The most interesting and compelling
thing from chapter three of Pertman’s book was the ethical issues pertaining to
international adoption. The experiences that adoptive parents went through
illustrate the ethical dilemmas associated with adoption. Michele Greene’s
story of adopting her son from Guatemala really struck me. It was shocking that
the government and adoption agencies expected bribes from Michele in order for
her to adopt her son. This is a complete violation of the Hague Convention
because the best interest of the child was not the foremost important thing in
this instance. It’s saddening that people try to make profit from children who
are already in a vulnerable condition.
Pertman stated, “Given its
paramount position in the adoption world, the United Sates should take the lead
in ensuring that the (Hague Convention Treaty) is widely implemented and
adhered to, but it should also work to simultaneously ensure that every girl
and boy who genuinely needs a safe, permanent family can get one” (pg. 85).
Yes, this does sound ideal, but this seems like an unlikely scenario. This is a
significant task for the U.S. to take on and it seems nearly impossible to
patrol all of the adoption agencies throughout the world. I agree with Pertman
that the treaty needs to be implemented everywhere, but I think he is being too
optimistic by believing that the U.S. has the power to do so.
I thought the most compelling
aspect of Kim Park Nelson’s article was her explanation of cultural enrichment
being a reason of adoption. She states that, “Ethnicity becomes spice,
seasoning that can liven up the dull dish of mainstream white culture” (pg.
93). Nelson points out that this hope is misguided because the adoptee usually
assimilates into the American culture. Therefore, adoption doesn’t fulfill this
hope of cultural enrichment that some adoptive parents wish for. I agree with
her argument that some adoptive parents may get too caught up in what their
child will bring to their lives, in terms of expanding their horizon to a
different race and ethnicity, causing them to overlook how the adoptee might
suffer because of his/her race and ethnicity.
I thought Nelson was wrong with her
statement about how American adoptive parents view birth mothers from different
countries. She states that, “Parents in the United States view themselves as
superior to parents in poor countries, further easing their decision to adopt
transnationally” (pg. 103). This may be the case for some adoptive parents, but
I do not agree that a majority of adoptive parents believe they are superior. I
don’t believe that adoptive parents see themselves as a savior and they don’t view
birth parents as not worthy of the child. I think that Americans adopt because
they want to have a family and to love and raise a child and to be able to
provide a child with a good life.
Graded reply blog post #6
ReplyDeleteJill,
I couldn’t agree with you more regarding your blog post. Based on Nelson’s article, you hit the main point of how the transnational adoptee is negatively influenced having assimilated to the American culture. Although it’s unfortunate some adoptees miss an opportunity to engage in their culture and learn more about their background, I feel the adoptive parents are not solely responsible for integration in the American culture. Some parents may not have knowledge regarding their adopted child’s origins and family history, which makes it difficult to incorporate the adoptee family’s culture when it’s not known. Another reason adoptive parents may not be exclusively held responsible for American culture assimilation may relate to the adoptee’s unwillingness to learn about his or her culture. If the adoptee opposes the idea of learning and incorporating his or her ethnic practices and teachings into their lives, parents must respect their wishes. Lastly, in the realm of things, an American’s daily lifestyle is busy. Sometimes adoptive parents may get so caught up in their child’s accomplishments and what they may bring in the future that they may overlook the important note of how race and ethnicity makes up their identity and creates a sense individuality in their lives. However, by no means are these adoptive parents favored and seen as “superior.” Concurring to what you wrote, these parents are wishing to adopt not to be seen as a “savior” but to make their family whole while providing all the means every child deserves. Great work into this blog post!