Adopt a sense of pride in your own country.
Dear Madonna, and other people who plan to Angelina* a baby,
It is a wonderful thing that you are doing, bringing an underprivileged child into your home and life. However, why must you go to Africa? Are the orphans in the U.S. not appealing enough? Is something wrong with the DNA that permeates the gene pool of poor American kids? Is it that you don’t want to raise a potential Nascar fan? (Sorry, but most of the poverty in the U.S. lies in the south and that’s where you Nascar fans hail from, isn’t it?).
Madonna attempted to do something good by taking a child into her life who was living in an orphanage because his mother had died. What she did not consider was that it is common for children in Africa, who have only one parent, to be raised in group homes until they are old enough to be responsible for helping their village. His father never planned to lose him forever. That child is expected to take care of his father/his village later in life.
This whole issue that Madonna is facing is a glaring sign to me that we need to stop sticking our good ideas into the cultures of other countries. At least until we have no faults anymore.
I believe that Americans are great people. They are people who want to help. This was obvious during the Tsunami disaster and through the countless associations established to help those in need, amongst so many other things. But America, why is so much help going to countries other than our own when it is so obvious that we need our own help?
I think the best analogy for life comes from the airplane. When the oxygen masks fall, place it on your own face prior to helping others. In other words, you are no good to anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself.
America, let’s take care of ourselves. Then we will be better prepared to help everyone else.
* Yeah, I made a verb out of her name. And you don’t need me to explain what it means.
It is a wonderful thing that you are doing, bringing an underprivileged child into your home and life. However, why must you go to Africa? Are the orphans in the U.S. not appealing enough? Is something wrong with the DNA that permeates the gene pool of poor American kids? Is it that you don’t want to raise a potential Nascar fan? (Sorry, but most of the poverty in the U.S. lies in the south and that’s where you Nascar fans hail from, isn’t it?).
Madonna attempted to do something good by taking a child into her life who was living in an orphanage because his mother had died. What she did not consider was that it is common for children in Africa, who have only one parent, to be raised in group homes until they are old enough to be responsible for helping their village. His father never planned to lose him forever. That child is expected to take care of his father/his village later in life.
This whole issue that Madonna is facing is a glaring sign to me that we need to stop sticking our good ideas into the cultures of other countries. At least until we have no faults anymore.
I believe that Americans are great people. They are people who want to help. This was obvious during the Tsunami disaster and through the countless associations established to help those in need, amongst so many other things. But America, why is so much help going to countries other than our own when it is so obvious that we need our own help?
I think the best analogy for life comes from the airplane. When the oxygen masks fall, place it on your own face prior to helping others. In other words, you are no good to anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself.
America, let’s take care of ourselves. Then we will be better prepared to help everyone else.
* Yeah, I made a verb out of her name. And you don’t need me to explain what it means.
Buggie spilled her guts for you at 10/24/2006 10:48:00 AM
12 Comments:
So true! You really got to the heart of it. I hope it's not gotten so bad that adopted children are accessories, and that Nascar babies aren't hip enough. My mom works in social services and we have hundreds of children without families right here (in Nascar country :) )
Totally agree. NBC4 in DC has "Wednesday Child" every week they highlight a child that needs a family. It does seem that an adopted child from the third world is the new accessory of Hollywood.
At first glance, I would agree with you so long as you restrict this rant to adoption.
However, to suggest that America withhold aid to other countries until all our ills at home are cleaned up is appalling. The level of wealth and standard of living we enjoy in this country is staggering in comparison to countries that truly suffer from poverty.
Sure we're not perfect but there is no dearth of social programs in this country. Yes you need to help yourself before you can help others, but please don't lose sight of the absolute value of those starting points.
My $0.02.
Maybe the issue is the paternalistic nature of a white/rich/Western person assuming their values or way of life is better and then imposing that on others without first attempting to understand the impact it might have. And that goes for adoption, tying food aid to abstinence education, or even nation building.
Not sure how I feel about this one Buggy. It's like a "Power to the white people" to me. I mean who cares where the kids are being adopted if it's here or anywhere else. And speaking from the experience my friends are going through with a russian adoption, the centers they have the kids in there are HORRIBLE!!! When I asked her why she chose to go there instead of here, it was because no one in that country will adopt girls. I think kudos for those who adopt no matter where it is. And as wealthy country I am sure our orphans are better off then some in other countries that have NO chance. I know a few foster parents that give these kids a fighting chance in the world as well as love and care they deserve.
Hey two-cents, that is exactly what I meant. Screw everyone else. America! FUCK YEAH!
Harms: I think adoption anywhere is great, too. My point is that we should take notice of the troubles we have at home, too. Imagine that you had joined the program where you send $20 a week to some kid in Zimbabwe, yet you don't have enough money left from that to properly feed the two kids that live under your roof.
Wow, Anon. You sure do talk purty. I bet I would be wildly attracted to you.
A Team America reference? That's hilarious. Fuck yeah!
My $0.02.
Anon- HOLLA!!! Maybe you can!!
Buggy - I feel what you are saying but you know me, I want to save the universe!!!
Buggy, I am going to hook you up!!! :)
That's awesome Harms! I love you for it. I just think people get caught up and forget about the people in need here.
People: If you are going to leave stupid and disparaging comments, leave your name. But you are probably too chicken. My guess is that leaving anonymous comments makes you feel like you actually have some power, when in the real world, where you are not anonymous, you are a puny ne'er-do-well.
Go find another blog to irritate.
If everyone made the effort to help others, here, there, anywhere, wouldn't the world be so much nicer. As long as peole are doing good, I am for it.
I love making people's names into verbs too.
Like Lewinsky.
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