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New Jersey bills A-2557 and S-1087 to reinstate the equal rights of adopted citizens have stalled again. Since 1940, when an adoption takes place, a new — falsified — birth certificate is issued by the state stating that the child was born to his/her adoptive parents. These so-called amended birth certificates can change the date and place of birth, as well as the names of the individual and his/her parents. The original — correct — birth certificate is then "sealed" away forever and ever.
No matter how old an adoptee, no matter if his or her birth and/or adoptive parents are no longer alive, he or she has no right to his or her authentic identity. Pam Hasegawa, an adoptee and spokeswoman for the New Jersey Coalition for Adoption Reform and Education describes it as putting "a lifetime restraining order on adopted people." Others have called it being on the witness protection program without requesting to be.
Why are these people discriminated against and treated unequal to all others in regard to their own birth certificate? What have they done? Nothing. It is what is done to them. And why is that?
The "reason", according to the state bar association, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Catholic Conference, an anti-abortion group, and a national group that represents adoption agencies all of whom oppose allowing adoptees access to their rightful identities, is that their mothers were allegedly promised anonymity at the time of adoption.
None of these opposing organizations that have held similar bills up in committees since 1980 represent the mothers they claim to be concerned about.
The organizations representing mothers— Concerned United Birthparents and Origins USA — are fervently in favor of returning to adoptees rights that sealed adoption abrogates. Repeated surveys and statistics have shown that 90 percent of mothers who relinquish are happy to be found — or initiate contact.
Neither have any of the opponents to equality for adoptees shown any proof of promises made to mothers upon relinquishing their parental rights — because there is none. Mothers who relinquish were made one and only promise: that their child would have a better life through adoption. That better life did not include not knowing the truth of their identity.
Instead of proof, the opposition presented an anonymous alleged birth mother who said she decided to place her baby up for adoption based on the expectation of privacy. An expectation!
In what other circumstance do laws protect the alleged expectations of one percent of a group? What laws protect secrets and lies? Men are not protected from their paternity, even if they expected not to have it revealed.
In the post Internet world anyone can be found. A mother living in fear of having her secret revealed can change her name or simply say no if contacted. We have sufficient laws to protect all citizens from harassment. It is unnecessary and discriminatory to have laws that apply only to one class of people based on their birth status.
Let's stop cowing to the lobbyists who are interested in maintaining secrecy because it is good for adoption business and give these people what they deserve. The time has come to stop infantilizing adoptees and treating them like a suspect class, worse than convicted felons.
Mirah Riben
Monmouth Junction
The South Brunswick Post, NJ
06/14/2007
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