Madonna Adopts a brown baby.

[Osiris]

Well, I just wanted to continue to read and not post, however I have to comment.

While I agree that "cultural identity" is important, I have to raise the BS flag. I get so sick and tired of black people getting remotely upset when someone of another race or sexual preferance wants to adopt "our" children.

I say who cares? If someone, anyone wants to give a child a better life, especially a black child, why should we be upset?

When are we going to use that same zeal that we have against white people or gay people and use it to make the situation better for black children ourselves?

The ugly truth or as President Al Gore would call it, the inconvenient truth is that black people are not adopting or in most cases not even helping these black children who are getting adopted by those whom we are at variance with.

I look at it this way:

If you won't clean your house, and someone else does, instead of getting angry at the house cleaner, be happy that the house is at least clean afterall.

 

[DonDaddyD]

Cultural Identity and having it help create an identity of the self is important and something that I have long since (and now ironically) felt was taken for granted. However her wanting to help the baby is ultimately more important, I am fully aware that he may become yet another HIV victim or worse if left to live his current lifestyle.

I agree that it would be the same for any of multi-millionaire but only if they decided to go about this in the way Madonna has. The reason this has sparked so much debate for me is becuase she lives (mostly) in England and considering there is speculation that British adoption authorities will demand the right to assess her suitablitiy of being an adoptive parent and a selection of Malawi's own childrens rights groups attempting to block the adoption I figuered that this was a good subject to talk about except to simply say that the Big Picture is it is a good deed. What if the Big Picture isn't what it seems. One (and I'm only playing devils advocate here) could even argue that if she truly wanted to adopt becuase she (as one Newspaper described) 'fell in love with the child at first sight' she would have followed the Countries Laws instead of throwing money to get her own immediate and (what looks like) a very impulsive way.

Yes, many rich people can overturn procedure to acquire a child but in this case it was Madonna. Being able to throw money at a problem to make it go away doesn't make it right. Nor do I feel that it is right that Madonna should simply be assumed a suitable candiate for adoption without the proper profiling. Regardless of who she is, how rich she is or what we think we know of her none of us (nor can the Judge who gave the ruling) say that she is suitable as an adoptive parent without going through the proper checks and procedures. YES the Court felt that she was, however (like many acts of other Courts throughout the lands) I still feel that I can say that allowing her to adopt without going through proper procedure is wrong - We may think she is a good Mother, she very well may be but who is to say she will be right for this baby. And Farrah for the last time I am capable of seeing the bigger picture in that the action if not the process was ultimately a good deed. - So please get off my back by claiming me shortsighted of the greater good.

It just so happens that the entire Country isn't behind Madonna's actions and that 'some' in the places/positions that should do question her intentions and actions: (making my points not so archaic, prejudice, purposely negative, problematic or 'ignorant and riddled with phallacies')

Groups move to halt Madonna adoption

Malawian law prohibits adoptions by non-residents, but officials are granting an exemption or waiver to Madonna, who has confirmed her intention to adopt the child who lives in a dilapidated orphanage near the Zambian border.

Eye of the Child, the leading child advocacy group in Malawi, said on Saturday the request for an injunction would be filed in a magistrate's court in the capital Lilongwe on behalf of about five dozen non-governmental organisations.

"They (government) haven't followed the law. What has happened is a shortcut," said Boniface Mandere, a spokesman for Eye of the Child, which is among the groups seeking the injunction.

A government spokeswoman declined on Saturday to comment on the impending injunction, the first clear sign of concerted opposition in Malawi to the adoption.

Outside the country, Madonna's visit to Malawi has renewed criticism from those who accuse Western celebrities of using Africa and other parts of the developing world as a platform for misplaced, publicity-fuelled altruism.


Madonna adoption bid challenged


But the boy's uncle, Pofera Banda, said he wanted to know how the family would benefit if the adoption went through.

"We have seen other parents at the mission who have had their children adopted still living in their poverty.
"They have not seen their children - all they see is pictures sent to them. We don't want that to happen to this family," he said.

In truth I am undecided about this I've heard so many discussions on the subject I'm not sure what to think. And yes maybe there is something wrong with me... but I cannot help but know that by adopting him is a good thing for the life of the boy (providing that she is suitable), but at the same time not look away from the way in which she went about acquiring the child. For me this raises more issues than Angelina adopting several children because I am unaware of her ever throwing money at a situation to become an adoptive mother. Hasn't she always just done whatever it takes to properly and legally gain custody of her 'children'? If she hasn't then yes I have a problem with her actions as well. If Madonna had followed the Countries laws instead of throwing money at the government (not the $3m [£1.6m] donated to the Country) and their court, waited and followed procedure there wouldn't be such interest surrounding the situation and personally despite all I have said about cultural identity I think THAT (trying to overturn a Nations Law) supersedes any claim that its becuase she is a 'white woman trying to adopt a black child'.

Moreover just because she is rich and can potentially give the child a wealthier lifestyle doesn't mean she should automatically be given custody of the child, nor does it mean we should simply accept that she is the best person for the baby. If that were the case then we might as well hand over all our children when a richer/wealthier person demands our offspring, and we all know what that is....

 

[Arkaine]

My husband and I began the adoption process many months prior to our trip to Malawi.
I did not wish to disclose my intentions to the world prior to the adoption happening as this is a private family matter.
After learning that there were over one million orphans in Malawi, it was my wish to open up our home and help one child escape an extreme life of hardship, poverty and in many cases death, as well as expand our family.
Nevertheless, we have gone about the adoption procedure according to the law like anyone else who adopts a child. Reports to the contrary are totally inaccurate.
The procedure includes an 18-month evaluation period after which time we hope to make this adoption permanent.
This was not a decision or commitment that my family or I take lightly.
I am overwhelmed and inspired by my trip to Malawi and hope that it helps bring attention to how much more the world needs to do to help the children of Africa.
My heartfelt thanks for all the good wishes I have received and I hope the press will allow my family some room for us to experience the joy we feel to have David home.

Madonna Ritchie
October 17, 2006
London, England

 

[Karma]

David's FATHER SLAMS critics of Madonna

Dad slams critics of Madonna's adoption
By RAPHAEL TENTHANI, Associated Press Writer
Wed Oct 18, 5:10 PM ET



The father of the 13-month-old boy Madonna wants to make part of her family criticized human rights groups who have challenged how the adoption is being handled and said his child should stay with the pop star.

Yohane Banda told The Associated Press on Wednesday he had entrusted his son to a Malawian orphanage after his wife died of childbirth complications, saying he was too poor to raise him alone. Now, he says, Madonna has given the boy a chance to have a family.

"Where were these people when David was struggling in the orphanage? These so-called human rights groups should leave my baby alone," he said. "As father I have OKed this, I have no problem. The village has no problem. Who are they to cause trouble? Please let them stop."

The Human Rights Consultative Committee, a coalition of 67 organizations, launched a legal challenge Tuesday, noting that Malawian regulations require prospective parents to stay with a child in Malawi for 18 to 24 months for assessment before the adoption is formalized. Madonna, though, was allowed to take the boy to England, where she has a home, and Malawian officials have said the family would be monitored there.

Children's advocates in Malawi have stressed they are not opposed to Madonna adopting David, but want to ensure rules meant to protect children aren't ignored.

Madonna and British film director husband Guy Ritchie spent eight days in Malawi and last Thursday signed adoption papers for David Banda. The boy's father countersigned the papers and High Court Justice Andrew Nyirenda issued the couple an "interim order" allowing them custody, a step toward adoption. The boy was flown to London on Monday.

Penston Kilembe, director of Child Welfare Services in Malawi's Ministry of Gender, Child Welfare and Community Services, told the AP the laws to which the civil rights groups referred in their challenge are "archaic." He said his government took into account the rights of children and families in allowing Madonna to pursue adoption.

"Madonna and her husband has broken no laws as far as government is concerned. They have followed all the legal steps," he said.

Madonna's attempt to adopt David has sparked a debate about how best to care for the millions of orphans in places like Malawi, a desperately poor country beset by drought and AIDS. Some children's advocates say children are best raised close to home, but AIDS has killed many of those in extended families who might once have cared for children in Malawi and elsewhere in Africa, leaving orphans in the hands of elderly grandparents, older siblings, strained orphanages — or on the streets.

The case has drawn international attention.

The Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema compared Madonna's taking custody of David to a "kidnapping" and called for clearer international rules, according to his spokesman, confirming accounts of his remarks in Italian media.

In a statement last week, the British development group ActionAid lauded Madonna for helping David and her wider projects for AIDS orphans in Malawi. It also called on rich Western nations to make good on promises to get AIDS drugs to patients in poor countries, and said individuals could make donations to help communities care for AIDS orphans, so that children could "grow up in their own culture, and if orphaned, with any remaining family they have left."

Madonna, rejecting the criticism of recent days, said in a statement Tuesday: "We have gone about the adoption procedure according to the law like anyone else who adopts a child. Reports to the contrary are totally inaccurate."

Banda's wife, Marita, 28, died a week after giving birth to David. The couple, who had been married for over 10 years, had two other sons who died in infancy from malaria.

"I was alone with a baby. I had no money. I couldn't buy him milk. That's why I surrendered him to the orphanage," said Banda.

Madonna found David at the Home of Hope Orphanage, which looks after more than 500 children who have lost one or both parents.

"Orphanage life is no good. We leave kids there because we can't look after them properly ourselves. Now my son has been taken by a kindhearted woman, these people want to bring him back to the orphanage," said Banda, standing in his small garden of onions and tomatoes.

He said Madonna and Ritchie promised him nothing apart from "love and care for my David."

 

[DonDaddyD]

Father misled over Madonna adoption

David's father says he was 'misled' over son's adoption to Madonna

Last updated at 23:09pm on 22nd October 2006
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=411935&in_page_id=1770

Misled: Yohane Banda said authorities had not made it clear that he was giving up David 'for good'


The father of the toddler adopted by Madonna has claimed he never meant to give him away for good.

Yohane Banda, speaking from his village in Malawi, said Madonna had asked that she be allowed to raise his one-year-old son David on his behalf, rather than make him her own.

He said he was consulting his family to decide what to do next, raising the prospect that he might withdraw his approval for the adoption.
Mr Banda's statement is a major shift from his remarks last week, in which he criticised human rights groups that had tried to stop Madonna taking the child to England.

He declared: "Had they told us that Madonna wanted to adopt my son and make him her own son, we would not have agreed to that.
"It would have been better for him to continue staying at the orphanage because I see no reason why my child should be given away forever when I can feed him," he said in his local language of Chichewa.

Mr Banda made his declaration to a Reuters television reporter at his village of Lipunga near the Zambian border.

Madonna, 48, has angered African charities with her plan to adopt David, who was flown from Malawi on Tuesday last week to her London home after she was granted temporary adoption rights.

On Friday the High Court in Malawi's capital Lilongwe will start hearing the case lodged by the Human Rights Consultative Committee, an alliance of 67 human rights groups.

It argues current Malawian law forbids international adoption, even by celebrities.

Mr Banda, a 32-year-old farmer, said he had signed papers he could not understand but government officials had assured him the agreement was similar to what he had with the orphanage.

This was to nurture and educate the boy but not take him away for good.

"I cannot read and write so I relied on what the (government) officials told me, that the papers said Madonna would look after the child the way the orphanage planned to educate him and then he comes back to me," Mr Banda said.

Asked if he had any copies of the agreements he had signed with Madonna, he replied: "I am still waiting to get my copies."
'I am just realising now the meaning of adoption'
He said the paperwork was in the hands of the government officials who mediated the agreement.

He said he would wait to see them before deciding what action to take after consultations with his mother and other family members.
Government officials were not available to comment yesterday.

Mr Banda said he had given his son to the orphanage where Madonna saw him mainly for medical care and milk.

His mother had died of malaria days after the birth. He had also lost two children to the disease.

"We sent this child to an orphanage because at one month we could not look after him. "We did not have a health centre nearby and the orphanage was the ideal place for him," he said.

Madonna, who is married to the British film director Guy Ritchie, hopes to make David a brother to her ten-year-old daughter Lourdes and son, Rocco, six.

She has denied cutting corners to speed up the adoption process.
David will stay with the family for 18 months and be monitored by Malawian officials before final approval for him to officially join the Ritchies.

Mr Banda said he had not been able to explain his position better-
before because the public interest had focused on David and Madonna.
"What we agreed with Madonna was that she looks after my child until he finishes school, becomes independent and comes back home to us," he said.

Until now, Mr Banda has defended his decision as being in the best
interests of his son.

But over the weekend, in another interview, he claimed the authorities had never told him that 'adoption' meant David would cease to be his son.

"I am just realising now the meaning of adoption," he said.
Madonna's Malawian lawyer, Alan Chinula, refused to comment, saying he had not received any further instructions. He insisted, however, that the singer had followed all the correct procedures in the adoption process.