Rich people adopting foreign children :/

lostexpectation

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2006/0620/joliea.html

Jolie and Pitt to adopt another child

Only weeks after the birth of their daughter Shiloh-Nouvel, Angelina Jolie has indicated that she and partner Brad Pitt want to adopt another child.

The couple also have two adopted children, four-year-old Maddox from Cambodia and 16-month-old Zahara from Ethiopia.

Speaking in a CNN interview, Jolie said: "Next we'll adopt. We don't know which - which country. But we're looking at different countries."

She said that it would "be the balance of what would be the best for Mad and for Z right now. It's, you know, another boy, another girl, which country, which race would fit best with the kids".

Im sorry this really disturbs me, galvanting around the world cherrypicking babies from from different impoverished countries?

I really think rich people could something other then whisking the child away from their country to their big house so they can spend their millions on them and look good in their social circle as the drive their black kids in their suvs to a private school.

there is just so much baby selling going on, it seems like the latest pet, Foster and McCain too. Angelina adopted her baby from a agency known for selling babies.
Obviously Brad wanted his own children so its seems like this was a compromise for Jolie ok we'll have one with your seed then its back to the life-long charity cases.

Even to lesser extent with Irish couples, are they more infertile couples to Irish children needing adoption in this country?

Earthhorse

lostexpectation wrote:

Even to lesser extent with Irish couples, are they more infertile couples to Irish children needing adoption in this country?

Far more to the best of my knowledge. If you're an Irish couple wishing to adopt an Irish child it can take years before anything happens. Nothing wrong with going abroad to adopt.

bonkey

lostexpectation wrote:

I really think rich people could something other then whisking the child away from their country to their big house so they can spend their millions on them and look good in their social circle as the drive their black kids in their suvs to a private school.

I think you'll find that "rich people" (by which you presumably mean Jolie in particular) aren't exactly doing that in the first place.

I'm also wondering if you similarly judge the 1/3 of her earnings that Jolie gives to charity, the UNICEF Embassador status etc.

I guess all that money and time spent on helping kids in impoverished nations doesn't count as the "something other" she could be doing, and is also just so she can look good in her social circle.

lostexpectation

Earthhorse wrote:

Far more to the best of my knowledge. If you're an Irish couple wishing to adopt an Irish child it can take years before anything happens. Nothing wrong with going abroad to adopt.

i reckon its worth the wait.

bonkey

lostexpectation wrote:

i reckon its worth the wait.

So I take it you've adopted an Irish child then?

Zulu

Yes, its terrible! Imagine giving someone a chance in life. Disgusting. :rolleyes:

dbnavan

I have to say I disagree with the Opening Poster, I see nothing wrong with giving a child from an improvrised country a better start in life, be it with a rich family or that of working class background. Obviously the perents of these children only want what is best for the child, and if I brought a baby into the world that was going to starve to death or have a life treatening diasase before it was 6, and someone could offer it a new lease of life in a first world country, sure I'd consider it.

I somehow doubt a high profile Amassodor of UNICEF is 'buying' children either, you almost make it sound like the child is being snatched from it's mother by these people.

Nevyn

IT isn't in most cases, there is an upper age limit for adopting and you can be left waiting until you pass that and then be told sorry you are not a suitible canidate anymore.

http://oasis.gov.ie/birth/adoption_and_fostering/adopting_a_child.html

In recent years, adoptions in Ireland have become increasingly rare and many prospective parents now look abroad to adopt a child.

Adoption is not given enough of a support as an option for those in a crises pregancy it is cultuarlly not acceptible to have a child and give it up for adoption part of the backlash from the magadlene laundries.

Parental rights are not easily terminated in this country and as a result you have a lot of children who are in need of foster care and in many cases long term foster care but you mostly likely will not be adopted.

There are a lot of children who end up damaged as they end up in care as a last resort when for thier own sakes it would have been best for them to have been adopted early.

http://www.ifca.ie/

http://oasis.gov.ie/birth/adoption_and_fostering/fostering.html

There are currently about 4,500 children in foster care in Ireland.

loopyloulou

lostexpectation wrote:

Im sorry this really disturbs me, galvanting around the world cherrypicking babies from from different impoverished countries?QUOTE]

So what would you prefer??? Those kids to stay in their "impoverished" countries, without parents to love them or nurture them?

Id rather see them in the hands of a loving couple who have their best interests at heart...Ive not seen Brad and Angelina's kids in posh schools wearing designer clothes, ive seen them basically travel the world with their parents, learning new things and seeing different cultures. How is that a bad thing for any child?

Its up to the parents at the end of the day how kids are raised and people can have millions and still raise their kids to be unspoilt, polite, well brought up individuals. Just my opinion

bonkey

Thaedydal wrote:

IT isn't in most cases, there is an upper age limit for adopting and you can be left waiting until you pass that and then be told sorry you are not a suitible canidate anymore.

Indeed. If demand exceeds supply, then no matter which way you jolly the figures, someone must lose out.

So the implication would be what teh OP believes is "worth it" will, in many cases, be not adopting at all.

How this is preferable rather than adopting from a foreign nation (without invoking Stormfront-worthy reasoning) is beyond me.

Now, I do recognise that there are problems with the system (wasn't there an Irish case recently where they basically abandoned a foreign-adopted kid? Details not coming to mind right now), but I hardly think the solution is to suggest that it shouldn't be done at all...

jc

Earthhorse

lostexpectation wrote:

i reckon its worth the wait.

Why?

lostexpectation

bonkey wrote:

Indeed. If demand exceeds supply, then no matter which way you jolly the figures, someone must lose out.

So the implication would be what teh OP believes is "worth it" will, in many cases, be not adopting at all.

How this is preferable rather than adopting from a foreign nation (without invoking Stormfront-worthy reasoning) is beyond me.

Now, I do recognise that there are problems with the system (wasn't there an Irish case recently where they basically abandoned a foreign-adopted kid? Details not coming to mind right now), but I hardly think the solution is to suggest that it shouldn't be done at all...

jc

I don't think it shouldn't be done at all, its more like 'poor black babies' syndrome which doesn't really overlap with stormfronty stuff, its really the money and celebrity trend issue that irks me, (although Jolie isn't quite your atypical celeb).

Zulu

Ultimately the child ends up better off. ...and you've a problem with that - why? ...because it's cool to knock Hollywood??

InFront

lostexpectation wrote:

I don't think it shouldn't be done at all, its more like 'poor black babies' syndrome which doesn't really overlap with stormfronty stuff, its really the money and celebrity trend issue that irks me, (although Jolie isn't quite your atypical celeb).

I dont know anything about Angelina Jolie apart from the Tombraider thing and Im not getting into a celebrity gossip quagmire, have no interest in it. I get the feeling the op knows more about it, but I do (hesitently) share some concern about adopting children from foreign countries.

Firstly I would say that adopting orphans from places like Thailand and Belarus, etc, is one of the greatest gifts you can give to a child providing that the family is capable and loving.

However, I would like to see stricter guidelines regarding to some aspects of foreign adoptions. Often, the mother is still alive and is heartbroken to give up her child but does so because of the higher standard of life, particularly in health and education, the child will receive. This is understandable. faced with an offer of taking the child away and giving him a more comfortablke life elsewhere, where he will not want for anything, is a very tempting offer for an impoversihed mother, who may feel that she should let her child go. Once the child is healthy and the home evironment is able to sustain and cherish him, I think it is best that he stays. He should not be denied his family, even if they are very poor.

But as I said, i think people who go out and adopt kids who otherwise would suffer a poverty ridden environment and without a family, or worse, with serious illness, deserve sincere appreciation for their efforts.

Nevyn

Well that is why there are sponsour a child programs to keep families together in such places.

Dudess

bonkey wrote:

Now, I do recognise that there are problems with the system (wasn't there an Irish case recently where they basically abandoned a foreign-adopted kid? Details not coming to mind right now)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2091-1572583,00.html

I remember a radio discussion about the above case. Can't remember who was taking part in it but someone mentioned couples "acquiring" exotic-looking kids as if they were fashion accessories and then growing tired of them. Pretty rare, I'd say - if it has even happened at all.

simu

Dudess wrote:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2091-1572583,00.html

I remember a radio discussion about the above case. Can't remember who was taking part in it but someone mentioned couples "acquiring" exotic-looking kids as if they were fashion accessories and then growing tired of them. Pretty rare, I'd say - if it has even happened at all.

^^^

It's very rare that it happens afaik. The Dowses were freaks really - you can't see them as typical adoptive parents.

iguana

A couple of my relatives adopted a Russian child a few years ago. They were in their mid-30's when they met, and despite marrying and deciding to start a family within 18 months of meeting, it was too late for them.

They had a series of miscarraiges, followed by two incredibly expensive attempts at IVF, which resulted in two more miscarraiges. They then looked at adopting and were told that there was no way they would be able to adopt from Ireland. So few children are put up for adoption and they were so close in age to the cut off point.

They adopted a 18 month old Russian baby, who had been in an orphanage since she was 2 weeks old. She was very tiny for her age, and couldn't walk yet as the staff there didn't have the time or resources to help the children develop properly. She was also ill, nothing that would be considered very serious here, but which may have killed her or caused long-term damage if left untreated.

She's now 4 and has a loving family. While she probably won't have siblings, the adoption cost over €20,000, she has lots of similarily aged cousins and friends. She is a bright, healthy, secure child looking forward to starting school in September and now has the potential to be whatever she wants to be.

But according to lostexpectation she should have been left in that orphanage where she would be barely able to walk by now, if she was still alive, and would more than likely have a life of enforced prostitution ahead of her.

I do think that if a couple adopts a foreign baby, they should continue to educate they child about that country and it's customs. They should attempt to learn the language so the child can have a working knowledge of it in case they wish to return as an adult or trace their biological family. It is also true that foreign adoption is not the answer to global poverty. People in poorer countries should not have to abandon their children due to poverty, the world needs to change. But until it does there is nothing wrong with giving these children a better chance at life.

lostexpectation

It the taking of the kids from the poor or war torn country that bothers me not them being brought here, it is the money talks thing thing that bothers me too and it could be said that your average Irish middle class couple are rich relatively to the countries the kids are coming from too.