6

Invisibility

I’m about to talk politics. Kind of. In a way. In my own way.

I cried last night. In bed, in my comfy weather-transition pajamas, watching Hillary Rodham Clinton give her amazing speech. Actually, I cried a few times. I admit it. I’m an emotional person. And other people who are passionate about their issues move me as, I’m sure you know, I’m pretty passionate person when it comes to those issues of my own. And so, seeing Hillary, all passionate about America, well, simply put, moved me. To tears.

But it was this line that really brought the tears. (Text of speech.)

Most of all, I ran to stand up for all those who have been invisible to their government for eight long years.

Of course, I cried harder with her very next line when she formally and boldly declared her support for Obama. I wanted to run up there and say, “ME TOO!” But back to this line. My writing on this line has less to do with the political race for President and more to do with a group that is truly invisible. And no, I’m not even talking about birth parents.

I am 100% sure that Hillary was not talking about adoptees. I am 100% sure that Obama wasn’t shaking his head while thinking about adoptees. I’m sure McCain’s staff, rolling their eyes and thinking that she wasn’t saying anything of merit (when in fact she was), wasn’t thinking about adoptees.

But I sure as heck was thinking about adoptees.

You want to talk about an “invisible” group in our country? What makes a person feel more invisible, more insignificant than not being able to access their most basic of information? You know what makes that person feel more invisible, more insignificant? Asking their government leaders to support them in the fight for that information… and being told that, no, they can’t have it because then scared little pregnant girls will be less likely to place their babies for adoption and thus stop making millions of dollars for people who already have millions of dollars!

THAT is an invisible group of people in our country. And they haven’t been invisible for the past eight years. Our country has a long history of making them invisible. It’s not about republicans or democrats when it comes to this issue. No candidate has addressed this specific issue. Nor do I assume that they will because they, most likely, view it as inconsequential to the winning of the election.

But is it inconsequential to you? Is it inconsequential to your children? Is it inconsequential to those adoptees who just want to hold in their own hands, for the first time, their Original Birth Certificate?

No.

But they’re too invisible to even blip on the radar of important issues to discuss. And, sadly, I don’t see it magically changing no matter who is elected.