De-constructing Adoption: Dan Rather Reports

UM

There is an excellent post at The Declassified Adoptee about reacting to the Dan Rather Reports that  I discussed in UM’s last post.

There are many aspects to adoption.  People need to separate them out.  There is the personal experience of adoption but there is also the institutional experience.  While the personal experience may have been positive for some people; the institutional experience for many was not.   There was no due process.  A person’s interests would have been protected more if they were mortgaging a property.  But, of course, there was no perceived shame in mortgaging a property.  There was plenty of shame imposed on out-of-wedlock pregnancy.

Unfortunately, we here at UM will have to wait until the Dan Rather Program goes on-line.  It is not on television in Canada anywhere as far as I know.  If you are somewhere where you can watch it, it’s on at 8 o’clock eastern.

 

R is for Revisiting “Sorry For Any Inconvenience” – UM’s Most Popular Post

NaBloPoMo Blog#432 Day 23

adoption, reunion, reform, Reality

Dear Readers,

I have been dealing with elderly parent issues over the last four or five days, and travelling to do so.  I am finding it hard to post.

This is the most read thing on this blog.

I don’t know if it is because everyone hates the phrase “Sorry for Any Inconvenience” or because this little post so neatly illustrates one of the problems with adoption.

Here it is:

Sorry for any inconvenience…

In my opinion, “Sorry for any inconvenience.” has to be one of the most insincere phrases in the English language, tossed off usually in a manner that leads you to believe the person, corporation, telephone company, cable provider or government service is anything but sorry.

In that vein here is an announcement from the government of my home province. For some reason, it makes me think about the CAS – that’s Children’s Aid Society – and asking them how they feel about issuing a few apologies.

Attorney General Chris Bentley says a proposed apology act for the province would help make the justice system more affordable and punctual.

The provincial government last week rolled out proposed legislation that would remove the risk of civil court liability for individuals and organizations that issue apologies.

The government said the new law would help victims’ recovery, improve accountability and transparency in the health-care sector, and aid the justice system by “fostering the resolution of civil disputes and shortening or avoiding litigation.”

Bentley said, “The goal of the legislation is to encourage sincere apologies — saying sorry for a mistake or wrongdoing is the right thing to do.”

So maybe I should call the CAS. Let’s see what would I ask them to apologize for. Maybe the fact that they knew at the time I had my son that there were no Catholic homes looking to adopt a child. Maybe for not telling me that they had a policy that said he could not be adopted by a family of another faith. And for not telling me that my son, therefore, would go straight to foster care. And that he sat for almost 10 months until finally a family showed up. Not the perfect family, just the first one.

Yes that might be a good place to start. They should apologize don’t you think.

After all, it’s not going to cost them anything.

Peace

UM

Sorry for any inconvenience…

In my opinion, “Sorry for any inconvenience.” has to be one of the most insincere phrases in the English language, tossed off usually in a manner that leads you to believe the person, corporation, telephone company, cable provider or government service is anything but sorry.

In that vein here is an announcement from the government of my home province. For some reason, it makes me think about the CAS – that’s Children’s Aid Society – and asking them how they feel about issuing a few apologies.

Attorney General Chris Bentley says a proposed apology act for the province would help make the justice system more affordable and punctual.

The provincial government last week rolled out proposed legislation that would remove the risk of civil court liability for individuals and organizations that issue apologies.

The government said the new law would help victims’ recovery, improve accountability and transparency in the health-care sector, and aid the justice system by “fostering the resolution of civil disputes and shortening or avoiding litigation.”

Bentley said, “The goal of the legislation is to encourage sincere apologies — saying sorry for a mistake or wrongdoing is the right thing to do.”

So maybe I should call the CAS. Let’s see what would I ask them to apologize for. Maybe the fact that they knew at the time I had my son that there were no Catholic homes looking to adopt a child. Maybe for not telling me that they had a policy that said he could not be adopted by a family of another faith. And for not telling me that my son, therefore, would go straight to foster care. And that he sat for almost 10 months until finally a family showed up. Not the perfect family, just the first one.

Yes that might be a good place to start. They should apologize don’t you think.

After all, it’s not going to cost them anything.

Peace

UM