ENDARKEN Viewpoint: Interracial Adoption

..
ENDARKEN
VIEWPOINT

Interracial Adoption
Page 1

..
Issue: Interracial Adoption I

Question: Adoption! Black Children being raised by non-Black persons! Blessing, Curse, or in between! Our children have a low adoption rate.

Should we be glad that somebody adopts them or sorry?

Hotep... Peace and Progress! ............... until the Dawn
Sister Cinnamon, ENDARKEN Guest Moderator
OES-PHA, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
August 12, 1999

ENDARKEN Moderator, Prema Qadir
..

Response: Yes

Ayittey
August 25, 1999

I think that white people should be allowed to adopt Black children. If we are too pre-occupied with other things, my argument is that we let those who are blue, black, green, or white, get on with the business of offering a home, small or even tattered, but full of love, a little love and a lot of commitment.

Growing up in Africa, love was not a word I was used to --maybe that is why a stable home, a roof, food, and commitment to be "there" is what matters the most to me.

But, here are my beliefs;

Every effort must be made to place a child in home of the child's racial background.
..
Every child must be placed in the most stable and loving environment.
..
The "traditional family" must be given priority for placement. All other forms of families [single parent, gay, lesbian, etc.] must only be given an option, "after" avenues to place the Black child in a traditional family are exhausted.
..
Children who are transracially-adopted should be provided with a mentor of their own race (also stable, loving and caring individual or auxiliary family).

Response: No

Empress
August 24, 1999

I think that white people should not adopt Black children because it is antithetical to who they are as well as who Black people are. White people have spent the last 400 years doing all that they can to destroy the African community worldwide.

Until they spend at least another 400 years attempting to rectify what they've done, attempting to give back what they've taken, attempting to attain forgiveness for what they have done, I do not and cannot trust them to have my best interest or the best interest of my people at heart.

I would suggest/recommend that white people teach their own children that what they did was wrong and work to end racism because they are the only ones who can. Black people can counter and fight racism but whites are the only ones who can stop it.
..
I would also suggest that the Black community take more responsibility for the cultivation of good villages in which children can grow up healthy.
..
I suggest that those who know, teach, and those who can, support efforts in your area to match healthy Black families with Black children.
..
I further suggest that every Black person affirm and function knowing that it is Black people who are ultimately responsible for our survival and that survival lies in how well we are able to raise our children/create a new generation.
..
Some good books on the subject of "village building" include:
..
- "Harvesting New Generations - The Positive Development of Black Youth" by Useni Eugene
  ..
- "Perkins Countering the Conspiracy to Destroy Black Boys" by Jawanza Kunjufu.

Response: No

Leslie
August 24, 1999

I think that white people should not adopt Black children because they are neither capable of teaching our children skills for surviving the Euro-white construct of race that permeates American society, but they are yet to take steps to recognize and eradicate the Euro-white construct of race.

I would suggest to Black people:

Adopt if you can.
..
Involve yourself in the life of an African American child in foster care.
..
Involve yourself in the life of African American children that have been transracially adopted.
..
Pool our intellectual and financial resources to form a boarding school system, as an alternative to foster care. The boarding school system would be African American owned, operated, and supported. The focus of the boarding system would be to provide stability for African American children, housing, education, and healthcare that does not exist in the current foster care system. It would also function as a means of supplying our own standards and testing for the type of homes we want for our children as members of loving families.
..
It could act as the link between the many African Americans who want to adopt, who have the means and the character to raise a child, but are being turned away by the current system. It would also function to raise both the standards of education, as well as our expectations and our children's expectations of academic success.
..
You can become a professional social worker, and work from within the system to change it.
..
Become politically active in your community. Some times it is just a matter of reminding those with the means to support a child, of the need.
..
Stop fathering or giving birth to children you cannot or will not provide a stable home for.
..
If you already have children take the time to make a will and advanced directives concerning your child's welfare in case of your untimely passing.
..
Do the best that you can to teach your children the importance of family and the responsibility all of us have to the larger extended family.
..
There are a variety of mentoring programs that exist pick up your telephone book give them a call and get involved.
..
Be vocal and be active! Both are important! We need to touch base not only with our feelings, but our potential solutions. Once the base has been touched, ACT. Get involved, no matter how small the contribution.
..
Don't let the feeling that because you cannot bring a child into "your" home, that you have nothing to contribute to ending the crisis.

Response: Yes

Lashayanna
August 20, 1999

I think that white people should adopt Black children because I don't think that their race matters more than the fact that the children need a good, clean, warm, stable, loving home and family, the basic things that really matter.

I would suggest/recommend that in order to stop the amount of children given up for adoption:

People should stop having sex before marriage - it is the only sure way.
..
Fathers should be more involved in their children's lives even to the point of marrying the mothers and making the marriage work.
..
Grandparents have to be more receptive to their biracial grandchildren, it isn't like they [grandparents] are pure anything either.
..
Society has to change its views on race and take away the stigma of being "Black and Proud", proud of not only ones Black ancestry but other aspects of ones ancestry as well, after all, you are your ancestors children and nothing can change that - nothing.

Response:
Hell No!

Prema
August 20, 1999

White people should not adopt Black children because white people are incapable of preparing our [Black] children how to survive, while residing under a global system of racism [white supremacy].

As long as white supremacy exists, white people should NOT adopt Black children.

I can't see an immediate solution, but I would suggest/recommend the following PREVENTIVE measures

Black people should STOP having irresponsible sex with each other.
..
Black parents should have a plan, just in case our children are ever faced with being orphaned. My personal plan would include the possibility of my children [if I ever have any] being sent to Africa to be raised by Black friends who live there.
..
Black people should stop having sex with white people, to reduce the number of bi-racial children and the confusion that surrounds their lives.
..
Black adults should stop condoning children becoming "parents".

CONTINUED ...

ENDARKEN VIEWPOINT
QUESTION:

Should white people be allowed to adopt Black children?

ENDARKEN Guest Moderator:
Sister Cinnamon

ENDARKEN Moderator:
Prema Qadir

Interracial Adoption
Page 1

..
ENDARKEN
Connecting the Black World
Viewpoint: Interracial Adoption I

ENDARKEN VIEWPOINT is an online repository for summaries of views and opinions, expressed by ENDARKEN Discussion Group members.

PAGE 1....PAGE 2
..