9 March 2016 Is Openness or Closeness the Best Answer? I experienced the most heartwrenching transition of a child going from a care giver to a social worker. My cousin was a single mother of three, and she had been arrested for child abuse. Seeing that no one was able to contact the father (a well-known drug dealer) of the youngest child, my mother offered to care for her for the time being. Little did we know the biological father had the right to come without notice and pick her up without any questions. Two months later, when he was ready to come get her from our home, removing her from being with us was a devastating sight. For she was happy with us and was able to keep close to her two sisters and family members. To this day, sixteen years later, we have not seen or heard from her. Yes, what I experienced was temporary guardianship, and it does not amount to what adoptions actually endure; however, the pain and frustration we experienced like families do in adoption cases was still there. In this summary, I will point out how both authors used quotation marks, and italics as a way of making their point. In the article “Closed Adoption Can Sow Bitterness and Discontent”, the author Marcy Axness shows how open adoptions can be done with proper guidance and the mindset adoptees should be in for understanding the birth mother’s rights. In comparison to the article “Privacy in Adoption Is a Human Right”, written by Thomas C. Atwood, he defends the right of a standard set of mandatory guidelines in an open adoption. In Axness’s and Atwood’s article both authors use the elements quotation marks and italics to gain have their side on the issues of open adoptions, and open records.
In Axness’s article, she used quotation marks as a way of making her points clear. She was very effective in catching the reader’s attention. If you had no knowledge of what a true open adoption was, Axness provided an example. In one sentence she used quotation marks to emphasize “independent” and “private”, adoptions. Both are found to be the most common types of adoptions. However, while they cut down on the waiting and lengthy demands that come with agencies for placing a child. Secondly she also used quotation marks for “open” in her description for independent adoptions to explain that generally in these cases, fully-identified information is exchanged between the birth mother and the prospective adoptive parents. As Axness continued in her article, she again uses quotation marks: “Every adoption is a foray into terror.” Axness simply used quotation marks to bring attention to a quote, that was a highlighted fact, from the adoption program director Gritter. This director feels it is unpredictable to know how parents respond to fear, and that this integrity creates the basics for the relationship with the child. In Atwood’s article, he used quotation marks to get his point across, and he was persuasive in is article as well. He began with simply clarifying the issue of “open records” and how it has been a debate in the National Council For Adoption. He clarified that the NCFA opposes the law empowering one party to adoption to force onto another. Atwood explains many birth mothers would be inviting to contact, but what about the others who has been told otherwise-they would lose confidentiality. He uses quotation marks in “open records,” where he clarifies that the laws would provide harm to the role in adoption. Stating if that change was to be made national, it imposes a one size fits all policy for past, present, and future adoptions. In the discussion of releasing information for medical reasons, Atwood uses “good-cause” with legal determination that minimally allows in all states consent based openness policies. Only if the birth parent has the right to release his or her identity and when the contact should happen. This would be an issue addressed in counseling prior to the birth of the child. In Axness’s article, she uses italics to emphasize the importance of her points; as seen in the section “Quality Counseling is needed.” This counseling will describe and prepare both the birth parent and the adoptive parents in the final decision to adopt after the birth. She uses, until “after her baby is born” to help the mother realize the importance of what she is preparing for, and that she should make a more informed choice after giving birth. She also brings up the fact that the birth parent will experience emotions of grief and loss from giving the child up-even though she will have contact with her child and her child’s parents. In some cases, when a couple or person is interested in adoptions, they are not aware of the understanding it will require from them to the birth parent. What can we get is sometimes the frame of mind they may have come in with, instead of what can we give. With the counseling, it will allow the adoptive parents a feeling of enhancing themselves regardless of the adoption outcome. In some cases, the birth mother has chosen to keep her child after feeling like she made the wrong decision, while ultimately leaving the prospective parents in the process of starting over. Furthermore, in the cases that are successful, there has to be a median for future contact. In Atwood’s use of italics, he uses them as a way to catch the readers eye to his point in the beginning of each statement. “Third, mandatory openness undermines the strength of the adoptive family.” He feels that such a policy should not promote the negative experience of adoptions and labeling the birth parent as the real family. Only making it appear as though the adoptive parents are unable to meet the psychological needs of the adopted person. Atwood wants to see society continue to respect the child’s true and permanent family; therefore, the law should also back them up not change to fit the untold truth behind the scenes. He again uses italics going to his next point fourth, mandatory openness reduces the confidential options. Clearly there are multiple women who would choose adoption, over abortion but only if it was because they would lose their right to confidentiality. By saying this, he puts the readers in the shoes of the parent to make the inevitable choice to adopt or have an abortion. The subject of issue is Axness has provided an insight on how ignorance can be blinding in a very crucial time. With the hopes that the choices made will not fade when the true understanding sinks in. Yes, this can be emotionally hard but the fact remains it needs to be negotiated. After she provided examples of what counseling can do, and how the mind set of each party can impact how you handle the outcome. In comparison from Atwoods view, he used the facts from his position, a member of the NCFA. Axness spoke from what sounded like an actual experience she has had personally and that is why she sounded more emotionally involved. Atwood believes the adoptive parents and the birth parents should agree on the level of openness that applies to their situation. When you have experienced something first hand you can tend to be more involved versus someone who views from the office. I agree with both articles, as they both provided great scenarios for me to see myself having to make the same choice. As a mother of two lord I am so blessed I am fortunate and able to care for them; and not at one moment thought about having to give them up for adoption. Times are changing and unfortunately it doesn’t appear to be getting any better; therefore, there must be a line made to fit and suit everyone.