if you never know truth then you never know love
I'd love to say I went for a run yesterday, but after thinking on it, I have to settle for proudly proclaiming that I went for a semi-spirited shuffle. Yays: I didn't clock out after jogging 20 feet, like I thought I would; I didn't get a headache; my running partner is awesome. Nays: I did clock out well before a mile of shuffling; I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow last night.
T-minus 61 days.
Coincidentally, I was thinking about this in the shower this morning. More specifically, what would happen to the global orphan rate if 25 percent of adult adoptees were to themselves adopt a child? Okay, so it would be all kinds of communist to implement, say, a law requiring adult adoptees who wish to have children to adopt at least one, but think about it more pie-in-the-sky than literally.
I don't care what anyone else thinks about Angelina Jolie - I've loved her since Gone in 60 Seconds (although my crush was infinitely sealed when she adopted Maddox and tried to kill Brad Pitt in Mr. and Mrs. Smith), I don't think her UN ambassador work is bullshit, and I say if she wants to adopt 25 more kids from 25 different countries, how can you criticize? Long before there were Maddox and Zahara Jolie-Pitt, Calista Flockhart adopted Liam, Tom and Nicole adopted Isabella and Connor, and Michelle Pfeiffer adopted Claudia Rose. Did anyone else get flak about adoption as a publicity stunt? Don't think so. Don't hate her 'cause she's beautiful.
I'm obviously pro-adoption. Very pro-international adoption. About 40 million of the world's orphans are from Africa, and realistically, it's difficult to convince the general affluent public to adopt an AIDS baby despite the fact that they are best financially-equipped to do so. There are about 60 million orphans in Asia (though the percentage of AIDS orphans is smaller), countless others in Central and South America. A couple of 20/20 specials on deplorable conditions in Russian orphanages made me consider joining the Peace Corps after college, but I still think on the whole and very, very generally speaking, European orphans have brighter possible futures just because more prospective adoptive families seek healthy white children than AIDS- or malaria-stricken black children. I guess if I had to pull a point out of this mishmash, it would be that the global orphan crisis is so overwhelmingly dire, who has time to draw up policies barring overweight/unmarried/gay couples or individuals from providing loving homes for these kids? I guess it's not quite as stupid a situation as when Romania closed its doors, but still.
AND. The notion of international adoption as a form of human exploitation is madness. Yes, I'd like to know exactly how that $10K - $30K adoption fee is used, but when children who would be homeless and/or parent-less grow up with love, opportunity, and a lifetime to promote peaceful international relations and multicultural awareness, who's being exploited? Who's being elitist? Korea is a prime example of a country that can't easily adopt kids out within itself because blood relations are so highly prized. Attitude shifts, people.
Thanks, Dan. Would I blog, if not for thee?
13 comments:
I share similar views. Good luck on your run. This is my first visit to your blog.
http://sms100.blogspot.com/
Shuffle? Like IPOD shuffle? Naw, I would say it qualified as a jog. Keep up the good running technique and your head will not hurt, or go bouncing down the sidewalk for that matter. I once adopted some african kid for 50 cents a day. Ungreatful kid! All I got in return was a stupid picture and a fist full of Zimbabwe dirt.
Nah just joke. I never had the 50 cents to donate because I was only 10 yrs old. Sally Struthers probably would have used it to buy a coffee cake daily and give the crumbs to the starvig kids anyways.
-Mei
the rules are in place to weed out the morally ambigious and immoral people in the world that would take advantage of the situation. background checks are conducted, interviews, medical screenings, and more, all of which actually cost more than the a measly 30K; all in all, it's a pretty good deal.
what's your take on madonna's adoption of david? that's way publicized and criticized by groups.
on a sidenote, i applied to be adopted by angelina jolie, but apparently she wasn't taking applications at the time.
you'd still blog zeb, you'd just have one less reader. oh now you don't have to do a word verification to comment on your own blog! how cool is that?
screening, yes. discrimination against fat and/or gay people, no. yes these things cost, precisely why the "adoptions = baby selling" perspective is so offensive.
Malawian regulations require prospective adoptive parents to stay in the country for 1 to 2 years? If that's true, as far as adoption regulations go, that's the most stringent I've heard of. Some countries require several visits; i've never heard of anyone having to take up residency there.
But if she did violate a law, then shame on her. She's not God and she should follow policy like every other person wanting a Malawian kid. You could argue that the child was in immediate danger, as to some extent all orphans are, but then you're taking on a whole establishment.
I think it's less about her special treatment than it is about the child's special treatment. I can't say I'd reverse the situation to uphold policy.
perhaps she used her celebrity to fast-track an adoption, but she's pushing 50(?) and doesn't have a lot of time, especially if she has to spend a year there. *shrug* but i think he'd be better off with madonna, or at least have more options.
and. and. no communist state that says i have to adopt because i'm adopted. besides, can you imagine me ever being responsible for another human life?
are you adopted, too??
yeah. that's me. adopted.
merry xmas zeb.
me too, yo.
merry xmas, dan-pan-dan.
adopted kids rock!
how was xmas?
This thread has now made me feel like an outsider with biological parents. Cat, can you adpot me? I'm sure my parents would have no objection
if you are potty trained and can feed yourself, come on in.
haha, what about me zeb? i've got one of those things down... still learning how to do the other one.
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