Sunday, March 21, 2010

Some of my modest contributions to the cause

I know that there are a great number of people out there who have devoted a lot of time and energy to the cause of opening birth records to adult adoptees and my comparatively recent efforts are modest by any measure. However, if you’re presently like I was just a few years ago, you welcome the chance to jump in and take some action – any action. One of the more satisfying steps I’ve taken was to ensure that I made the Ohio State Assembly aware of my stance on the issue. Hence, in addition to my previous post about sparring with Troy Dunn of the “The Locator”, I’ve also written every single representative and senator in the Ohio State Assembly. Below, you'll find all of the contact information for every member of the Ohio State Assembly as well as my draft note/email templates.

If you are an Ohio resident, you can find your specific representative here:
http://www.house.state.oh.us/index.php?option=com_displaymembers&Itemid=58
and your specific senator here:
http://www.ohiosenate.gov/map.html

if you wish to contact all state assemblymen and/or are not an Ohio resident, here is the complete email list:

Ohio Senate
Name(Party) Email
Steve Buehrer (R) SD01@senate.state.oh.us
Mark Wagoner (R) SD02@senate.state.oh.us
David Goodman (R) SD03@senate.state.oh.us
Gary Cates (R) SD04@senate.state.oh.us
Fred Strahorn (D) SD05@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Jon Husted (R) SD06@senate.state.oh.us
Shannon Jones (R) SD07@senate.state.oh.us
Bill Seitz (R) SD08@senate.state.oh.us
Eric Kearney (D) SD09@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Chris Widener (R) SD10@senate.state.oh.us
Teresa Fedor (D) SD11@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Keith Faber (R) SD12@senate.state.oh.us
Sue Morano (D) SD13@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Tom Niehaus (R) SD14@senate.state.oh.us
Ray Miller (D) SD15@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Jim Hughes (R) SD16@senate.state.oh.us
John Carey (R) SD17@senate.state.oh.us
Tim Grendell (R) SD18@senate.state.oh.us
Bill Harris (R) SD19@senate.state.oh.us
Jimmy Stewart (R) SD20@senate.state.oh.us
Shirley A. Smith (D) SD21@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Bob Gibbs (R) SD22@senate.state.oh.us
Dale Miller (D) SD23@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Tom Patton (R) SD24@senate.state.oh.us
Nina Turner (D) SD25@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Karen Gillmor (R) SD26@senate.state.oh.us
Kevin Coughlin (R) SD27@senate.state.oh.us
Tom Sawyer (D) SD28@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Kirk Schuring (R) SD29@senate.state.oh.us
Jason Wilson (D) SD30@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Tim Schaffer (R) SD31@senate.state.oh.us
Capri S. Cafaro (D) SD32@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Joe Schiavoni (D) SD33@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Source:http://www.ohiosenate.gov/directory.html

Ohio House of Representatives
Name Party District Email
John Adams Republican 78 district78@ohr.state.oh.us
Richard Adams Republican 79 district79@ohr.state.oh.us
Ron Amstutz Republican 3 district03@ohr.state.oh.us
Kevin Bacon Republican 21 district21@ohr.state.oh.us
Nan Baker Republican 16 district16@ohr.state.oh.us
Troy Balderson Republican 94 district94@ohr.state.oh.us
William G.Batchelder Republican 69 district69@ohr.state.oh.us
Peter Beck Republican 67 district67@ohr.state.oh.us
Robin Belcher Democrat 10 district10@ohr.state.oh.us
Terry Blair Republican 38 district38@ohr.state.oh.us
Louis W. Blessing,Jr. Republican 29 district29@ohr.state.oh.us
Linda S. Bolon Democrat 1 district01@ohr.state.oh.us
T. Todd Book Democrat 89 district89@ohr.state.oh.us
Terry Boose Republican 58 district58@ohr.state.oh.us
Barbara Boyd Democrat 9 district09@ohr.state.oh.us
Edna Brown Democrat 48 district48@ohr.state.oh.us
Danny R. Bubp Republican 88 district88@ohr.state.oh.us
Armond Budish Democrat 8 district08@ohr.state.oh.us
Dave Burke Republican 83 district83@ohr.state.oh.us
John Patrick Carney Democrat 22 district22@ohr.state.oh.us
Ted Celeste Democrat 24 district24@ohr.state.oh.us
Kathleen Chandler Democrat 68 district68@ohr.state.oh.us
William P.Coley,II Republican 55 district55@ohr.state.oh.us
Courtney Eric Combs Republican 54 district54@ohr.state.oh.us
David T. Daniels Republican 86 district86@ohr.state.oh.us
Michael DeBose Democrat 12 district12@ohr.state.oh.us
Timothy J.DeGeeter Democrat 15 district15@ohr.state.oh.us
Timothy Derickson Republican 53 district53@ohr.state.oh.us
Dan Dodd Democrat 91 district91@ohr.state.oh.us
Matthew J. Dolan Republican 98 district98@ohr.state.oh.us
John Domenick Democrat 95 district95@ohr.state.oh.us
Denise Driehaus Democrat 31 district31@ohr.state.oh.us
Stephen Dyer Democrat 43 district43@ohr.state.oh.us
Clyde Evans Republican 87 district87@ohr.state.oh.us
Lorraine M. Fende Democrat 62 district62@ohr.state.oh.us
Mike Foley Democrat 14 district14@ohr.state.oh.us
Randy Gardner Republican 6 district06@ohr.state.oh.us
Nancy Garland Democrat 20 district20@ohr.state.oh.us
Jennifer Garrison Democrat 93 district93@ohr.state.oh.us
Ronald V. Gerberry Democrat 59 district59@ohr.state.oh.us
Bruce W. Goodwin Republican 74 district74@ohr.state.oh.us
Jay P. Goyal Democrat 73 district73@ohr.state.oh.us
Cheryl Grossman Republican 23 district23@ohr.state.oh.us
Robert Hackett Republican 84 district84@ohr.state.oh.us
Robert F. Hagan Democrat 60 district60@ohr.state.oh.us
Dave Hall Republican 97 district97@ohr.state.oh.us
Marian Harris Democrat 19 district19@ohr.state.oh.us
Sandra Stabile Harwood Democrat 65 district65@ohr.state.oh.us
Tracy Maxwell Heard Democrat 26 district26@ohr.state.oh.us
Cliff Hite Republican 76 district76@ohr.state.oh.us
Jay Hottinger Republican 71 district71@ohr.state.oh.us
Matt Huffman Republican 4 district04@ohr.state.oh.us
Kris Jordan Republican 2 district02@ohr.state.oh.us
Joseph Koziura Democrat 56 district56@ohr.state.oh.us
Peggy Lehner Republican 37 district37@ohr.state.oh.us
Tom Letson Democrat 64 district64@ohr.state.oh.us
Clayton R. Luckie Democrat 39 district39@ohr.state.oh.us
Matt Lundy Democrat 57 district57@ohr.state.oh.us
Ron Maag Republican 35 district35@ohr.state.oh.us
Dale Mallory Democrat 32 district32@ohr.state.oh.us
Josh Mandel Republican 17 district17@ohr.state.oh.us
Jarrod Martin Republican 70 district70@ohr.state.oh.us
Jeffrey McClain Republican 82 district82@ohr.state.oh.us
Ross McGregor Republican 72 district72@ohr.state.oh.us
Robert Mecklenborg Republican 30 district30@ohr.state.oh.us
Mike Moran Democrat 42 district42@ohr.state.oh.us
Seth Morgan Republican 36 district36@ohr.state.oh.us
Dennis Murray Democrat 80 district80@ohr.state.oh.us
Deborah Newcomb Democrat 99 district99@ohr.state.oh.us
W. Scott Oelslager Republican 51 district51@ohr.state.oh.us
Mark D. Okey Democrat 61 district61@ohr.state.oh.us
John R. Otterman Democrat 45 district45@ohr.state.oh.us
Matt Patten Democrat 18 district18@ohr.state.oh.us
Debbie Phillips Democrat 92 district92@ohr.state.oh.us
Connie Pillich Democrat 28 district28@ohr.state.oh.us
Raymond Pryor Democrat 85 district85@ohr.state.oh.us
Margaret Ruhl Republican 90 district90@ohr.state.oh.us
Allan R. Sayre Democrat 96 district96@ohr.state.oh.us
Mark A. Schneider Democrat 63 district63@ohr.state.oh.us
Barbara R. Sears Republican 46 district46@ohr.state.oh.us
Michael Skindell Democrat 13 district13@ohr.state.oh.us
Stephen Slesnick Democrat 52 district52@ohr.state.oh.us
Todd Snitchler Republican 50 district50@ohr.state.oh.us
Peter Stautberg Republican 34 district34@ohr.state.oh.us
Gerald L. Stebelton Republican 5 district05@ohr.state.oh.us
Dan Stewart Democrat 25 district25@ohr.state.oh.us
Vernon Sykes Democrat 44 district44@ohr.state.oh.us
Matt Szollosi Democrat 49 district49@ohr.state.oh.us
Joe Uecker Republican 66 district66@ohr.state.oh.us
Peter S. Ujvagi Democrat 47 district47@ohr.state.oh.us
Lynn R. Wachtmann Republican 75 district75@ohr.state.oh.us
Jeff Wagner Republican 81 district81@ohr.state.oh.us
W. Carlton Weddington Democrat 27 district27@ohr.state.oh.us
Brian G. Williams Democrat 41 district41@ohr.state.oh.us
Sandra Williams Democrat 11 district11@ohr.state.oh.us
Roland Winburn Democrat 40 district40@ohr.state.oh.us
Tyrone K. Yates Democrat 33 district33@ohr.state.oh.us
Kenny Yuko Democrat 7 district07@ohr.state.oh.us
James J. Zehringer Republican 77 district77@ohr.state.oh.us
Source:http://www.house.state.oh.us/index.php?option=com_displaymembers&Itemid=57
__________

Here is my original email template that I wrote and sent to each assemblyman. You’re welcome to reuse it in its entirety or as inspiration for your own note.

Subject: Providing adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates

Dear [ASSEMBLYMAN],

As an Ohio adoptee born in [City/County] I implore you to support legislation to make original birth certificates unconditionally accessible to ALL adult adoptees. For too long Ohio has denied the rights and dignity of adult adoptees, the time has come for change.

Since my birth in 1970, I've wondered about my origins for 39 years. I'm frustrated that I should have to justify my need to know my own birth parents to anyone and even more frustrated that Ohio is willing to tolerate the current state of affairs. The bizarre situation that blocks birth record access to adoptees such as me, born between 1964 and 1996, is a testament to legislation run amok. I urge you to try to imagine what it would be like if you didn't know your birth parents and worse, what it would be like to know the state government has that information but denies you access to it because of the circumstances surrounding your birth - circumstances over which you never had any control. The thousands of adoptees, like me, that cannot access our original birth certificates are innocent and blameless in this matter, yet we are adult citizens who are denied the rights granted everyone else. It is time for the Ohio legislature and you, [ASSEMBLYMAN], to take action and quit tolerating the status quo.

The reasons for opening the records are obvious:
1) It is a right.
This is a birthright taken for granted by all non-adopted citizens of Ohio (and the rest of the nation for that matter) and it should not be denied adult adoptees. To continue to deny this right is to make adult adoptees second-class citizens and this is unacceptable.

2) Family medical history.
Family medical history is unknown to adult adoptees and Ohio enforces this ignorance by law. If you choose inaction on this effort, you will be denying people born in Ohio critical tools with which to maintain and plan for their long-term healthcare.

3) Reunion.
An adult adoptee’s desire to know his or her own birth parents is a fundamental need shared by all people. Again, please try to imagine what it would be like to not know your birth mother, but instead discover that the state knows but won’t share the information. Ohio must quit trying to intervene in the affairs of families affected by adoption and allow them to reunite on their own terms.

The arguments against opening the records are flawed:
1) Abortion rates will increase: False and immaterial.
Thanks to the efforts of progressive states like Oregon which opened its records to adoptees almost a decade ago, we now have statistics to support the fact that open records do not adversely affect abortion rates. Since opening records, abortion rates have actually declined and adoption rates have remained steady (see Oregon Bureau of Vital Statistics). Further, denying adult adoptees access to their own birth records simply because this might increase abortions is analogous (if you’re pro-life) to restricting the civil liberties of an innocent segment of the population (adult adoptees) in order to reduce the homicides of another (babies) at the hands of yet another 3rd party (birth mothers). How can this be considered even remotely just or logical?

2) The records are sealed to protect the birth mothers: False.
First, this was not the original intent of the law. William B. Norris, the attorney instrumental in sealing Ohio adoptee birth records testified under oath before the Ohio State Legislature in the 1990's that his goal was merely to protect his young adopted children from the prying eyes of the public and in the worst case the birth parents. He further testified that he didn’t anticipate the needs of his adult adopted children to want to learn about their heritage and regretted the law’s unintended consequence of blocking adult adoptees from accessing this information. Anyone who purports protection of birth mothers to be the motivation for the law is completely wrong.
Second, once the adoptee reaches adulthood, there is no one left to protect. Adult adoptees and their birth parents are perfectly capable of working through the challenging and uncomfortable situations that may arise from reunion. Adults do this every day and they do so without state intervention or protection. Ohio should acknowledge this and realize that placing the concerns of the birth mother over the desire for truth sought by the adult adoptee creates an inequality between the two citizens that is wrong. The birth mother's rights do not supersede those of the adult adoptee, period.

This issue has an obvious and just resolution. Unconditional access to original birth certificates is a birthright of all citizens that must not be denied adult adoptees.

Please exercise your good judgment and leadership and do your part to open Ohio's birth records to adult adoptees.

Thank you sincerely,
[YOUR NAME HERE]

p.s. – I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further with you should you wish to learn more and/or hear about my personal experiences.

__________

Here is a template draft that I’ve shared with friends/supporters who aren’t themselves adopted. This text makes it easier for your friends to participate as you’ve saved them most of the time they’d otherwise spend crafting a custom note.

Subject: Providing adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates

Dear [Representative/Senator/Governor],
As a person who knows an adoptee affected by Ohio’s closed birth record statutes, I implore you to support legislation to make original birth certificates unconditionally accessible to ALL adult adoptees. For too long Ohio has denied the rights and dignity of adult adoptees and the time has come for change.

Thanks to the efforts of progressive states like Oregon, we now have statistics to support the fact that open records harm none of the adoption triad (birth parents, adoptive parents and the adoptee). Since opening their records abortion rates have declined and thousands of adoptees have requested and received their original birth certificates. Further, the decision of a birth parent to not be contacted is no different from that in any adult relationship. It is obvious that sealing birth records to protect birth parents forces adult adoptees into a second-class citizen status vis-à-vis the birth parent. Why should the birth parent’s decisions supersede those of the adult adoptee? Adults can resolve complicated and uncomfortable situations themselves and do so every day without state intervention. Ohio should accept this and acknowledge that there is no one to protect once the adoptee reaches adulthood.

This issue has an obvious and just resolution. Unconditional access to original birth certificates is a birthright of all citizens that must not be denied adoptees.
Please exercise your good judgment and leadership and do your part to open Ohio’s birth records to adult adoptees.

Thank you sincerely,
[YOUR NAME HERE]

__________

If you live in Ohio and are interested in becoming more involved, I noticed that Adoption Equity Ohio is looking for regional organizers to help coordinate the volunteers/supporter efforts to help get the upcoming bill passed.

Well, I guess that’s all for now. I hope this inspires you to action. Be sure to check back as I intend to do my best to keep you informed on how you can help further in the future – especially once we confirm there’s a new bill introduced in the Ohio State Assembly which will require multiple actions from many people to be successful.

Thanks for your time and attention!

1 comment:

  1. I'd like to thank you for posting so much info as well as your own letters for people to work off of. I shared it on facebook and do hope that some of those who have followed me in my own search for truth will also get active in helping in Ohio law.......

    ReplyDelete