Current Events...

There has been a lot posting lately regarding CNN's Paula Zahn show on the new regulations for Chinese adoptions. I didn't see the show but did read the transcripts. At best it was uninformed and clearly got a lot of people, especially the Chinese adoption community, upset. The racist comments and characterizations of parents choosing to adopt Chinese children were inexcusable. Other than briefly outlining the new regulations most of the discussion was centered on other issues. It seemed to me that the panelists were pushing their own agenda's rather than carrying on an informed and pertinent discussion relating to the regulation changes and the impact on potential adoptive parents.

Due to the thousands of mails CNN received they re-ran the show bringing in the President of the Organization of Chinese Americans, Ginny Gong. I read the second show's transcript tonight. To be fair I will give them points for including Ginny and reading (at least in part) some of the e-mails they received. However, in my opinion they still didn't "fix" anything. It was better but a far cry from being an informative show. Needless to say I won't be looking to CNN for information regarding adoption.

Since I'm on the subject, about the new regulations some of which are no single parents, new age restrictions, new physical and mental health restrictions, current marriage length, weight restrictions, minimum net worth, minimum asset and education rules. Personally I don't believe that some of these restrictions would impede anyone from being a good parent. Some of the others I believe would allow for better equipped parents. That being said it really doesn't matter if I agree with their restrictions or not, they are what they are. I am not being glib or flippant with that last part. The truth is as much as I may not agree with some of these changes I cannot change it. China did not and is not required to consult with anyone, including potential parents, when making rules for their country. The operative phrase in that last sentence is "their country." When our government makes new rules that affect us they don't check with us either. The bottom line is I want to adopt a child from China and that means I must follow their rules.