromised and how having that infor could have saved their life or health they would HAVE to at least look at that. Even non-adopted people whos family medical history determined their testing and treatment can be a testomony to why it's important.

I doubt they will give a poo about anyones feelings so if it is presented as a clinial necessity we might get some where.

Answer 4

We all are.  We have to be the collective though.  We have to point out to the public what their member agencies have done.

LDS Social Services and their agencies (members)  all do what they can to violate the rights of mothers and fathers.  Using tactics of coercion and fear to get the natural parents to change their minds.

Bethany is another agency as well. They passed the homestudies of an adoptive mother who killed her baby in Indiana.    

Gladney is the one that has stopped the OBC access laws here in Texas.  With 96 people testifying yes to this and 4 testifying no against this, why didn't Texas open their records?  I can't figure out that one at all.

We also must stop Catholic Charities, Planned Parenthood, NARAL, Pro Life groups and the ACLU from entering into this realm of adoption.

Answer 5

The Catholic Church.

If the U.S. Council of Bishops recognized adoptee rights, stand back...

Answer 6

This is a tough question.  To many people, the NCFA represents "doing good" re: adoption.  They get almost all the donations made by well-meaning people and groups who want to support adoption.  

Since the efforts of adoptees aren't proceeding very quickly, and they find it easy to ignore the vast majority of first mothers who don't feel a need to be protected from their own offspring, I'd suggest they need to be hit where it hurts--the bottom line.  Maybe PAPs could refuse to do business with agencies that support the NCFA.  Maybe the groups and individuals that support them could be encouraged to stop.    

So I guess the pat answer to "who's strong enough?" is ALL of us.  Every single person, organization, church involved with adoption.  How that's to be accomplished given the current climate of ignorance and insecurity surrounding open records, however, I do not know.  The NCFA's propoganda machine is huge and powerful.

Answer 7

The passage of Measure 58 in Oregon a decade ago shows that the people support adoptee rights.  Unfortunately, in the world of politics, money and power talk.  This goes for any issue, not just adoption issues.  I can think of one particular legislator who opposed open records then suddenly supported.  It turns out his support, though greatly appreciated and influential, was based on owing a favor to someone.  It's just that it simply shows the influence of power, money and political games.

The NCFA has lots and lots of financial backing from particular adoption agencies that want to keep records closed, so they don't support open records.  My biggest issue with getting the AMA on board is that if legislators think it's all about medical records, we end up with some sort of crappy registry or updated medical information requirements that still don't give us equal access.

Not that I'm against the AMA being behind us -- it's got money and clout.  We would still, however, have to make sure leggies know that it's about equal rights, and we'd need the backing and money of an organization or organizations that stand firm on that as well.

It just really gets to me that non-adopted people don't need permission from that state or from "mommy and daddy" to access their very own birth records, but adopted citizens do.  I'm an adult for crying out loud.  I haven't needed my parent's permission to do anything in decades -- anything but have my own birth certificate, apparently.  I have a full relationship with my natural family, but I can't have that birth certificate.  Cut me a break.

I'd have to agree with Tobit.  Getting large, organized religion behind us would rocket us.  The Catholic Church and the LDS, in particular.  We already have the some protestant  churches who support us, but they don't have the influence.  Unfortunately, the Catholic Church and LDS run adoption agencies that don't want those records open.

Answer 8

Just wanted to make sure that this info was connected here!

http://musingsofthelame.blogspot.com/200...

Answer 9

I guess a petition would be a start