Persuasive speech on the stopping of international adoption?

Question

I am leaning towards the fact that America has millions of homeless/parentless children already, and that taking care of our country first, will then open doors for us to aid other countries.

any good websites?

Answer 1

http://birthproject.wordpress.com/ ( transracial, but not international but still a good blog :) )

http://daughterof2women.wordpress.com/

http://heartmindandseoul.typepad.com/

http://www.goal.or.kr/

http://ethnicallyincorrect.wordpress.com...

http://harlowmonkey.typepad.com/

http://kadnexus.wordpress.com/

http://www.adoptedthemovie.com/adoptees/...

http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~adoption/in...

http://jjtrenka.wordpress.com/adoption-f...

http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/4544 ( romania for export only )

http://romania-forexportonly.blogspot.co...

http://www.operationreunite.com/

http://www.adopteesolidarity.org/ << don't pass this one

Here are some really great international adoptee links to get a perspective from an international adoptee :)

Its not really about "helping" our children first, in my opinion. Its about REALLY helping all of the children. Adoptees are losing a great deal via international adoption. A way to "stop" that would be to improve the society. Guatemala doesn't even have standard day care available for most mothers to rely on so that they can bring an income into their family since many women are leading the households on their own. Its about bringing equality to gender around the world. In countries where women are being supressed by sexist laws and regulations they're not given options other than surrendering. So "adopting" the children really isn't "helping" the problem. The problem becomes a much bigger scale that involves a lot more than feeding children.

We have over 100,000 children availabe for adoption in the foster care system but they're being overlooked on a regular basis. For great statistics and information on our american welfare system visit: http://www.childwelfare.org

I would also look into the UNICEF and HAGUE convention.

I hope that gets you started, good luck!! email if you have any questions :)

ETA: Also research why so much child trafficking exists thanks to adoption and people willing to pay thousands for a child.

Children could ABSOLUTELY be provided for "in the way american kids" are provided for without being "adopted."

Over 100,000 American Kids would LOVE a permanent place to live.

Answer 2

And why would you want to do that?  If a couple is native of...I don't know...Russia (or Russian decent) and they want a Russian baby even thought they are americans they should have the right to go to Russia to adopt a child...

But for the sake of argument, you should go to:

http://www.americanadoptions.com/

and send them a letter to see if they can back you up on your path...or maybe they can send you to the correct one.

Answer 3

I would love to adopt from the USA but unfortuntly I don't have $10,000 lying around to adopt a child from the USA. Plus there is a huge waiting list for couples who want to adopt no matter if you go through foster care or an agency. I will adopt when my husband and I go back to Saudi because the adoption is free in Saudi Arabia.

Answer 4

You might want to try a different tack. Look into how most other countries have drastically changed their adoption laws, cutting back on adoption in all but the truly necessary cases, emphasizing family preservation instead, and taking profit out of the equation by making adoption a function of the government rather than the multi-billion dollar industry it is in the US. Look at how many have stopped allowing international adoption (in or out), and what reasons they give for that change. Look at how entire cultures, such as in the Muslim world, don't even have adoption as we know it: it's more of a legal guardianship, and the child's identity is not taken away.

Then compare how the US supports and encourages the adoption industry here, despite significant known abuses, and what the differences are as a result.

Follow the money. You'll have a thought-provoking speech.

Answer 5

I see both sides.

I gave both Gershom and Jennifer a thumbs up.

They both have very valid points.

Wish i could offer more but i'm still sorting all this out in my own head.  Remember a great paper shows both sides of the argument and in conclusion you pick the side you are on and explain why.  Good Luck with your paper.

Answer 6

That's a rather ethnocentric way to look at things.  Bear in mind there are people here who adopted internationally.

Comments like this sound like you are telling us that our children do not deserve a safe, secure and loving home because they weren't born in America.  

While you're doing research on the evils of international adoption, do some research on poverty,famine, violence, rape, forced prostitution, child slave labor, child soldiers and all these other things that happen with alarming frequency in third world countries.  

Our adoption didn't save the world, but it gave two children opportunities that people in America take for granted.