MARRA - Mississippi Adoptee's Rallying for Records Access

In a time when the media and legislators in Mississippi are concerned over whether or not a flag should be changed no one seems to care about the fact that a large group of Mississippians, ADULT ADOPTEES, are denied the right to know who they are; what their heritage is . OR, MOST IMPORTANTLY - TO HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR OWN MEDICAL HISTORY!!

As ADULT ADOPTEES we have great interest in the passing of legislation that gives ADOPTED ADULTS an absolute right to access their original birth certificates and other identifying information. Today we ask for your support to help ADULT ADOPTEES access their original birth records through new legislation in Mississippi.

BY SIGNING THIS PETITION WE WILL BE ON OUR WAY TO ANSWERING QUESTIONS REGARDING OUR HEALTH AND HERITAGE.

PREVENTING A DISEASE; SAVING A LIFE WILL ONLY COST YOU A SIGNATURE ON THIS PETITION.

Sealed adoption records, cut adoptees off from their heritage. In Kansas, where Adult ADOPTEES have had the right to their records for over 40 years, the Department of Social Services reports no problems, no complaints, no legal actions of any kind as a result of adoptees being given their original birth certificate at the age of 18. From a psychological perspective, the lack of information about one's heritage can cause severe pain to those who feel the need for this connection with one's roots. In almost every other country in the world, adoptees have the right to their original birth certificate at the age of majority.

Adoptee's human, civil and constitutional rights are being violated by the sealed records laws. Laws that forbid someone from knowing the details of their birth, an event that the adoptee participated in, is de-humanizing to say the least. The psychological literature about an adoptee's need to know the facts of his or her life is clear. The writings of Annette Baran & Reuben Pannor, Erik Erikson, Marshall Schechter, Nancy Verrier and others point out the developmental difficulties and later life problems faced by adopted people. The mental health facilities and prisons in this country are over populated with adoptees. It is not a crime to be given up for adoption, yet adoptees face a life sentence of never knowing the most basic facts about their lives.

ABSOLUTE ACCESS to identifying information gives adopted individuals what they deserve. The right to search for and contact their original family. Laws that restrict an individual from knowing their heritage are a travesty. The law, to date, states that adopted people should not be allowed to know who they are because it might upset someone. Is that a reason to stop someone from finding their roots, their heritage, how they arrived in this world OR MOST IMPORTANTLY, their OWN FAMILY'S MEDICAL HISTORY. The United Nations/UNICEF World Conference on the Rights of the Child guarantees that every child in the world has the right to know and have contact with their family. A RIGHT!!!

Proper medical care is only possible when up-to-date family medical history is known. Having to deal with a shocking late breaking diagnosis is unfair and puts lives in danger. Known situations can be monitored as needed and watched without a severe condition occurring. PASSING OF THIS LEGISLATION WILL ALLOW FOR HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER FAMILIES...IS IT UNLAWFUL TO WANT TO KEEP OUR FAMILIES' HEALTH SAFE??

Adoptees Rights to Know their biological family history and up-to-date medical information is not available to them without having adoption files legally opened across the USA. They have a right to their family history and knowledge of UP- TO- DATE medical history information from the time of adoption and thereafter. If it were made available, it could and would save many lives. This knowledge is crucial to Adoptees, the children born to them and their grandchildren as well to the children born generations later in life. Adoptees need to know what to be aware of when it comes to hereditary illnesses in their family history. It will save more lives than ever have been saved in the past years.

We implore you to support such legislation.. There are no good reasons that someone should be denied information about the beginning of their own life or the medical history that may effect them and the children to follow them. This is humane legislation to support those adopted individuals who wish to embark on the most human endeavor.

"The Law must be consonant with life. It cannot and should not ignore broad historical currents. Mankind is possessed of no greater urge than to answer the age old questions of Who Am I? and Why Am I?. Even now the sands and ashes of the deserts are being sifted to find where we took our first steps as man. Ancient religions often used ancestor worship in one form or another. The thirst to know the past is neither whimsical nor unjust. It is real and is good cause under the law of Man and God" The Honorable Wade Weatherford, South Carolina District Judge granting an adoptee access to his records.

Its time for Mississippi to join Alabama, Tennessee, Oregon, Kansas, Montana and Alaska by passing legislation giving us access to our medical histories..other states with pending legislation are Arkansas, Georgia, New Jersey, Texas, Michigan & New York. Lets not make Mississippi last!!!!

Sincerely
Kate Groover
founding member of MARRA
Mississippi Adoptees Rallying for Records Access

Visit MARRAs web site at
http://www.geocities.com/marra_adoption/index.html