THIS THING OF OURS-ADOPTION

THE KOREAN WAR BABY

My name is Don Gordon BELL and I am one of the earliest of the first generation of KAD's (Korean ADoptees). The Korean War had been settled by Armistice three years before I left war-torn Seoul, Korea, on May 21, 1956. It was the first plane of twelve 'war babies' processed thru the Harry Holt Adoption Program. Read more of MY STORY on My Pages.
I grew up in a typical middle-class family of English-Scottish roots in greater Los Angeles, Ca, USA. Memories faded, Korean language was 'lost' and I did not know anything about the country of my birth until I met Korean Marines in Vietnam while serving with the US Marines. It was my first exposure to real Korean people. I was not completely aware of how prejudiced most Koreans thought towards a Half-Breed like me. I learned what "Tuigi" meant, a Korean word for a "Child of a Foreign devil". Oh, wonderful.


All my life I always had to answer the question: "What ARE you?" and I simply would tell 'my story'. It was not a big deal for me, for my Adoptive Parents had taught me that being an American meant that WE were from many countries. I never 'wished to be White' and just learned to stand up for my own identity. MY Identity was as an American, with mixed heritage. I did not know what being "Korean" meant but often wondered about my roots, and what my birth father's ethnicity. Mexican, Native Americans, and Spanish people would tell me that I had their 'genes' for sure. Little did I know they were right!

After college, I traveled to Manila and for ten years I lived in the Philippines. I was excepted as a 'mestizo' and fit into the former Spanish colony. I was a B-movie Character Actor,
working on international and local films, enjoying a 'crazy and wild' abandonment. Then a life changing experience gave me faith in a personal Higher Being. After walking away from the film business, I lived back in the USA, not sure of my direction in life finding work in construction, finish carpentry, door hanging, and many other jobs I'd like to forget.

In 1991, at 38, I attended a Holt Heritage Camp that was a great experience and really began my own journey of Adoption Identity search. I had never thought much of my Korean culture, though I always felt proud of being "HALF-Korean" and "half-Something".

In 1994 I came back to Seoul, Korea, with my church Vineyard Christian Fellowship, and was invited to stay with a church in East Seoul, for one year. I have lived here since late 1995- re-discovering my "Korean-ness", teaching English and telling my Adoption Story to thousands of Korean students of all ages, helping their understanding of Korean Adoptees. It is one of the issues that Korea is now facing, even for its own secretly adopted children, those who were adopted IN-Country by Koreans who desired a family but due to problems with Infertility secretly adopt.

I was a charter member in 1997 (first dozen members) of GOA'L (Global Overseas Adoptees' Link, founded by Ami Nafzger) and continue to be involved with the complex issues of This Thing of Ours-Adoption. Thousands of KADs have visited Korea over the years, searching for their culture and Some search for birth family. Seventy-five thousand have come, yet only 2,400 plus have found Reunion with Birth family, often with varying results. There are many complexities, many don't want to search concerned about offending their Adoptive Families. Each KAD must decide what they want to do, when to do it, etc.


At 67, I am still 'working thru' my Adoption Identity. Each of YOU need to 'work through' your own understanding and hopefully find forgiveness and healing. Read many different accounts and compare before coming to conclusions. I hope that you will learn what IS happening NOW, in the land of your birth, the Rep. of Korea (South Korea). (See Report Links).

Times are changing, the reasons for 'relinquishment/given up for adoption' have shifted, but there continues to be a need for a multi-tiered approach and understanding of Adoption issues. Slowly, attitudes of Korean society ARE changing for the better. But, the majority continue to feel embarrassment and shame. Thus, Adoption is still shrouded in secrecy even for those who are adopted In-country . There ARE positive signs and movements of NGO's and KAD groups are advocating for the Unwed Mothers. However, two-thirds of pregnant women each year, continue to give up their babies for adoption. One out of four are sent overseas, YET three are secretly adopted in-country. The Myth that "Koreans don't adopt" is false, but they need to open up and hopefully change their shame to pride.


This blog is for EVERYONE, whether you are an Adoptee, Adoptive Family, Birth Family or involved in Adoption in ANY way as a professional, social worker, official, etc, from Korea or the world. We examine the complex issues and personal journeys that we, domestic and overseas adoptees, have to face and sort out in This Thing of Ours-Adoption. (Use the Search function to check for Posts on various topics, TransRacial, Tran-Cultural, Multi-Cultural families, Domestic, Civil Code Law Adoptions, InterCountry Adoption, etc.)

I personally have come to a compromised, nuanced position on this thing of ours-adoption. I advocate a Multi-tiered Plan that tries to be balanced, realistic, fair to all.

UPDATE: Living in the Philippines since 2010, at first teaching students from several countries as an Online Tutor, based in Makati, Metro Manila. I was working on a Digital Library for Online Tutoring or ELearning; developing an agritourism farm; and Overseas Retirement Care for foreigners needing 24/7 health care.

Then some 18 months ago, in July of 2012 I met with Andrew Leavold, a crazy film obsessed Aussie who helped "pull me back into film making".

WHEW! Lot on my plate. I have also been learning much about the Filipino society's very different viewpoints on unwed motherhood and adoption.

As of Sept. 2012, I worked on an Indie Film, "Baybayin, the Palawan Script", directed by Auraeus Solito, and international award winning Filipino director. I had a role in the film and explored my hobby as a STILLS Photographer. Currently I have quit all teaching, co-writing on an international film that will be done in 3D and CGI effects. I am back in the film-making business and I love it. I have continued to act in Independent and international films and in many projects worked as Stills/Bts Photographer. I cover film festivals, events, and continue to try to improve my Game. Semi-retired but love to keep active, now exploring mirrorless 4K cameras but still a Canon Guy.


Adoption Discourse needs to hear YOUR VOICES. Every opinion, even opposing viewpoints will be posted and interaction invited by email and Comments have been activated again with spam filters!)
. Welcome, come learn, and share your thoughts. Join social media sites and you will help yourself and others as you share your life.

#20 Holt Adoptee/First Dozen on Flight departing Seoul on 21 May, 1956 to USA.


May 5, 2010

Stench of Death-Jonestown

“In Jonestown there was no escaping the odor…

Jonestown *Warning: This article includes graphic and disturbing descriptions of the condition of the bodies as they were removed from Jonestown.

jonestown_cult_of_death_newsweek

The term “drinking the Kool-Aid” here has become synonymous becoming a firm believer in something: accepting an argument or philosophy wholeheartedly or blindly. The term originated with the Jonestown Massacre[1][2][3], although as set forth below, evidence gathered at the site after the incident indicated that it was actually Flavor Aid, a similar powdered drink, which was used in the massacre.

Jonestown_guyana,timIn the Jonestown cult suicide, Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple, had persuaded followers to move to Jonestown, Guyana and found a commune. In November of 1978, faced with exposure, he had U.S. Representative Leo Ryan killed and ordered the residents to commit suicide by drinking a flavored beverage laced with potassium cyanide. Those unable to comply, such as infants, and those unwilling to comply received involuntary injections. Roughly 918 people died.

“It appears the infants and toddlers, who had the poisonous potion forced down their throats by their mothers using needle-less five and ten ml. syringes, represented the biggest uncounted group. Their convulsing bodies were placed on the bottom of a rather large but fairly shallow concave area next to the pavilion. Larger children followed the younger ones in death and lay themselves on top of the little ones. Next came preadolescents and adolescents, making up more layers of victims. Then the teens took their last drink on earth and their place among their friends and siblings who died before them.

While all the younger residents of Jonestown were dying. Jones encouraged some of the mothers to join their offspring, so the distraught parents began joining the deadly act of communion. The senior citizens were the next group Jim Jones commanded to drink the devil’s brew. These people became part of a pile that was not discerned as a pile because of the concavity of the terrain. The last group to participate in the White Night was the able bodied members of the cult, men who had carried out Jones’ dirty work, those who held weapons on the others while forcing them to drink the deadly Flavor Aid.

****************************************************************

Are you ready for your GOA’L “Flavor/Kool-Aid”?

dong_chim

"NO!! Don't Ddong Chim me Bro, Don't Ddong Chim me!!!"

Page 18_AGM_UnpublishedRpt.

Last week the KWB noted that he was certain that the very first thing on the agenda was to decide on how to vote, in Corpore (Latin- as a group) or Individual voting. He checked with others at the scene and they also remembered that the count was twenty for voting separately.

PLEASE look at the scan from a document SECRETLY sent to the KWB…from a concerned person, who must remain anonymous.

DO YOU SEE

“Comment {N1]: This isn’t a majority!”

A rather curious thing happens when the “mouse” hovers over the “Comment {N1}

someones NAME 4/21/2010 5:40:00 PM Commented

The Korean War Baby will give the so-named Commenter the chance to reveal their part in this, uh, revealing warning, “This isn’t a majority”. What does this mean to us, and where was the Chairman of the BOARD?

If you would like a copy of this INTERESTING DOCUMENT in “TRACK CHANGES” mode, send the KWB an email at koreanwarbaby@gmail.com

**************************************************

Now notice this on the last page of the report:

MinutesTakenViceSG_KatiePutes_A

Minutes taken by Ms. Katie Mee Joo Putes, Vice Secretary General

Date: 2010-03-27 Signature: ________________________

Approved by BoD_2010-04XX

Well, well, well,

Approved by Board of Directors

Date: 2010-04- {Notice empty space???}

Location: Seoul Signature: _____________________

***************************************************

From Google: http://www.goal.or.kr/upload/bbs/e51/185012680327300.pdf

Available ONLINE and certainly a NOT SECRET document but found by “googling: ‘voting in corpore’ one would find THIS:

**************************************************

[PDF]

General Information for members of G.O.A.'L (available on GOA’L website for ANY PERSON)

File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
should be done per seat or in corpore. Based on the results, in the second round, the voting is conducted per candidate or in corpore. ...
www.goal.or.kr/upload/bbs/e51/185012680327300.pdf

****************************************************

For those just too lazy or busy here is the section from page 4 of 7.

General Information for members of G.O.A.’L
Date: 2010/03/04


(Pg. 4)

4. Elected Positions and Voting
All current, paid members of G.O.A.’L have the right to vote. Proxy voting is not allowed. For all votes decisions will be based on a simple majority of the attending members at the Annual General Meeting.

a. Board of Directors
G.O.A.’L’s Board of Directors was created primarily for the purpose of incorporating G.O.A.’L as a Korean entity, and since then has only played a minor role in the organization. The 2010 Annual General meeting is significant because G.O.A.’L is proposing that the Board of Directors become more active and include Korean adoptees.
As a Non‐Profit Organization, G.O.A.'L is legally presided over by a

Board of Directors, a so‐called voluntary, non‐executive board. G.O.A.’L is required by law to have a minimum of five people elected into the Board of Directors. Directors are elected at the Annual General Meeting for a term of two years and have a financial and legal liability for
G.O.A.'L. There are currently no limitations on the number of times Directors can be reelected.

For the Board of Directors, individual elections for each seat or in corpore (all together) must be undertaken in two rounds. The first round is designed to determine if elections should be done per seat or in corpore.

Based on the results, in the second round, the voting is conducted per candidate or in corpore.

For each candidate (or in corpore) to be elected a simple majority is sufficient. In the case of a draw, a re‐vote will take place. In case of another draw, the Chairman of the Board of Directors has the final vote.

**************************************************

smellslikebullshitThis was the SHAM/FAKE election of 27 March, 2010 of

Global (NOT) Only-members-in-Korea Adoptees’ Lies

rcbs-350a

ahmadinejad-1

Even the Iranian President can smell a Steaming Pile of it!!!

2151426160_19ce9ebdcb

Watch for more LIES to COME!!!

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