Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 16:51:25 -0600
From: Marlena Villers <marlenav@earthlink.net>
To: best@lakenet.org
Subject: BEST: Dallas NARD
We only had 2 people for the Dallas NARD -- Bill Betzen, an "adoption
professional," & myself. Around 12:45, we figured no one else was gonna
show up, so we decided to go up & see what the procedure was when an
adoptee requested their OBC. The clerk at the
counter was very polite and said they would give them whatever was on
their computer files, which would be the Amended BC as all OBC's are
sent to Austin & the records sealed. Apparently one adoptee had already
faxed a request in today! We asked if there was any way we could leave
brochures or information for the clerks to pass on whenever an adoptee
made a request. We were bumped up to the manager who said that would
amount to them making referrals, which they cannot do. We would need to
get the County Commissioners approval to have our literature displayed
there. Let me know what you all think about this & if you want me to
follow up & try to get approval.
Marlena
Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 17:58:31 -0600
From: Donna Martz <dmartz@net1.net>
To: "best@lakenet.org" <best@lakenet.org>
Subject: BEST: NARD In Austin
It was a gorgeous day. In the 70s, wispy white-blue clouds. I pulled in at eleven, and landed an excellent parking spot on the circle. I got out of the car with my dozen gourmet cupcakes. Walked into Vital Stat.s. I was first in line. I told the women at the window that I was a member of Bastard Nation and TxCare, and I was here to celebrate the passage of the open records law in Oregon. She nodded knowingly. I told her "I thought she might want to help me celebrate, so I brought these cupcakes for the staff. And Here are some copies of the flyers I'll be handing out, out front."
I Went back to the car. Got the sign and the stack, and propped the sign up on the stone bench in front, under the oaks.
After ten minutes into handing out flyers, a large man came out of the building to talk to me. He said he was an adoptee, and he worked for the Bureau of Vital Statistics. I handed him some flyers. He said that the Texas Bureau was warned by the Oregon BVS about us Bastards, and he wasn't sure what to expect. He got me. I asked him if he knew Jennifer Hummel (the woman who wrote to me last week). He said, yes, she was a friend of his, & yes, she worked there. He said he didn't really want to search. I said, neither did I, till I hit around thirty ... As he went back in, I made sure he knew about the cupcakes.
I handed out over a hundred flyers. About half way into it, a man came by who identified himself as the General Counsel for the BVS. I spoke to him a bit, mentioning that when parental right are terminated in Texas, records are not sealed. Only on finalization of an adoption. We talked about Oregon. I said I felt the appeals court decision will go our way. He said, somewhat Tellingly, "~When~ the appeals court discussion ~is~ appealed, ~We~ will win. (!!!) (There was a bit more banter). As he walked away I went ~(woah)~.
Around one or so, a student arrived looking for a birthmother. One to interview for a college paper. She handed out flyers with me for awhile. As she left I promised to send her some phone numbers. Anyone got Hunsaker's?
I stayed about two and a half hours, then the place went really dead, around one thirty. At one fourty five I left. It was really a very nice day.
Donna Martz
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