A Brief, Post-Blizzard, Response

Knowing how slapdash a writer I can be, my first response to reading criticism of what I’ve written is to think, “Why didn’t I reread, rewrite or fact check that sucker?” Looking over the comments written on yesterday’s adoption post, though, I feel pretty good about a piece I wrote two years ago and never submitted to anyone but my agent. In other words, boys and girls, it is a rough draft—not camera-ready copy.

That said, I’d like to respond to a few of the comments:

1) Anonymous said...

The JOY that adoption has brought to BIRTH PARENTS?

Shoot. I was supposed to get JOY by being forced to relinquish my first born.

No one told me.

Better go find that joy.

From reading that, it sure sounds as though I’d referred to some kind of happiness or bliss in relinquishing a child. Here, however, is what I actually wrote:

In The Chosen Child, I will present a balanced look at adoption, primarily through the words of members of the adoption "triad" (adoptees, adoptive families and birth families). To illustrate the joy that adoption has brought, I will interview a number of celebrity adoptees and adoptive parents (see Expanded Table of Contents Chapters Two and Three).

Clearly, “joy” refers to just two parts of the triad, not including birth parents.

Next, the comparison of adoption and slavery by Bastard Nation, denied by a number of commentators:

Marley Greiner said...

"I expect to interview Ms. Corangelo along with the founders of Bastard Nation, which likens adoption to slavery"

As co-founder and Executive Chair of Bastard Nation I am very surprised to read that BN compares adoption to slavery. Perhaps you mistook satire for policy. We have repeatedly ridiculed that idea.

BB Church said...

I served on the Executive Committee of Bastard Nation from 1997 to 2001, and have remained an active member up to the present. Bastard Nation has never, I repeat, NEVER, compared adoption to slavery. As a matter of fact, I have personally analyzed and criticized the hyperbolic comparison of US adoption and slavery on numerous public fora.

Lainie Petersen said...

I was one of the founders of Bastard Nation, and I do not recall us ever comparing adoption to slavery.

Sorry if this disappoints.

In an earlier post, I made reference to the quote from the April 2006 "Byline: Bastard Nation" (www.bastards.org/byline/bylinehome):

"Adoption remains the only institution in these here disUnited States other than slavery that keeps or has kept people from knowing their roots. Imagine that. Adoption; slavery. Adoption; slavery. Say it again and again and never forget it.

"Adoption; slavery.

"It took a war to bring about emancipation from one. What's it going to take to right the wrongs of the other?"

I'll admit a semi-colon is not a colon (or an equal sign, for that matter), however, I do think the parallel is clear here. Please bear in mind that this newsletter is an organ of Bastard Nation, or at least appears to go out under its name.

An anonymous poster said...

Oh dear. It seems your research and originality skills are sorely lacking.

Not only can't you spell Lori Carangelo's name correctly, you make a play on her already published book called "Chosen Children" with your [koff koff] hahahahaha---snerk "original" prospectus entitled "The Chosen Child".

Methinks you'll probably end up self-publishing. LOL

You know, Bastard Nation actually has a page with a mission statement on it. Too bad you, with your "extensive impressive" research skills seemed to miss it.

Ignoring the sarcasm, “The Chosen Child” is a working title for a project two years old and since discarded. Had I continued with it, I would have preferred a title like “Who Was the Dumbass Who Gave Away Steve Jobs?” or “Sex Tips from Adopted Hotties” or “The Last Self Help Book You’ll Ever Need (or Want).” Any other ideas for this book (which will never be written, I expect, and certainly never self-published) can be forwarded right away.

Anyone who thinks a mission statement has any relationship to the true beliefs of an organization must be looking forward to the Easter Bunny (or the fucked-up Italian bells) in a few weeks.