From: "Judy McCoy" <mcleo@prodigy.net>
To: <NARD@onelist.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 07:35:49 -0000
Subject: [NARD] Success in Tulsa, Oklahoma !!!
Tulsa NARD....was Fantastic !!!
We had about 20 people come at about 10:45 and stay the entire time until 1:00. We had about 20 posters which had all sorts of sayings on them :
We also had a 5 ft. long banner attached to flag poles ( small ones) with "Open Records" on it...and we marched up and down the sidewalk in front of DVS. We chanted...we got signatures...close to the 500 mark now...and still gathering them.
We made T-shirts which said on the front :
National Adoptee
NARD
Rights Day
The back said :
Adoptees Deserve Their
Original Birth Certificates
We did white long sleeved shirts with lettering in the BN colors...black, red and gold...and they looked great !!!
We had one TV station show up and one newspaper...which I was very disappointed about. We called them all, we faxed them, we went in person to their offices and handed them flyers...did everything we could to get them and not many showed. Very disappointing !!!
The reporter that did show up is anti-open records, anti-reunion, anti-everything to do with adoption...so not too sure that the piece on the news tonight will benefit us in anyway. The newspaper was more of a fluke. It is a small paper which was located right across the street and they happened to see us and came over...and ended up doing an article about NARD. It will be interesting to see what they say...and I'll give you an update when it comes out.
But we did GREAT on outreach...talked to so many people...adoptees and birthparents...just met them on the street. Talked to one young lady whose best friend is a birth mother and needs to pass on medical info...which is urgent.
We had 300-400 flyers and came home empty-handed...yeah !!! We stood on the street corner and passed them out to everyone who walked by, put some on windshields...and I gave some to the workers in the DVS office...they weren't happy about it at all. Turns out two of the workers who waited on us are adopted and they are so angry. They feel that their bmothers just 'gave them away'...tossed them out...so why would they even think about gaining access to their records.
I tried to give them my perspective as a birthmother...but they were not hearing me at all...said I could never understand what it felt like to be 'given away'...and I said " Well, actually I know just what it feels like since I am also an adoptee"...and that shut them up for a minute. But they were still very angry...so I left them alone.
As soon as we got to DVS this morning and went into the office...there were two men standing behind the counter dressed in business suits...looked out of place...and we wondered who they were. Soon found out they were from the head office in Oklahoma City and were waiting for us. They had copies of the Oklahoma adoption law which states that any records, including the obc is sealed upon adoption and can only be inspected under order of a court. They gave us a copy of this paper and the paragraph was highlighted for us to easily read. Like we didn't know what the law said.
Actually they were both very nice...but said they were doing their jobs...and didn't want any trouble. We told them we were peaceful and there would not be any trouble. They did say they were sympathetic to our 'cause' but could not sign our petition as it would be a conflict of interest.
The head man for Oklahoma told me that we would achieve a lot more if we would do this in Oklahoma City in front of the Capitol building instead of the side street where we were today. He also gave me his card and told me to come to his office and talk to him sometime soon...and I'm not sure what that is about...but I intend on finding out.
Our group has also decided that we are going once a month to Oklahoma City to the capitol building and keep up the work we did today. Every single month...at least one day a month. If there is anyone in the OKC area interested in joining us...email me and let me know.
All in all...it was a great day. Turnout was high...spirits were soaring...the weather was beautiful...and the majority of the people we talked to and there were a lot...were totally supportive of our purpose. And it still amazes me that the majority of people do not know that adoptees cannot access any of their records. We had the opportunity of raising public awareness quite a bit today and that is a good feeling.
Most of all...I want to thank all of the people who helped to make our Tulsa NARD a great success.
They are : Ronna, Karen S, Ron and Karen's dad, Karen B, Linda G, Barbara and her daughter, Debbie, Jennie & husband and 3 kids and her niece, Diane, Janice...and I just know I am forgetting someone...sorry about that. I am so tired.
You are all great...with hearts and souls of gold. I am the lone adoptee in
this wonderful group of birthmothers ( but I am also a birthmother)...who
are all anxious, willing...and more than ready to tell the world the 'Truth'
behind adoption...and that the promise of 'Confidentiality and Privacy'...is
just a myth.
We will stand united until the world knows the truth...the majority of
birthmothers were never promised nor asked for confidentiality.
I appreciate all of the time and effort, the many hours spent making copies, phone calls, posters, trips to the media...and last but not least...meeting for lunch every week for gab sessions ( what a chore that was...lol ).
I am tired but it is a very happy tired...
Judy McCoy
Tulsa, Oklahoma
adoptee & birthmom
From: "Judy McCoy" <mcleo@prodigy.net>
To: <NARD@onelist.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Nov 1999 01:03:08 -0000
Subject: [NARD] Tulsa TV segment...PS...to Damsel
From: "Judy McCoy" <mcleo@prodigy.net>
The segment from the Tulsa TV station...the only one who showed up...turned out much better than I expected...since the reporter wasn't very nice.
The main point which came across was : Adoptees are dying every single day due to 'Closed Records'...lack of knowledge...and the lack of access to their own records. They also got in a small mention of Measure 58 and the hold up on it...and that was about it. It lasted for maybe 30 seconds or a few more than that. Much, much less than we got last year...though this year was a much bigger success in 'numbers'...
We had about 6 or so 'Rush for Records'...and of course were all told that the info we were requesting did not exist...and the last person in our group to try was told to keep her money because they could not give her the BC she was requesting. She said "No...I want you to take my money anyway and I want a receipt showing that I tried to get the OBC"...The guy probably thought she was nuts...but he did go through the process of taking her money, passing the request to the person who searches the computer files...and then telling her the BC did not exist. She did get her receipt showing she tried.
We are still waiting for the article from the Oklahoma Eagle...which is a weekly paper so won't be out for a few more days. I will send a copy of the article when it does come out. This is the article which was a fluke...as we never contacted them...their office was across the street from where we were located...and they just happened to see us and came over to find out what was going on. The mother of this reporter is an adoptee...so she had a personal interest...I think this may be the best article we get.
All in all...I am thrilled with the way our day turned out. I have enjoyed reading all about NARD nation wide...and it sounds like everyone had a great day !!!
Damsel...sorry...but I never did get in touch with your birthmom. It was too late when I got your email Thursday night...1:30 am my time...and then next morning I was running around like crazy and totally forgot. I will be sure and inform her of any upcoming events in the Tulsa area though...
Judy McCoy
Tulsa, Oklahoma
adoptee & birthmom
From: Trish45568@aol.com
Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 18:21:13 EST
To: NARD@onelist.com
Subject: [NARD] NARD in Oklahoma City
Hello NARDERS!
We had a nice quiet day in OKC. There were three of us, with Michele going in to ask for her OBC. Channel 4 (NBC) came and interviewed her, I think the interviewer liked her sign that said, "My Life Could Depend on Open Records". She was great, but I don't know if they will air anything since our numbers were so small. Of course, Kelly, the public radio guy stayed there the whole time and interviewed Michele and me. He also got permission to go in with Michele when she applied for her OBC. She was very nervous since she has had some very bad experiences with judges and such, but with Kel there, they were very nice. We had cars honking at us and we waved and walked with our signs. The signs were a big deal. Some cars drove by several times to read them. My husband carried a sign too! There is not enough traffic there, so I think next year we will move it to another location with more traffic. The police drove by periodically, but compared to last year, this was easy! GOOOO NARD!!!!
Pat
Back to NARD Sites Listing
Back to NARD Home