Better Late than Never

Gershom at Without A Tribe told me about a blogging campaign organized by Bloggers Unite to raise awareness about human rights issues. The campaign is today, and so I'm a bit tardy getting going on this, but I wanted to put up something.

Obviously, my focus here is on the rights of adoptees. Specifically, open records. So this gives me occasion to once again draw your attention to the Adoptee Rights Demonstration (the badge off to the right).

Since I teach about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I also thought I'd share the text of the 22nd Article of the Declaration:

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Did you catch that? The "free development of his [or her] personality." Knowledge of where we come from is essential for developing a sense of self, a sense of identity. It is a right acknowledged in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But the United States refuses to give us our rights.

So we need to keep speaking out. One of these days... Soon, I hope. One of these days...