Thursday, January 24, 2008

NEW JERSEY: Rapper lobbies NJ Lawmakers for Adoption Rights, January 24, 2008


NEWSDAY
January 24, 2008


Rapper Lobbies NJ Lawmakers for Adoption Rights
by Tom Hester, Jr.


TRENTON, N.J. - He became famous in the 1980s as the rapper DMC but came to the New Jersey Statehouse Thursday simply as Darryl McDaniels to ask lawmakers to give adoptees access to their birth records.

McDaniels, of the three-man rap group Run-DMC, lobbied lawmakers to pass a law to help adoptees learn their family history.

"This is really about identity and truth of a human being's existence," McDaniels told a Senate committee.

McDaniels discovered at age 35 that he was adopted and has since become a staunch supporter of adoption rights legislation.

McDaniels, now 43, won an Emmy Award for his 2006 documentary, "My Adoption Journey," which chronicled his search for and reunion with his birth parents.

Run-DMC was responsible for 1980s rap classics as "King of Rock," "It's Tricky" and a top-40 remake of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way."

But McDaniels emphasized Thursday, "This isn't about DMC the celebrity."

"We never start a book from Chapter 2," he said. "As adoptees we live our lives from Chapter 2."

Under New Jersey law, adoptees can only see a birth certificate with their adoptive parents' names.

The proposed law would allow future adoptees to get birth certificates with the names, ages, birthplaces, birth dates and occupations of biological parents.

It would allow those already adopted in New Jersey to obtain their birth certificate, although birth parents could contact the state to ask their names be deleted. If they do that, the state would require they provide a medical history.

Opponents said the law would cause problems for those who gave up children thinking they would remain anonymous, but supporters contend the measure would help adoptees know their family history.

After hearing from McDaniels, the committee voted unanimously to release the bill that can now be considered by the full Senate. It passed New Jersey Senate in 2004 and 2006 but has never made it into law.

"This isn't about us going back to make the birth mother's life hectic," McDaniels said. "I believe there should be a right. That is somebody's identity, you all, somebody's identity."

Senators praised McDaniels' testimony.

"Your being able to come before this committee I think will make a significant difference," said Sen. Diane Allen, R-Burlington.

McDaniels, for his part, prefers to give a concert over giving testimony.

"It's easy to rap," he said. Giving testimony? "That's rough."


Link to article

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