Comments on: “Negro Please!” Some Blacks Offended By 2010 Census Form

By: Editor/Stacey Patton

Editor/Stacey Patton — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 23:10:40 +0000

Dear Mara,

I am a fellow adoptee. And yes, my original birth certificate along with all records pertaining to my adoption remain sealed even though I was reunited with my biological family 15 years ago. I agree with every single point you raised and I was unaware of that question on the Census form. I too know what it feels like to be “a blank slate” and to not know basic genealogical information. It’s a terrible void to have to live with.

To allow adoptees the right to their birth certificates, their records, their HISTORY has been a long and controversial issue. The sad things is that the voices of adoptees are far too often muted in legislative hearings. But it is an issue that is continuing to be fought. Gains are being made in certain states.

Thank you for your readership and comments.

S. Patton

By: Mara

Mara — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:40:03 +0000

Recently, I found the 2010 Census form hanging on my door. As I began filling it out, I came across a dilemma. The U.S. government wants to know if my children are adopted or not and it wants to know what our races are. Being adopted myself, I had to put “Other” and “Don’t Know Adopted” for my race and “Other” and “Don’t Know” for my kids’ races.

Can you imagine not knowing your ethnicity, your race? Now imagine walking into a vital records office and asking the clerk for your original birth certificate only to be told “No, you can’t have it, it’s sealed.”

How about being presented with a “family history form” to fill out at every single doctor’s office visit and having to put “N/A Adopted” where life saving information should be?

Imagine being asked what your nationality is and having to respond with “I don’t know”.

It is time that the archaic practice of sealing and altering birth certificates of adopted persons stops.

Adoption is a 5 billion dollar, unregulated industry that profits from the sale and redistribution of children. It turns children into chattel who are re-labeled and sold as “blank slates”.

Genealogy, a modern-day fascination, cannot be enjoyed by adopted persons with sealed identities. Family trees are exclusive to the non-adopted persons in our society.

If adoption is truly to return to what is best for a child, then the rights of children to their biological identities should NEVER be violated. Every single judge that finalizes an adoption and orders a child’s birth certificate to be sealed should be ashamed of him/herself.

I challenge all readers: Ask the adopted persons that you know if their original birth certificates are sealed.

By: offthahook08

offthahook08 — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:13:54 +0000

You Stacey Patton have pointed out the right reasons why Blacks (Afrikans) will never receive reparations, as long as we look at oursleves as a people and not a nation then we will be treated as such.

By: ahrcanum

ahrcanum — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:05:43 +0000

What do you think most people who are not white are going to check? Our pick African- American although American of African decent seems more politically correct. Unnoticed except by http://www.ahrcanum.com – the Recovery Act includes $1 billion to hire additional personnel for partnership and outreach efforts to minority communities. Good reading!