‘Where I come from’

Emile Mack may be the highest-ranking Asian American firefighter of a major American city, but what tends to surprise people most about the Los Angeles Deputy Fire Chief is his most unique background: At age 3, he was adopted by an African American couple. His is a story that challenges our notions of race and identity; it’s about the ties that bind and the gift of family.

Story here via the Transracial Korean Adoptee Nexus.

Edited to change the photograph.

Priorities

When I am the Despotic Ruler of the Universe, I will punitively enforce draconian regulations against privileged persons whining about things that “cost too much money.”

And adoptive parents of kids from other countries will be required to acquire their children’s certificates of citizenship and valid passports.

Yeah, I know, the certificate of citizenship costs a lot of money.  And it isn’t fair that adopted kids should have to pay for it.  They should get it for free, unlike those other immigrants.  And yeah, you don’t have the money right now.

This despite the fact that you probably spent in excess of $20,000 for an international adoption.  And how much did you spend on souvenirs?  What did your iPad cost?  How about your videocamera?

So go ahead and punish the government by refusing to fork over your $600 $550.  Despite the fact that if you had done it when I told you the first time, you wouldn’t have spent so much.   But the only person who will really suffer from this is your kid. 

$400,000 settlement in wrongful detention case

He was an Army veteran and a naturalized U.S. citizen.  But he was held in detention for more than seven months.  Now he has received $400,000 in a settlement.

You can read about Rennison Vern Castillo’s case here.  Undoubtedly he was released in part through the efforts of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.  Unfortunately, people who are detained are not entitled to government-provided counsel, may not be able to obtain legal assistance on their own and often are not even able to contact others for help. Typically their relatives and friends don’t even know where they are being detained.

Detention and deportation of citizens is an ongoing problem and some researchers estimate that hundreds of citizens are deported annually.   You can read about some cases here.

Without words

Part 532.

Brandon Piekarsky and Derrick Donchak were sentenced to nine years for the murder of Luis Ramirez. (Technically I guess it was for civil rights violations. They each did about six months for underage drinking and assault.)  They could have received life in prison.  But given the judge, I didn’t expect it.

According to one news report, Piekarsky apologized to the family and denied that he is a racist.

Matthew Nestor, Shenandoah’s former police chief, was convicted of falsifying records and faces up to 20 years in prison.  He was acquitted on conspiracy charges.  Officer William Moyer was found guilty of lying to the FBI but was acquitted of all other charges; he faces up to five years.  Patrolman Jason Hayes was acquitted on all counts.  You may remember Hayes dated Piekarsky’s mother and Nestor had vacationed with her.

Nine years from now (if they serve all nine), Luis Ramirez will still be dead.

In other news, Shawna Forde is eligible for the death penalty.

On allies

So if we need white allies in this country, we don’t need those kind who compromise.  We don’t need those kind who encourage us to be polite, responsible, you know.  We don’t need those kind who give us that kind of advice.  We don’t need those kind who tell us how to be patient.  No, if we want some white allies, we need the kind that John Brown was, or we don’t need you.

–Malcolm X

International Day against Bullying, Discrimination and Homophobia

Article about this flash mob here.

Not really a surprise.

I must be an optimist, because I wish that people would surprise me.

So an adoption magazine published a list of the 20 best adoption blogs.  How do the numbers stack up?  Adoptees:  Two.  Birthparents:  One.

I didn’t count, but I’m willing to bet you that most (if not all) of the bloggers are straight white middle-class women.

There are also a couple on the list who *cough* probably wouldn’t be voted “best of” by adopted persons and people of color and people of color who are adopted persons.  Just saying.

Groundhog Day, again

Because we just keep hearing the same old thing over and over again:

Houston police officers Elizabeth Follis and Michael Skillern say they are ready to let their adopted daughter Olivia, six years old, attend Chinese language or traditional dance school anytime.

“She can go if she wants to,” Elizabeth said. “But so far, she has no interest. She’s pretty much an all-American girl.”

Asked about her favorite part of living in the United States, Olivia smiled and said, “Disney World.”

Yeah, it’s not like we haven’t heard it before.

Gentle readers!  What repetitive themes do you see in the adoption community?

Get out the list

And mark ‘em all off.

The scene:  A white Murray State University professor to two black students, whom he believed were tardy to his class.  What he claims he said:

‘Do you know why you were late? There’s a theory that a way to protest their master’s treatment was for slaves to be late.’

What one of the students reported:

It is part of your heritage. The slaves never showed up on time to their owners and were lashed for it. I just don’t have the right to do that.

What did Professor Mark Wattier have to say in his own defense?

Gee. What a surprise. Part II.

“Administrative error”: Salim Zakhrouf not selected for an interview.  Ian Woodhouse gets the call.  But Woodhouse is Zakhrouf, using an identical resume save for the name.

It’s Groundhog Day again.

For clarity:  My name is not the problem, as others have suggested.  Racism is the problem.