Sunday, January 27, 2013

Russia, the US, and Adoption

Another country to not let Americans adopt their children: Russia.  The Prime Minster reports that there were many cases of abuse, torture, and death with adoptions by American parents.  He said, "Just one death" can be enough to ban the adoption from Americans.

Over 20 years, of course there is going to be some adoption problems of mistreatment, neglect, etc. According to statistics from CNN, 20 years and 19 deaths out of 60,000 children adopted.
In most countries, the process of becoming a foster parent is an extensive one and this applies for US candidates as well.   These parents and families background and life details are given generally finding good, loving, desirable candidates for these children.
Of course, everything is not sunshine and rainbows with adoption. There are those families adopting for the wrong reason, neglecting, or abusing children.   It is not great that there were 19 deaths, but the 19 deaths are not really what is stopping American from adopting: it is the politics. 
In most countries, the process of becoming a foster parent is a long, detailed one.    America creates a law punishing human rights abuses in Russia and Russia bans their adoption of their children.
It is unfortunate, disappointing, frustrating, and outrageous that children are involved with these politics and they serve the punishment. 
Putin and the prime minister say that the "there are plenty of well to do Russians who can step up and take care of the children." Are you serious? What kind of response is that when you have an orphan crisis over in Russia and these kids will most likely be sent back to the streets and into unsafe conditions?
If I flip a coin to the other side and understand they have the right to make this decision.  Americans can adopts their own children through domestic adoption.  At least, let the final children be adopted and then pass this law.There were 50 children in the middle of finalizing their adoption, parents who bought plane tickets to pick up their new "son" or "daughter", designed rooms for them, and many met their child already. They invested their time, money, and hearts into the process. Let these parents have these children and then pass the law. 

How can these political leaders be so naive and careless to the well being of children? It just goes to show the power of politics and leaves children to reap the negative benefits. 
Also, it has been mentioned and I have heard before that Americans just want Russian babies so they can claim it is their own. Perhaps, this is a factor in a parents decision, but a parent is dedicated to this child for their life.  Their world revolves around this child and they are many couples are thankful to have a child.  Americans even adopt special needs children, which are infrequently adopted in Russia. 

Fortunately, there are senior officials in Russia who disagree with this decision and maybe something will change in the near future.  If not, it is just another country with more orphans and less loving parents to adopt them-such a shame. 

No comments:

Post a Comment