“It’s about getting people to realize that they should not be thinking about being, as one 8-year-old put it to me, ‘a white family with a weird child,’ but a multiracial family,” Ms. Stigger said. “The way most white people use the term ‘colorblind’ is just silly. We want to create color aware families, not colorblind families.” Breaking Through Adoption’s Racial Barriers By LYNETTE CLEMETSON and RON NIXON
Published: August 17, 2006 New York Times
At the heart of this story lies a very interesting point within the confines of faciality, what it is to be raised black, and what it is to be raised black from an outside perspective. while the story brings to light some points of interest in the areas of "transracial" adoption (which I am cool with as long as all participants are ready to man the hell up) since I wasnt privy to all the data I will base my assumptions on the data provided.
Geography the importance of space in social development- "A white judge initially denied Nick and Emily Mebruer’s petition to adopt a black child, ruling that the Mebruers, a white couple who live in rural Lebanon, Mo., were “uniquely unqualified” to parent a black child because of their limited interaction with black people and culture." While this ruling was overturned I think the focus of the means to disqualify the family was vaguely defined, and rooted in theories which end up leaving children without the opportunity to grow up within a family setting. Not saying that the Judge wasnt on the right path, but just saying "uniquely unqualified" is an extremely weak "politcally correct" cop out. Now if this couple was from the Bay Area (Berekely, Oakland, San Francisco) do you think this ruling would be appropriate? Are white people who are exposed to Black people on the regular more suitable subjects for transracial adoption? We could argue these points, but this would be a superficial argument at best, even the article cites research from an individual right out of this process "Robert O’Connor, 39, who was raised by a white family in Rush City, Minn., recalled his struggles growing up in a small town with few other blacks. Throughout his youth, he said, he felt awkward around other blacks." I think the parameters need to be one identified, explored, understood, then acted upon, by white people who want to enter into these types of responsibilities (hence the man the hell up). The responsibility of a parenting is now twofold with the responsibility of providing these black children with the proper exposure the their indigenous culture, sans bias, without the caveat of "colorblindness". There are too many babies without homes for me to squander away time that could be spent in a nurturing environment, but that environment must be equiped to handle the social and cultural needs of the subject. The love will find away mentality is a quick ticket to sentiments provided by Mr. O'Connor and others in the story.
Foreign vs Domestic- What I didnt seem to understand was the reoccuring theme of foreign vs domestic, and why every one cited in the story who was against this practice happend to be black (american). Either these are some very short sighted individuals or I 'm reading into this waaay to much. My question is whats the difference if a white couple adopts a little child from Rawanda or one from Detroit? The child is still black, the parents still have the twofold responsibility, every dynamic that was in place before is still in place. It also goes to show the scope of the plight of black children on a global scale (stop thinking local folks, this is global).
Hero worship- What I see from some of our more publicized adoptions as of recent, is the glamoritization of the white savior (see forms of thought for the analysis). While I hope that this would never be the intent of an individual who chooses to adopt a black child, it is something that needs to be addressed.What is your intent, is this some sort of psuedo altruism based on shallow notions which indirectly satisfy your own ego? or is this truly the one fight you are prepared to take on knowing there is no final round, no end, once you go black you never go back...
Variables- Since we are on the topic of transracial adoptions lets take it "above the rim". Lets say two white women (lesbians married in New Hampshire) decide to adopt a little black boy what are the parameters involved here? Now we got the race/sex thing right up front where we really, really, dont like it!
For the good or the bad that surrounds the global future, I for one do see a more "multicultural" society but not in the superficial redundant usage of the word we kick around today. I mean a multicultural society where everyone understands and values the cultures present on this planet (WHITE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY AND PRIMARILLY) to a degree where condescending notions are cast aside to make way for the true "civilized" stanards we (you) claim to want for humankind.
“We felt like it was an indictment of us and our entire community,” said Mrs. Mebruer, a family doctor, as Maggie played with a black doll in the center of the living room and danced to the Australian children’s group the Wiggles. “It was assuming that we didn’t have the desire or the capacity to learn.”
"Cowboy Up"
NARO%
