As I was thinking about what to write up for this Karma Yogi post, I started to think about celebrities and their adoption actions (besides, I was reading Perez Hilton at the time 
). Brad and Angelina, Meg Ryan and countless other "stars" have opened up their hearts and homes to adopted children.
Unfortunately, these children were not from their native countries. 
Please do not misunderstand me. I am all for helping children - regardless of where they come from. I am very aware that there are countries that are far worse off than (what used to be and will be again) "The Greatest Country in the World."
But that doesn't mean that we don't have our own problems and issues.
Another aspect of adoption is who will adopt. There are many same sex couples that are more than willing to adopt children. However, the notion of "mother/father" are ingrained in many a human being. People of the same sex who want to raise children and adopt them are often turned away for a fear that a child might turn out "gay" or may not be able to understand the concept of 'two mommies or two daddies.'
I know a couple of these couples who have told me that they would be more than willing to adopt children in their native country - the good ol' USA.
Children are homeless and abandoned in America. It's not just in the furthest reaches of the world. Just because child prostitution maybe huge in Bankok, that doesn't mean that the United States is free from it. It may just be at a smaller scale but still present here, nonetheless.
Can you tell that I think Adoption in America is not only important but necessary for future generations to thrive and be able to have stability in their lives?
The flip side of this is a phrase that I'm not a fan of. Being a New Yorker, I have rarely seen the success stories of Foster Children. It's rare that they find loving homes and even rarer that they get adopted. Most times, they get thrown back into the system. Once 18, they get kicked out with nowhere to go and no one to love them like a parent should. This kind of growing up will only bring about the type of adult no one wants to see - the criminal, the drug addict, the prostitute, or even worse.
Most adults who are foster parents only do it for the money. There is no caring or love. At times, a foster parent may start off loving and open with their hearts but after a while, the children and their behavior wear them down. Instead of having persistence and patience, their hearts harden and become cold. This leads the child to continue their behavior, further proving that because no adult cares for them, they remain indifferent to others and continue to lead destructive lives.
So what can be done here?
I'm not quite sure at this point but I can provide a point of reference to start from. There are so many children that need love and support. However, most adults want babies. Someone that they can rear to their liking. Too bad it's the toddlers and tweens that need the most help. They may come with some kind of baggage but that usually translates into a difficult child that no one seems to want to deal with. That's one factor.
I'm sure that the adoption process in America is tough, for many reasons. Maybe that's why more people go abroad to adopt. That should not stop you though. If it's time for America to be responsible and accountable for their actions from here on out, we should be responsible for our children - regardless of age, race, or birth defect (another reason people don't want to adopt).
Barack Obama has said in regards to adoption:
We must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation...a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.That's nice...but saying and doing things are very different. I personally believe that if a single person is capable of providing a healthy and loving home for a child, they should also be able to adopt but that is also a rare circumstance.
What are you going to do for us, See?
I'm going to provide you with a list of websites to take a look at. You need to know your rights, how to adopt, and the various organizations that will empower you to adopt a child.
- National Adoption Center - a great resource on how to adopt if you're a LGBT couple or a single parent as well as current laws on adoption.
- Adopt America Network - a website to adopt special needs children
- FosterParenting.com - a website that helps you to understand what foster parenting is, what it entails, and where to start.
- Check Out a Business or Charity - This is from the BBB (Better Business Bureau). I should have put this up in the first Karma Yogi post but better late than never! If you're not sure if a Charity is legit, go to this site, put in the EXACT name (many bogus charities change their names slightly from legitimate ones to fool you) and you will see if it is a legit and accredited charity. Please believe that every charity I put on my site will be accredited by the BBB.
It's time to start making a change. Why Wait? Do it Now!!
Until next time....stay strong, stay healthy, and fight dis-ease!
