This is one of several posts that I made private between May 31rst 2008 and July 22, 2008. (This represents the time period between my resigning from working on the Adoptee Rights Demonstration / Day for Adoptee Rights, (ARD / DAR) and it actually taking place in New Orleans.)

The piece below was originally posted April 30th, 2008.

I changed its status to public view with this disclaimer added July 22nd. Now that the event has passed I am restoring my earlier writings towards the purposes of restoring the historical record.

They were taken down as they reflected my original support for and work towards ARD/DAR prior to my resignation. In late May, I resigned, and I did not wish these pieces to be mistaken for active recruitment to the event in the period between late May and the event in July.

Part of my reasoning was due to a technical quirk of blogging itself; each post stands alone, decontextualized from the larger narrative. As these older pieces could be viewed via web searches etc. as distinct and apart from the context that I had since resigned, I made them private until after the event had passed.

My single post history of ARD/DAR and the events leading up to it can be found here. The post below should be viewed in the context of the events explained in it. Additional posts concerning ARD/DAR particularly from July 22nd forward can be found by utilizing the Adoptee Rights Demonstration tag (results will appear in reverse chronological order, from newest to oldest.) They too, should be understood within that larger context.

Original text of the post, as it appeared prior to being made private appears in full below.

This is another bit I’ve been meaning to blog about here for a few days now.

Back in January, I blogged (see my post “See you in New Orleans!“) about both the strategic importance of and the organizing potential that the National Demonstration could have. But as I said back then, the event itself will only be as strong as the people who make it happen. Making these events successful will take both willpower and people power. Planning, working, and showing up. It will take time and dedication.

Now that the date is much closer, the folks spearheading the Adoptee Rights Demonstration, (set for July 22nd in New Orleans) have put out the call for event volunteers. With the Demonstration related events just over two months away, NOW is the time to personally commit, both to be there and to work to make it happen.

A number of events are planned as part of a strategic campaign, over the course of several days.

Bastard Nation, as co-sponsor, for example is planning a teach-in relating to the demonstration and will teach some basic methods by which to talk about our issues as adult adoptees (and allies!) advocating access to our own documentation. So even if you feel very new to advocacy work, the demonstration related events should prove to be a good way to ‘get your feet wet’. On the other hand, if you’re an experienced Bastard activist, you’ll find other experienced Bastard activists from other States to work with, teach, learn from, and commiserate with.

There will be a variety of opportunities to bring our issues forward, from a booth inside the convention itself, where adult adoptees will be interacting with and educating State legislators, to the march, and educational picket on the 22nd.

Not being one to merely shoot my mouth off, I’ve agreed to take on certain tasks myself.

I strongly urge those bastards who are able and are serious about gaining open records to make plans to be in N’awlins. As part of ensuring the success of the event, whether in NOLA or if you are unable to attend, seriously consider volunteering your talents and time(link disabled 7/22/08), and/or your financial support (link disabled 7/22/08), towards making the events in NOLA a success.

But whether physically present in Louisiana or back in their home districts, Bastards will be contacting State legislators, asking them for their support on pure open records legislation, asking them to sponsor pure open records bills in the States where records remain locked away, shame laden State secrets, and asking them to look past propaganda to instead understand that equity and an end to second class citizenship is what’s really at stake here.

Here’s the call for volunteers in its entirety:

Volunteers Needed!

Hi all,

I’m beginning to put together a list of volunteers for the Day for Adoptee Rights event. Please let me know if you can do any of the stuff listed below…

1. Transportation. Anyone driving to NOLA? We’ll need someone with a car or two to help us buying picket materials, bottled water, sunscreen, etc., and then the morning of the protest transporting everything to Lafayette Park.

2. Protest Monitors. Monitors will help with crowd control before and during the protest. Monitors will keep folks marching to the Morial Center from straying from the approved route, and once at the Convention Center will ensure that picketing is done legally. Monitor training and specific duties and instruction will be provided the night before the protest at the picket making party.

3. Clean up crew. I know, this is a shitty duty, but someone had to do it. Mainly making sure that Lafayette Park is clean after we leave. But a lot of it can be done by making sure that protesters dispose of their trash during the protest. House keeping announcements will be made during the protest.

4 Public Relations. Anyone with experience in dealing with the press or other media? Step on up, we can use you!

Ok that’s it for now. You can respond here on the site, by private message, or by email to me at bb_church@adopteerights.net (link disabled 7/22/08)

Thanks!

Ron