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DIALOG: The Ethics of Cross-Cultural and Cross-Racial Adoption

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Submitted by: traceeloran
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on Fri, 06/06/2008 - 7:22am.

In response to Purse Creation Rewards.

Cross cultural adoption has been getting a lot of attention in the press lately. With high profiled celebrities like Madonna and Angelina Jolie crossing American soil to adopt children the topic has sparked heated debates. Madonna raised quite a few eyebrows when the father of her adopted Malawian baby claimed to have feelings of “confusion and powerlessness” over the entire process. Though they may receive specialized treatment, celebrities aren’t the only people going to other countries into welcome new children to their homes. Wide Horizons for Children estimates that more than 22,000 Americans adopt a child from another country each year. But more than 100,000 children in the United States are in foster care waiting to be adopted. Why then do so many people choose the international route?

What are your feelings? Do you think international adoption does more harm than good to the children taken from their indigenous homes? To that end how about the ethics of cross-racial adoption here in the United States? Do you think white families should raise black children and vice versa?

http://www.whfc.org/

comment Submitted by ggunselman on Sat, 06/14/2008 - 5:54am.
Cross Culture Adoption

I think it's wonderful. If there are so many babies out there that need loving families, I say go for it. I would like to think that the families adopting these kids will encourage these children to know and appreciate their birth cultures as well as the culture they are raised in. I do, however, think it's so sad that adoption standards in America are so strict and difficult that children here that need loving families are not receiving them. However, I do think it's great that kids that are born anywhere are now accessible to families that want and love them.

comment Submitted by freestyle on Tue, 06/10/2008 - 6:48am.
As I said before,

I think this one is very interesting! In Europe it is just the same, really there are enough babies free for adoption but people want to have a little Japonese,...not thinking about any cultural or birth given differences. Maybe I'm wrong, but I wonder if the impression to have saved a life is more intense as if you just wait for a child out of the same context you live in? Curious to hear more about this!

comment Submitted by RCast on Sun, 06/08/2008 - 11:20pm.
Yep, good one.

Yep, good one.

comment Submitted by kimbaheart on Sun, 06/08/2008 - 6:40pm.
Cross-cultural Adoption

As someone who will very likely adopt to add to my family, I think that this is an excellent topic! I have LOTS of ideas about this one...hope it gets picked!