Celebs adopting kids from Africa?

lil~miss~me

I agree with you.
I think it is a wonderful gift to adopt a child - and give them a life they never even dreamt of. Such a kind thing to do!
But when celebs go all over the world to do so, instead of helping kids in Britain or the USA - it just ends up looking much like a publicity stunt.
It is tragic that a British or American child in need isn't quite a statement enough.

MamaKate

Personally, I think it sets a poor precedent. While I can appreciate the idea of helping those less fortunate, I feel that glamorizing such a complex issue as adoption causes more harm than good in most cases. For example, Madonna's adoption of David Banda has both skirted legalities in his home country (which would not be done for "avarage Joe") as well as encouraged an influx of poor families placing their children in orphanages with the hopes of having " a rich westerner" care for their children as well as many who have lost their children to adoption without understanding what adoption is. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afadopt11plr-2008may11,0,548626.story?track=rss

Madonna's own comments and behavior about this adoption are questionable and make her adoption sound more like a publicity stunt than anything else. (How many PAPs do you know who would postpone thier finalization date three times and not show up?!)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080513/people_nm/malawi_madonna_adoption_dc_3

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/22/arts/EU-A-E-MOV-France-Cannes-Madonna.php

I think celebrities should be held to a higher ethical standard due to their influential status. While I am not opposed to them adopting, they should think long and hard about the examples they set. I feel that many celebs who adopt for reasons other than infertility would be doing a greater service to lend their talents and money to aid children and families in their home countries than collecting children to "save".

I worry when I hear reasons for adopting from other countries like it is "quicker/cheaper/less of a hassle/less fear of reunions" etc. All are TERRIBLE reasons to adopt abroad. People who use these reasons, IMO, have questionable motives and ethics.

There are myriad issues in International Adoption that take very special people to overcome without serious damages to some party. Even UNICEF, which I saw another poster mention, does not support most cases of international adoption. (See their statement here: http://www.unicef.org/media/media_15011.html)

As usual, I need to mention that I know there are exceptions and some situations DO work out well. However, it is an area of adoption rife with issues on many levels which need to be addressed.

ETA: By helping out in a child's home country I mean:
Helping to promote growth and health in the child's home country through aid programs, volunteer services and education. I am not implying that you offer people money to take care of their children - although, what could be more caring, noble and altruistic if you are a wealthy and selfless celebrity? Sorry to have confused anyone, I didn't think it needed clarification.

Heather B

Madonna's child had a family. She could have helped them stay together but instead she took the little boy (illegally), flouting the law that anyone who adopts must be a resident of that country..

I prefer to sponsor rather than adopt kids who aren't really 'orphans', and help people to help themselves within their own land and families.

red&sassy

What a great day it will be when all nations realize how important it is to give each child a home in their own place of origin. That we must preserve and educate families and keep them together.

There's a vaccine that doesn't cost very much if we donate to the organization, which I don't know the name of right now. Wouldn't it be better to save lives and keep the children with their families.

Here's a quote from Margaret Sullavan who was married to Leland Hayward. She was a very famous actress, her daughter wrote the book "Haywire."

"Most actors are basically neurotic people. Terribly, terribly unhappy. That's one of the reasons they become actors. Nobody well adjusted would ever want to expose himself or herself to a large group of strangers. Think of it. Insanity! Generally, by their very nature - that is if they're at all dedicated - actors do not make good parents. They are altogether egotistical and selfish. The better the actor - and I hate to say it, the bigger the star - why, the more that seems to be true. Honestly, I don't think I've ever known one - not one! - star who was successfully able to combine a career and family life." - Margaret Sullavan[2]

kims

If people only adopt from their own country, who will care for the millions of orphans in Africa? I can't remember offhand where Madonna adopted from, but Ethiopia is a country that allows adoption. According to Unicef, there are more than four million orphans due to HIV/AIDs there.

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ethiopia_statistics.html

Since AIDs is decimating the adult population, there aren't enough caregivers left for those children. I don't think those children are any less important than children here in the US.

I'm not going to defend Madonna, because I don't know enough about her situation. From what I heard, she used her celebrity status/money to circumvent the laws in the country she adopted from. That's just wrong. And I think I heard that she didn't show up at her court appointment to complete her adoption, which is also just plain wrong. Still, children everywhere deserve to have a good home and people who know them, care about them, and will do their best to always be there for them.

Lolly M

adopting a child from africa is the same as adopting a child in your own country, they are all children in need of a home.

angie<3

yeah i think that people need to worry about taking care of there own before they think they can help others. theres alot of starving, mistreated, abused children in every country. i think that they need to take care of the people around them first.

Santa's Lil' Helper

Probably because they want another "exotic pet' to add to the collection. I personally couldn't decide between a tiger cub and a little human cub. We settled for a human....we named him Blanket. It makes complete sense to me because he matched the decor.

Gaia Raain

They're not interested in giving parents to children who need them (if that were the case, Madonna would not have adopted a boy who already has a father...she would have helped him to stay with his OWN family). They're interested in getting what they want - a baby all their own...well, kinda. This is the type of adoptive parent I refer to as "ordering an exotic pet". She has no respect for the process or the people involved.

notybug

....well ,they probably love having an African child???

QueenD

People adopt from different countries for different reasons. It's no different than any other (non-celebrity) person adopting from Africa.

chelsea s

Why are you people acting so ethnocentric? Why is this question still being asked? For one thing, orphans in Africa have it WAY worse than foster kids in the U.S. Believe me, I've been there. And for another thing kids who need parents are kids who need parents. It doesn't matter what country they come from!

Charlotte B

i think it is good that they are getting adopted. But it worrys me that the celebs are doing it for a fashion sort of thing :/

Wendy

surely giving a baby/child a better life than they were experiencing is a good thing no matter where they come from

Shelly P. Tofu, E.M.T.

Personally, I think it's only fair to assume the BEST in people if we don't even KNOW them

There's LOTS of children who need homes.. Why judge someone for which adoption they chose (international or domestic) Those kids all need homes..

I am NOT a madonna fan, and worry about her children. I DON'T think she should have used her celebrity status to circumvent the laws.. But I think Celebs should be allowed to give ANY child a good home that needs one, (BTW.. the EXISTENCE of a biological father doesn't mean the child is not still in need of a home. I know of MANY fathers who "refuse" to parent their child) BUt I think Celebs should definitely be held to the HIGHEST ethical standards when they want to adopt.. as should anybody..

but to assume they just woke up one day and decided to order an exotic pet to fit in with their decor, is completely out of line and arrogant..

It's also silly to assume that with "help" the "real" family would "be able to" keep the child.. I'm sure that's true in many cases.. but not always.. Whatcha supposed to do? "Sir, I'll pay you 1000 a month if you'll parent your child." "Kiddo.. I know you just want to get on with your life and finish school, and you DON'T want to be a mother yet..but I'll pay you 1000 a month if you'll keep your baby."

LOL..

pjams

because, the kids in africa have a less chance of getting a home where they will have a good a life than the ones in the United STates, plus, there people are poorer and cant adopt as much,b ecause they need to worry about supporting themselves.i think its wonderful what they're doing,

FLUFFY

It doesn't matter whwere you come from once you are able to give any child no matter what race or religion they are once you are able to help someone less fortunate than themself they should. I give them god blessing. I have no problem with i, do you see the life those children have in those less develop country how they are suffering they need the help.

Doodlestuff

I personally feel that Madonna made her choice to adopt out of impulse. She has the money. It's her choice.

Angelina Jolie did it not only for publicity, but also because she likely can't adopt in the US given that she was a known heroin user.

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