My name is "Adoptee" and I am a POW

My name is “Adoptee”
And I am a POW.

I am being held captive by the bureaucracy of the government of the United States of America.

Although my captors treat me politely, they do NOT treat me like a human being. While human beings are allowed to celebrate their heritage, mine is hidden from me. While human beings are allowed to know their genetic makeup, mine is hidden from me. While human beings are allowed to know their medical history, mine is hidden from me.

When I ask to have the same information as human beings, I am told I must fill out a multitude of forms and, in some cases, pay for the information on these forms. When I complete the multitude of forms and pay the ransom required, my captors decide what parts of the information I’m allowed to view and what I’m not.

While human beings of the United States of America have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as “Adoptee”, my captors are allowed to determine which life I live, how much liberty I have in living that life, and to control my pursuit of happiness.

I beg for release from captivity. I beg for freedom. I beg to be a human being !!

My name is “Adoptee”
And I am a Prisoner of the Adoption War
Victoria Lee Markland a/k/a Mary J. Gable

"I am NOT a counterfeit handbag"

I AM NOT A COUNTERFEIT HANDBAG

……………………the creation of which has to be kept a secret for fear of the “creator” or the “purchaser” being discovered and hauled off to some penal institution.

I AM A REAL PERSON

…………………….who’s “creators” gave me life. I breathe, laugh, cry, think, pray, conceive, give birth and die. And, why, as “real persons”, are we not allowed to know who our “creators” are?

The creation of a counterfeit handbag can be more easily traced than the background of an adopted person. There’s something wrong with this entire concept.

I’ve heard the theory that the birth parents couldn’t keep their children for any number of reasons. I CAN completely understand ANY of the reasons the birth parents came to that conclusion. But, why am I, a completely innocent Person, not allowed to know anything about those two people who conceived me?

I’ve heard the theory that the adoptive parents needed everything to be completely secretive (in adoptions of years past) for numerous reasons. I CANNOT understand any part of that theory.

For argument’s sake, let’s go back to the counterfeit handbag. If the handbag could speak, it could tell you exactly which cow its leather came from. If asked who sewed it together, it could name the precise seamstress. If asked about its lining, it could tell you the fabric mill the lining came from.

When the adopted “real person” fills out a physician’s history form, the adopted “real person” has to enter “no history – adopted”. When the adopted “real person” is asked, in elementary school, to complete a family-tree project, the adopted “real person” has to enter “no history – adopted”. When the adopted “real person” is asked, by their grown children who are thinking of having children of their own, what might be in their medical background, the adopted “real person” must answer “no history – adopted”.

EXCUSE ME, but I am a REAL PERSON and I DO have a history. And all of these supposedly well-meaning people are keeping it from me. The people who know something about me and aren’t telling goes on and on …… the parents of the birth parents, the birth parents themselves, the maternity home (if applicable), the hospital, the doctor, the adoption agency, the foster home (if applicable), the lawyer for the birth parents, the lawyer for the adoptive parents, the clerk in the lawyer’s office, the judge handling the adoption proceedings, the government of my state and the adoptive parents (if applicable). Every single entity listed knows SOMETHING about me that I have a RIGHT to know

I think I’d rather be a counterfeit handbag !!!
By Victoria Lee Markland a/k/a Mary Jane Dachsteiner Gable

Victoria Lee Markland

My birth name is Victoria Lee Markland. I was born August 13, 1945 in Toledo, Ohio and adopted thru Lutheran Social Services of Northeastern Ohio. The adoption was finalized October 21, 1946 in Bryan, Ohio. I am looking for ANY member of my birth family - birth mother, birth father, any brothers or sisters, aunts, uncles, and/or cousins. I am now 61 years old and I have no intention of disrupting anyone's life - I just need to know where I came from. I have always been very talented in the field of music and went to college thinking I would be a concert pianist. I would love to know where my talent came from. I was adopted by wonderful people who gave me every possible advantage, but I have always felt incomplete. Just having some information of my background would help fill that void. If there is anyone out there who knows of my existence and can give me some info, I would be most appreciative. If you're my birth mother, please know that I love you, knowing the sacrifice you made. I have 2 grown daughters of my own and they fill my life with joy on a daily basis, as do my 5 beautiful grandchildren.