Customer Reviews

To Prison With Love

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sandy Musser was imprisoned for doing no more than millions of investigators do with the blessing of state licensing agencies. Locating people. Reuniting families separated by adoption, and on many occasions outwitting those who would forever keep these families apart. For that, she spent 4 months in a Federal Prison

Researchers in the adoption reform movement read this book! Know who you are talking to, who you are so valiantly and compassionately trying to help. They may not be WHO you think they are!

As you read To Prison With Love:

Rejoice with Sandy as she reunites family after family. Admire her for fictionalizing names to protect people who helped her, and for reassuring an investigator that she works with, who thinks SHE is being investigated, that she will stand by her no matter what. Feel her growing apprehension as she starts suspecting SHE is being setup to take the fall for the investigator. And "friend." (Named in the book)

Feel Sandy's shock and horror when she reads the morning headlines that are her first notice that she HAS been setup, and has been indicted for conspiracy, wire fraud, theft of government property, and other things.

Sit with her through a long trial. Read actual transcripts of the testimony--not hers, for she was afraid she may incriminate others in the adoption reform movement. Wonder why the government would let the real felon off with only 2 months in a halfway house and probation, while Sandy got 4 months in prison. You won't need to really, for the government was after a much bigger "fish" then the investigator. Humming in Sandy Musser, of the Musser Foundation would, as the government investigator said "Send a (more) chilling message to those would would do those kinds of things."

Ride with Sandy to prison, where she is not processed for 3 days. Sit with her in a silent cell where there is no time, no radio, nothing to read, no one to speak to and none of her medication available. Cry with her as she lies on the floor, tears streaming, quietly singing an old hymn she learned in Sunday School--"On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame.... I will cherish that old cross, till my burdens at last I lay down" Until she falls asleep.

Stay with Sandy as she copes as best she can with prison life. Share her bewilderment and pain as she begins to realize that many of her friends in the adoption reform movement have turned their backs on her, afraid of getting involved.

Finally, go home with Sandy to Cape Coral, Florida where she tries to start over. Without being permitted to engage in adoption search. Perhaps her greatest punishment. Reunting families was Sandy's life.

Sandy Musser was imprisoned for doing no more than millions of investigators do with the blessing of state licensing agencies. Locating people. Reuniting families separated by adoption, and on many occasions outwitting those who would forever keep these families apart. For that, she spent 4 months in a Federal Prison

Researchers in the adoption reform movement read this book! Know who you are talking to, who you are so valiantly and compassionately trying to help. They may not be WHO you think they are! And you could be set up as Sandy was.

As you read To Prison With Love:

Rejoice with Sandy as she reunites family after family. Admire her for fictionalizing names to protect people who helped her, and for reassuring an investigator that she works with, who thinks SHE is being investigated, that she will stand by her no matter what. Feel her growing apprehension as she starts suspecting SHE is being setup to take the fall for the investigator. And "friend." (Named in the book) Cringe when she reads the morning headlines that are her first notice that she has been setup, and has been indicted for conspiracy, wire fraud, theft of government property, and other things. Sit with her through a long trial. Read actual transcripts of the testimony--not hers, for she was afraid she may incriminate others in the adoption reform movement. Wonder why the real felon only got 2 months in a halfway house and probation, while Sandy got 4 months in prison.

Ride with Sandy to prison, where she is not processed for 3 days. Sit with her i a cell where there was no time, no radio, nothing to read, no one to speak to and none of her medication available. Cry with her as she lies on the floor, tears streaming, quietly singing an old hymn she learned in Sunday School--"On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame.... I will cherish that old cross, till my burdens at last I lay down" Until she falls asleep. Stay with Sandy as she copes as best she can with prison life. Share her bewilderment and pain as she begins to realize that many of her friends in the adoption reform movement have turned their backs on her, afraid of getting involved. Finally, go home with Sandy to Cape Coral, Florida where she tries to start over. Without being permitted to engage in adoption search. Perhaps her greatest punishment. Reunting families was Sandy's life.

This is an important story because it illustrates how sealed adoption records cause disrespect for law and force people who need to make contact with their biological families to take desperate measures. The struggle for open records is a Civil Rights movement. I was disappointed by the quality of the writing, however. The book is only somewhat chronological and skips around a bit. Although it is a valuable memoir, a more cohesive writing of the events entailed would help. Also, those that are involved in this Civil Rights movement have to be prepared to made an example of as this is one of the only ways to get attention for the movement. When MLK was incarcerated he wrote the landmark "Letter from a Birmingham Jail". It would have helped the book and the movement in general were the tone of the book not one of paranoia and self-hagiography.

Very moving story of a young unwed mothers emotional parting with her child through adoption. After a marriage and four other wonderful children, and 22 years later she begins a dedicated search for the daughter she had to give up but always held the love and void in her heart. The reader will feel the emotional highs and lows of the search. The joy when pieces of linking evidence is discovered. The joy and heartbreak ofdiscovery-reconcilation-rejection and the happiness of reunification. The author becomes active in helping others in their seach for adult children given up for adoption as infants,and adult adoptees searching for their parents. There are hundreds of heart warming stories of reunification. This work of doing nothing more than helping other adults in a search for their roots causes her to be indited and convicted by our government. Eventhough Ms. Musser could have plea bargined, she elected to go to prison for her strong beliefs that these laws are terribly unjust. With the strong support of a loving family and many friends she is able to survive the prison experience and get exposure to the issue through media i.e, 60 Minutes , as well as other video programs and the press. Somewhere in the book Ms. Musser says she is 5' 4 1/2" tall, but when you finish the book she will stand about 10' tall in your eyes. This book is must reading for anyone affected by adoption which, I think is about one out of every three American families.

Sandy Musser's all-too-real story is an inspiration to anyone involved in adoption reform. She is a courageous woman who was willing to sacrifice her own well-being to help others search and reunite with their true families. Those who believe in bringing natural families together again are fortunate to have someone like Sandy on their side! I would recommend this book for anyone involved in activism of any kind . . . although it will make you angry at the United States court system for the unjust manner in which they treated the author, you will undoubtedly finish the book feeling good about this one brave American citizen.