In New Jersey adoption circles, the right to privacy versus the need for an identity isn’t just an explosive issue of the moment: It’s been a painful, simmering fire for both sides for almost 30 years.
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Last month, numerous adoptee-rights groups and individuals from as far as Wyoming and Washington state contacted the Daily News responding to an article June 23 about an Atlantic City woman who is suing New Jersey for allegedly providing her personal information to the daughter she gave up for adoption 30 years ago after being raped.
That woman received a letter from New Jersey’s Division of Youth and Family Services in August 2008, claiming that her daughter was seeking out her identifying information. The woman, who said she became distraught upon reading the letter, didn’t respond. Her daughter showed up at her door months later.
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Anyone can sue anyone. I feel confidet a judge will see this as the frivilous lawsuit. The agency claims the letter required a reply or an assumption was made that she was OK with contact. Furthermore, it remains to be seen if the adoptee got her mothers information from the agency. Today, anyone can find anyone! There are no laws to protect ANYONE’s anonymity or secrets and lies of their past…just look at all the politicians that are found out to have skeletons in their closets!
As for it effecting the equal rights of entire class of people…that too s ridiculous. Laws are made to protect the MAJORITY and in ever survey and all clinical data show that approx. 90% of mothers who lost children to adoption are happy to fund. We do not legislate for the few, and have enough existing laws to protect people from stalking or harassment…which is so rare in the case of adoptee reunion as to be irrelevant.
SOME people do not want to be found. SOME people also do not want to wear seat belts when they drive, or helmets on a bike…and SOME people want the ‘right” to smoke wherever they chose. We do not accommodate every individual with laws that effect the well being of the majority!
In this case it is very clear. Thousands of people are harmed by being denied their equality in regard to access to their original birht certficate. r=this is dscrimination base don out-dated values that stugatized “illegitimcay’ and these laws alleged to ‘prtect’ adoptees — not their mothers – harm them and MUST BE REPEALED!
Make no mistake about it: Mothers who relinquish their right to parent, relinquish ALL their rights in terms of that child and are give no promises of any kind in return! Anyone claiming otherwise is misinformed or intentionally mis-stating the facts in order to protect secrecy in adoption so that baby brokers can more easily practice with slip-shod methods.
This one individual is an anomaly. Nothing more. Why would someone s traumatized about being found out go public like this??? It’s clearly absurd and any judge will see through it.
Mirah Riben, author “The Stork Market” America’s Multi-Billion Dollar Unregulated Adoption Industry” and former VP of Communications, Origins-USA. former Director of the American Adoption Congress
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