Sunday 29 September 2013

THE HISTORY WAR'S HAVE COMMENCED

Whenever the leadership of a country changes hands we the Australian people are in the insidious position where the government of the day attempts to change historical narrative. They do this in many ways. One is to change how events are reported, a form of censorship to take the political heat out of a contentious policy.  The change in the reporting of refugee boats  arriving is just one example. Another is to shut down government think tanks which study and report independently. The closing down of the climate change commission is a fine example of this and the rumour that the Australian institute of health and welfare (AIHW)  may be closed is another example of removing such think tanks is another example. Governments do this all the time and it is their effort to ensure that reports that they feel contradict their philosophy are no longer available. That sadly can be the nature of politics in the modern democracy.  it now appears that the attempt to rewrite history has now moved into the world of Adoption .

Anyone who knows me would understand  that i had a healthy scepticism of the Bunyip Alumni's of the world. this is based upon the view that for far too long the average working class adoptee, especially males have been left out of the battle for adoption recognition and support. I also fear that the Alumni will attempt to use the little government funding received to have more talk fests and not get to grass roots support for average adoptees and natural parents. this then leads to quick fix charlatans and voodoo magic proponents  to fill a void possibly causing more damage after the placebo effect passes.

But, that does not mean that I oppose research into the effects of adoption both good and bad because the results can be accepted or rejected by any interested party. For example i was very supportive of the AIFS into past adoption practices and the results. Over 800 adoptees responded to this study. but i am fully aware other groups opposed the study and the results. that is their right.

Yesterday i saw that Australian Inter-country Adoption Network and Adoption Australia start a campaign to shut down a research project by Professor Patricia Fronek of the Griffith university. An example of their activities posted at the bottom of this blog.

in addition to this they seem to be prepared to starting  to diminish the importance of the Monash History of adoption In Australia report which many of us have contributed

http://www.nla.gov.au/openpublish/index.php/aja/article/viewFile/2523/2974


Currently members of Adoption Australia are going through libraries looking for material to destroy the credibility of Professor Fronek. At least they waited until Professor Manning Clark was dead before trying to destroy his reputation.


One must  ask why they so zealously attempt to stop people from research into the facts and cost of adoption.  One can only assume that their views are similar to that of the far right religious groups in the USA who have found a magnificent way to boost church income by participating in the the baby trade in the name of god The Adoption Australia Organisation has been around for many years. They petitioned the attorney general back in 2008 and also have posted comments made by persons signing the petition:


http://www.adoptionaustralia.org/allcomments.asp

If you look closely you will see very few adoptee's have made comments.


I will, say here i am generally against adoption but do see that there are specific circumstances where that may be the only avenue of support a child may get. only as a last resort.  yet sadly the folk at AICAN and Adoption Australia have embarked upon a campaign to silence those who disagree with them. This is rewriting history, rewriting what happened to mothers and adoptees in Australia and is happening overseas. it is no accident that the only country to adopt from Ethiopia in 2012 was France and they have draconian adoption laws anyway.

We the adoptees of Australia are now in the middle of a culture and history war against those who wish to diminish the affects adoption has on all adoptees regardless of their country of origin . I do not wish to diminish the joy some adoptees have had in being truly saved from death like my friend Leigh because i freely acknowledge there have been benefits for many people,  but to try to discredit those you disagree with is to discredit your own cause.






Adoption Australia
Calling for a boycott of the Dr Fronek self initiated adoption study which is currently being circulated.
Feel free to email us : info@adoptionaustralia.org

5 comments:

  1. Thankyou for your comments and attention to the situation that has arisen regarding this research. Just to assist in setting the facts in concrete, I was the initiator of the research specifically focused on AUSTRALIAN INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTEES. This was due to my ongoing frustration at not having 'evidence' to assist with policy, service provision and attitudes towards Post Adoption Services. After extensive research we found there to be no NATIONAL research conducted in this area specifically for Australians. So I suggested we head back to square one which is gathering the information. With no money, I was delighted to receive professional support from Dr Fronek to conduct the research. With herself and a team of professionals, it presents itself as a unique and a timely project. Really quite logically. As for the issue on stakeholders, I assure you the adult adoptee stakeholders are all behind this research as we find ourselves at the junction waiting for legitimate information to be collated inorder to work as a team with government and non-government agencies to provide relevant and necessary to Australian Adult Intercountry adoptees, such as myself. Thank you for listening with an open mind and heart. Sue-Yen Bylund

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  2. you have the support of we the old Australian adoption community Sue-Yen. i have put the word out via my Facebook page and the Australian Adoptees network Facebook page. I the coming days i will complete a post for the Australian Adoptee network website

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  3. sorry the project has been put on hold for a while Sue-Yen

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  4. Hi Murray - your comments re the submissions to Senate inquiry - congratulations you are proving and confirming our truth at the percentage of relinquishments and forced to relinquish - two very different scenarios and what is exciting is that a County Court Judge two weeks ago confirmed a mother's truth and her adopted son truth - forced to relinquish which is abduction and a crime still answerable under the Crimes Act. The medical practitioners crimes committed during a mother's pregnancy, during birthing process and short time thereafter - CONFIRMED in a court of law and sitting there listening to it with others it was very difficult to contain our excitement and joy.

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  5. Brenda, I congratulate you on your first success re the county court decision.

    From day one the Senate inquiry was a not a legal inquiry but a moral one. in fact there has never been any evidence that the Commonwealth approved of illegal activities. The committee determined the interpretation of forced and was all embracing so that they could look at the entire issue. In fact the committee had to refer to the Attorney general any case where there was direct evidence of illegality. The inquiry was a political and moral inquiry and that is why i fought hard along with others to ensure all adoptees were heard and all mothers who felt they were coerced. The same for the apologies, they were not legal apologies but political apologies with no admission of personal guilt. The support services are being set up to assist all as there is very little verifiable proof of law breaking. I am looking at the stats so as to show that our mothers parents in many many cases were complicit in what went on and did not care. it does call into question the role of the medico's as their responsibility was to their patient not the parents who were paying the bills, a responsibility they ignored.

    The course through the legal system is the only means to prove genuine illegal actions and i am so pleased that you ard slowly winning. Precedents are being set by such decisions and that can only help the many mothers whom were subjected to illegalities and crimes.

    Good luck my friend

    murray

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