So if you have been following me on Twitter (which I highly recommend, theINTELLECT/twitter.com) then you will know that I have been going off about white people adopting children from Africa. Yes, I see that these people are rich and can give these children a life better life, but at what cost?
Will Angelina and Brad teach their adopted African daughter anything about her culture? Will they teach her that even though her name is Jolie-Pitt, there will still be people that will hate her due to the color of her skin? Hell, will they teach her the beauty and versatility of her hair and the beauty that is brown skin? I think not!!!
But the real source behind this rant, is singer Madonna's court appeal to adopt a 3 year-old girl from Malawi. The girl in question has been in an orphanage all her life, but her father (who never knew she existed) is trying to battle Madonna for the right to keep his daughter. Now, I might not know all the facts of this case, but if DNA proves that the child belongs to the African man, then I hope Madonna is denied. In my opinion a child belongs with family, even if that family never knew you existed for three years.
It makes me sick to see all these celebrities running over to Third World nations to adopt children of culturally diverse backgrounds. Like I said before, I like that these children are getting a better life, but if the child is denied the history of their ancestors or of their people then what is a better life? If these celebrities were really interested in helping these "brown" children, then why are they not adopting the African American children who are living without any love or support iin their own country?
As this is a rant I do not have any real answers to all the questions I have posed, but I do want to get your opinion YGT readers. Do you agree with interracial/international adoption? Do you think this is good press for white celebrities? Do you think the adoption of African children by rich White's is a throwback to the selling of unwanted African during the slave trade? Let me know via the comments section.
The Intellect
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4 comments:
Very interesting questions you pose and something I havent really spent a lot of time thinking about. Im not against interacial adoption (Still touched by the movie Losing Isaiah from back in the day). The family that adopts outside their race must understand that in addition to a loving and nurturing environment they have the duty/responsability to also expose that child to different aspects of there birth culture, if nothing else at least for identity purposes.
Now as far as the celebrities going overseas...I think its just a fad. They want exotic kids. The only way that would make sense to me is if there were no children to adopt here in the U.S. and clearly there thats not the case. I just dont get it.
very thought provoking post. some of the questions posed i never really thought about but i do agree with some of the points raised, especially when addressing the celebrity fad to adopt children outside of their race.
my only question is concerning the madonna case. i guess this could be further research for me to do but why was the father not aware of his child for three years. if it was because the child would not recieve a good life then maybe the baby is better off with madonna. but like a said something that i could look more into.
great post!!
well, for one, it's really difficult to adopt children in the US and it involves extensive background checks and is extremely lengthy. someone like angelina who has had a history with drug abuse in the past, probably couldn't adopt an american child.
adopting overseas is not only cheaper and easier for these celebrities, but it's also seen as very stylish and almost like a badge of honor. i think it also goes back to this long standing idea that our people can't take care of themselves so a white person to step in and raise us. not to mention the fact that a white person carrying around a black child is almost viewed as a saint. if they had adopted a white child no one would be the wiser and would automatically assume it was their child.
of course this isn't the case with every mixed race family but it bothers me that many celebs are picking out the race of their adopted child as if they're picking up a new accessory or a pet. it shouldn't be about the background it should be about helping a child in need.
You are making some good points Intellect but you know this also includes the other cultures she adopted that are not caucasian that will not be to informed about there culture. I do support interracial/international adoption. I honestly think celebrities just see it as doing something good by doing this because you know angelina is like one of the biggest celebrity humnitarians out there so adopting these children is just one of her many good deeds. But you know Angelina may expose her children to there culture once they get older you never know.
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