Category Archives: Adoptee Discrmination

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ignores two court orders to release adoptee’s original birth record

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and its Vital Records office is illegally denying an adult adoptee (me) two extra copies of their original birth record after the agency received a court order on Oct. 4, 2024 to release two copies.

See my video that I published the day I received this denial by mail on October 15, 2024.

MDHHS has a long and very well-documented record of treating Michigan-born adoptees unprofessionally, and in my case, outside of the boundaries allowed by law. This fits a pattern I have experienced for years. I dealt with similar efforts to withhold my legal vital record in 2016.

MDHHS denial letter in violation of state law sent to Rudy Owens on October 7, 2024

The denial letter is signed by State Registrar Jeffrey Duncan. It is also dated October 7, 2024, three days after the agency received my latest court order from the Third Circuit Court of Detroit ordering this agency to release two copies of my original birth certificate that it was also compelled to release already by a separate court order order received by MDHHS in June 2016.

The second court order was not legally required by law–repeat, not required by law. The letter did not cite a statute because no such statute exists for this action. So as of October 4, 2024, it possesses two standing and lawful courts orders now to release two copies of my original birth record. It received all my required documents on August 16, 2024 (I have legal proof of that) and even cashed my check paying for my two records (I have that cashed check too, August 20, 2024).

A section of the latest court order requiring MDHHS to release two copies of Rudy Owens’ original birth certificate

They have my request, my money, extensive records proving my identify, my birth mother’s consent form to release my records from April 1989, and two court orders compelling them to obey the law.

Withholding my extra copies of my original birth record–I already have an original copy I obtained in July 2016–is an attempt to avoid their lawfully prescribed duties. This should be of concern to the media, the Michigan Attorney General, and thousands of adoptees already treated without any basic courtesy by MDHHS staff. I will be providing updates later.

I’ve alerted the media, adoptee rights organizations, and state lawmakers. Also, I have never forgotten who I am and always will be: the “Bastard from Detroit.”

One of the state’s most powerful state bureaucracies continues to act like I am deserving of being treated as a non-human, which historically is how bastards like me have been abused and harmed for centuries in the USA and in countless societies globally. Today’s harm is systemic denial of legal equality, and in Michigan and MDHHS’s case, failure to obey the law.

See my first video that I posted when I filed by request for two extra copies of my original birth certificate and my video made after I filed a request for a redundant court order that is not required by law for MDHHS to release my vital record it must do by law already. I posted this video the day I filed my request that was just illegally denied by MDHHS on October 7, 2024.

Filing second request for my original birth certificate being illegally withheld by Michigan

On September 30, 2024, I submitted an additional and completely redundant court order compelling the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Vital Records office to release two copies of my original birth certificate.

The public health officials at Vital Records already were required by state law to release these records by a court order they received in 2016. Instead, the agency chose to flagrantly disobey the law. The two copies I requested were not released, as required by state law. The agency cashed my check and then coordinated a strategy with a Michigan court how to force an adoptee to take steps that are not prescribed by law. This has been a practice, according to a court official I spoke to anonymously, for two decades—and this is illegal.

I then requested and then received in late September 2024 the necessary court order from the 3^rd Circuit Court of Michigan, in Detroit, ordering MDHHS to surrender the two original birth certificates I requested. This court order already was in the agency’s files.

I mailed in that order with a letter reminding MDHHS it had received my request for my records in mid-August six weeks earlier and was failing to adhere to the law.

This has happened to other adoptees in other states, where public health bureaucrats violate law and harm adoptees intentionally, often without any consequences and certainly no investigation of willful wrongdoing in managing critical vital records of a person’s original identity—the single most important vital record of all persons.

I am now waiting for my two original birth certificate copies.

This is the third video in my series documenting the state’s handling of vital records requests by adult adoptees, specifically those who have already secured a legal court order forcing the state to release a copy of an adoptee’s original birth certificate without any barrier such as requests for additional court orders for duplicate copies. I will post another video update on how Vital Records complies, finally, or continues to remain in violation of state managing vital records.

Will Michigan comply with state law and release additional copies of an adoptee’s original birth certificate?

On August 13, 2024, I submitted a request to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), with a $62 check, to obtain duplicate copies of my original birth record.

I had to wait 27 years for the vital record to be provided to me in July 2016, after I had provided a signed consent form by my birth mother to release my vital records in 1989. The state and MDHHS only released it after a protracted legal battle that ended with a circuit court in Detroit ordering the state to release my original record of birth.

I am very aware of how this historically anti-adoptee state public health and health agency will likely respond to me as an adoptee. I am simply requesting records provided to all persons but adoptees as a matter of courteous government service with minimal state fees. But I expect this will not be courteous or in compliance with statute. MDHHS has a record of hostile behavior to Michigan-born adoptees, which I have documented now for years.

So I am documenting the process by video and other means to provide a public record of my activity. My goal is to highlight issues of denied legal rights to all adoptees and the discriminatory treatment millions of them face through basic civil processes that should be fulfilled as a basic government service: providing a vital record.

MDHHS provides no public information stating only one copy of a record can be released.
• www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/faq/adoption/can-the-adult-adoptee-obtain-a-copy-of-the-original-birth-certificate
• www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/adult-child-serv/adoption/adoption-faqs

There are several relevant Michigan statutes that set out adoption laws relevant to issues facing adoptees of my generation: 710, 333, 368. None establishes any conditions to deny the release of more than one original birth certificate to someone such as myself who provided a court order already. In fact, the statute states here, § 333.2882 does simply state, the original birth certificate is accessible “upon a court order.” I met this condition with the order already sent to MDHHS in June 2016, forcing it to send me a copy of my original birth certificate. I re-sent MDHHS on August 13, 2024, what I sent earlier in June 2016 and a copy of my vital record it sent me in July 2016 to prove it has already released the record before.

I have already learned from one of my trusted public contacts familiar with state adoption processes that I can expect MDHHS to reject my request, even though there is no law that would allow that.

I will provide additional videos later to document the outcome of what could be another useless fight that only signals that adoptees remain second-class humans subjected to decades-long legal discrimination entirely because of their adoptee status.

See my website for more details about Michigan’s nearly impossible barriers for adoptees to access their original vital records.

AI will only harm adoptees and promote the adoption system’s lies and deception

An AI-image generator tool created these images when I asked it to generate a photo illustration of “Adoptee rights in Michigan.”

In early May, I asked ChatGPT to write an article based on this question: “I need an article about adoptee rights in Michigan.”

I wanted to see, by chance, if any of the minor content I contributed online, amid the countless regurgitated media stories with outright false information about adoption, its history, and its denial of basic legal and human rights to countless thousands of adopted in Michigan, had any impact.

I know, it was an absurd idea to think that me, a gnat in the mighty giant and swirling cesspool of global adoption storytelling and lies surrounding U.S. and global intercountry adoption, might have had an impact.

I know you’re not surprised with my finding that nothing I contributed to scholarship and public understanding of denied legal rights to Michigan adoptees made it into the artificial intelligence factory machine that consistently is flagged for sharing false information, particularly about marginalized groups.

In fact the article had no mention of the latest stalled efforts to restore basic legal rights to Michigan adoptees in 2024.

For me it served as an important reality check that all of the harm adoptees suffer from the institutionalized lies and deception about U.S. adoption history and practices will only be super charged as AI-driven information generation takes over all communications platforms.

I can’t fight it.

I can’t beat it.

However, I will occasionally call out the deception and lies that can broadly be called adoption propaganda.

To my adoptee colleagues out there, I think your best bet will be to be aware that stories like what you will see below are coming. In fact they have probably been bubbling around the internet now for many months.

This information will be parroted and retained by most people, and your stories will continue to be ignored, as they have been for decades, I fear.

Be sure to practice good care and take comfort that others out there who are in your situation will see the lies for what they have always been.

Question posed to ChatGPT on May 9, 2024, with my editorial comments included in brackets and capitalized words: “I need an article about adoptee rights in Michigan.”

The ChatGPT response: Title: Understanding Adoptee Rights in Michigan: A Guide to Accessing Birth Records and Unraveling Legal Complexities

Introduction: Adoptee rights have been a topic of significant discussion and advocacy across the United States, including in Michigan. The journey to access birth records and understand legal complexities can be daunting for adoptees navigating their identity and personal history. In this article, we delve into the landscape of adoptee rights in Michigan, exploring the legal framework, recent developments, and avenues for obtaining vital information.

Legal Framework: Michigan’s adoption laws have evolved over the years, shaping the rights and access of adoptees to their original birth records. Historically, Michigan, like many states, sealed original birth records upon adoption, making it challenging for adoptees to access crucial information about their biological origins. However, in recent decades, there have been significant shifts towards greater transparency and access.

In 2014, Michigan passed legislation allowing adult adoptees born in the state to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate upon request. This marked a significant milestone in adoptee rights, granting individuals the opportunity to reclaim a fundamental aspect of their identity. The law, however, included provisions for birth parents to redact their names from the birth certificate if they wished to remain anonymous. [THIS IS WILDLY FALSE INFORMATION. LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2015 BY FORMER GOP GOV. RICK SNYDER ALLOWED ADOPTION AGENCIES TO REFUSE SERVICE TO SOME FAMILIES BASED ON ALLEGED FAITH OBJECTIONS. A 2014 LAW SIGNED BY SNYDER EXPANDED LEGALS RIGHTS TO SO-CALLED “PUTATIVE FATHERS.”]

Recent Developments: Since the implementation of the 2014 law, there have been ongoing discussions and efforts to further enhance adoptee rights in Michigan. Advocacy groups, adoptee organizations, and lawmakers continue to push for legislative reforms that promote greater transparency and remove barriers to accessing birth records. [THIS ONLY STARTED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS FOR REAL REFORM.]

One notable development is the movement towards unrestricted access to original birth certificates, allowing adoptees unfettered access to their complete birth records without redaction or restrictions. Such measures aim to empower adoptees in their journey of self-discovery and identity formation while respecting the rights and privacy concerns of all parties involved. [THIS IS MOSTLY GOBBLY GOOP.]

Avenues for Obtaining Birth Records: For adoptees navigating the process of accessing their birth records in Michigan, there are specific steps and resources available. [THIS IS IS A FALSE STATEMENT.] The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) oversees vital records, including birth certificates, and provides guidance on obtaining these documents. [THIS IS A FLAT OUT LIE.]

To request an original birth certificate, adoptees must submit an application to the MDHHS, along with any required documentation and fees. It’s essential to follow the specific procedures outlined by the department to ensure a smooth and efficient process. [THIS IS FALSE TOO.]

Additionally, adoptees may seek support from advocacy organizations and legal professionals specializing in adoptee rights. These resources can offer valuable assistance and guidance throughout the journey of accessing birth records and navigating any legal complexities that may arise. [THIS IS A BUNCH OF NONSENSE WORDS.]

Conclusion: Adoptee rights in Michigan have seen significant progress in recent years [FALSE STATEMENT], thanks to legislative reforms and ongoing advocacy efforts [ALSO FALSE]. However, challenges remain, and there is still work to be done to ensure that adoptees have full access to their birth records and the opportunity to explore their identity without barriers or restrictions. [THIS IS A NONSENSE SENTENCE TOO.]

By understanding the legal framework, staying informed about recent developments, and utilizing available resources, adoptees in Michigan can navigate the process of accessing their birth records with confidence and clarity. [THAT’S PURE MALARKY; NONE OF THIS IS TRUE.] Ultimately, the journey towards reclaiming one’s identity is a deeply personal and transformative experience, and adoptees deserve full support and empowerment every step of the way. [THIS IS MORE GOOBLY GOOP.]

Death finally takes my birth mother, did you come to gawk at the photo?

Rudy Owens took this photograph of his birth mother in 2009; what do you see and why are you looking at it now?

The entire time I have communicated about my history as an adoptee and the widespread denial of basic human and legal rights to all adoptees, I held a line.

That demarcation point, for me, represented a conscious act of power and an act of defiance.

Until today, April 27, 2024, I have never publicly published a photograph of my closest biological family relative that showed their face.

Here it is. Are you amused? Do you care?

On a few occasions I published very old pictures of my biological grandparents, on my maternal and paternal family sides. These are so buried in my archive, they are likely impossible to find. These photos are also old, and they are more like museum artifacts than documentation of blood lineage.

But now I have arrived at a new destination, because the Angel of Death arrived late this week.

In fact, I started writing this essay when my birth mother* was among the living, a day before her passing. Now she is among the dead, having died in a Michigan hospital this week after a long declining trajectory to death’s final clutches.

SEE COMPLETE ESSAY ON THIS WEBPAGE.