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The Musser Foundation believes that at the core of every human being is a God-given, innate desire to "connect" with birth family from whom we’ve become separated . We are not concerned about the reasons for the separation, but only to begin the healing which we believe comes about through the process of reconciliation.
We believe that loss and separation from family members caused by divorce, foster care, or adoption has created severe psychological problems and weakened our family structures.
We believe that the severing of genetic roots is not healthy and that all individuals have a right to know their siblings, the "missing" parent(s), birth grandparents, and all other genetic relatives. We also believe that parents who have "lost" their children (for any reason) have a need and right to know of the welfare of their children.
We believe that all family relationships should be inclusive, not exclusive. Therefore we believe in the concept of extending and expanding the family circle; and believe that blending our families will strengthen them and our world as well.
On July 28, 1868, the 14th amendment was ratified giving the Federal Government the right to intervene when states or local governments deprive citizens of their rights. This crrcial amendment has become the basis for all the civil rights legislation in the last 100 years. Since adoptees, as a class, are being discriminated against by being denied basic birthrights, this is already a civil rights issue and is, therefore, applicable under the 14th amendment. And so we propose the following:
An immediate Federal Mandate that would supercede state laws based upon the Civil Rights Act and the 14th Amendment which gives equal access under the law. This mandate would allow adoptees, birthparents, adoptive parent, siblings and other extended family members to have access to one another.
Closed, sealed, secret, confidential adoption should be abolished. If we are really the Pro-Family Society we claim to be, then we can no longer support family separation using the present form of adoption. Guardianship and Family Preservation measures should immediately be put into place.
We must sign the UN Treaty on Children's Rights. Our own United States has failed to sign this treaty which emphasizes that every child shall have knowledge of, and access to, their birth family. America needs to get out of the lucrative baby business - it's the right of every child to know their origins and family connections.
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