Monthly Archives: June 2009
Call me cynical
On Thursday, June 25, Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Jim Inhofe (D-OK) introduced the Foreign Adopted Children Equality Act (S. 1359). The text of the bill is not on Thomas yet, but according to Sen. Inhofe’s press release its purpose is as follows:
… eliminating many of the hurdles internationally adopted children of American citizens currently face before they come to the United States. Currently, the adopted child must be approved for a U.S. immigrant visa to be able to join their American family. This is often a very lengthy and expensive process. The FACE Act would provide automatic U.S. citizenship to children adopted by Americans, eliminating many of the complications involved with moving these children to the United States and granting them full rights afforded any other American child.
A group called Families for Orphans Coalition issued a press release stating the act “simplifies the acquisition of citizenship for internationally adopted children and removes these children of American citizens from the immigration process.”
Apparently it is intended to grant adopted children immediate citizenship upon adoption in another country. Plus allow them to become President in the future. Read the rest of this entry
Two years
Frank Lombard, a white Duke University official, has been charged with offering his five-year-old son over the internet to be raped. (Note to the media: He did not offer up his child “for sex.” He offered his child to be RAPED and MOLESTED. And five-year-olds don’t “engage in sexual activity” with adults–they are being RAPED and MOLESTED.)
Lombard is an LCSW and has two children. He allegedly used videochat service ICUii to display videos of himself molesting one of his children. Yeah, he’s got two. His live-in partner allegedly knew nothing about the abuse.
In the chat transcript, WRAL reports, “F.L.” is asked how he got access to a child so young. “Adopted,” he replied, and said that the process was “not so hard … esp (sic) for a black boy.”
But the story gets worse, if this is at all possible. Read the rest of this entry
Otaka’s replacement
Honorable Sandra Otaka passed away on June 6, 2009. Yehuda P. Lebovits was appointed to fill her position on June 12, 2009, effective June 25, 2009.
That was fast. *sigh*
Number of Asian American circuit court judges now on the bench: 0
We don’t call it ‘crying’
Or “clearing your head.” Although sometimes that last word does sneak in there.
So the governor of South Carolina finally admitted to having an affair. His website for his 2012 presidential bid is still giving it the old college try:
Well, thanks to the invasive media, starting today he is back at work in Columbia. So where has he been hiding? I’ll let the government-run media fight over which trails he was at. But don’t believe for a second that his wife and other VIP’s didn’t know where he was. Quite simply, he left for a few days to clear his head.
While he was also “crying.” Because he was so torn up about cheating on his wife. Who has known for the last five months.
Mark Sanford says that marriage is between a man and a woman. Where have we heard this before? And he’s “against” gay marriage. But apparently he hasn’t come out against infidelity.
What I don’t get is how he could conduct an affair with a woman in Argentina, of all places. Because it seems like you might just have to plan a little bit if you wanted to fly 5,000 miles or so to do your crying or clear your head. Ahem.
Accountability by agencies
Jennifer Haynes was adopted from India when she was eight years old. She was sexually abused by her foster and adoptive parents and her adoption was disrupted. She bounced around to various placements.
And nobody acquired citizenship for her. So at the age of twenty-seven, she was deported.
Now she’s moving to hold the agency accountable.
What I want to know is why agencies don’t require parents to obtain citizenship and proof of citizenship for their children. I know that some agencies require a deposit to ensure that post-placement report requirements are met. However, I do not believe that agencies routinely require proof of citizenship by adoptive parents for their adoptive children. In fact, an adoptive parent I recently met told me that her agency said that proof of citizenship was not necessary. Worse yet, her child arrived on an IR-4 visa, which means that she did not acquire automatic citizenship.
I suspect we’re going to see more Jennifer Haynes and Brad Zazuetas in the future.
Not about race
Some kids knock down and kick another kid, who reportedly loses consciousness and goes to the emergency room. He’s released three hours later and feels well enough to go to a party. What are the attackers charged with?
Attempted murder.
The charges were later reduced to aggravated second degree battery.
One of the 16-year-olds was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Remember Jena 6? The similarity was an all-white jury.
Another one
Adoption paperwork does not prove citizenship. Get your kids a certificate of citizenship or naturalization and a U.S. passport.
This news article reports that Brad Zazueta is an American citizen, yet was held in detention for eleven months. I suspect his parents might not have completed the citizenship paperwork, because in an interview his mother lists his California certificate of foreign birth, California and Arizona driver’s licenses and his social security card as proof of his citizenship. None of these is a valid proof.
Brad has been released for now. But ICE still wants him deported:
In a statement immigrations and customs enforcement says it’s appealing because “The ruling is not in conformity with the law or with applicable precedents. An adoptee of US Citizen parents does not, by itself, accord that person with US citizenship.”
June 19, 1982
Vincent.
They never understood.
Are you related? They ask.
Not understanding the tie
that binds
The tie that has been ripped
from our hands. Read the rest of this entry
