Oh, I did want to take a side on something else said here.

I actually thought the “I hope kids from Africa does not turn into the new black” comment was hilarious, mainly because I assumed the poster was completely unaware of how unintentionally ambiguous that sentence turned out to be. That being said, no one can speak for the entire black race, even if they are, themselves, black. Obviously it offended some people, while some people were fine with it. I just look at the person’s intention. Sometimes I get offended no matter what (example: the phrase “cotton-picking hands” which I hate), but if I know the person’s intention, I know whether it’s worth an argument or a simple expression of disappointment.

Blah. The last thing I wanted to do was come off all preachy so I apologize if either of these comments are annoying. I just felt a strong connection to this debate and I had to insert my foot–’scuse me, myself–into my mouth–whoops, I mean, into the conversation.

Okay, I quit.

I really, REALLY hate to jump into this, and I’m sure I’ll regret it, but I feel like I need to try.

To taryn (and I write this respectfully): I think you might have the wrong idea when you say that the belief that American children are more deserving of a good home is “inherently racist.” I say this because I think a lot of people have missed what is at the heart of this “Why Africa and not America?” debate. Lemme try to offer a different perspective since most people seem to be looking at this from the same or similar angles.

One thing that I’ve noticed with posters on this site who listed examples of [American] celebrities that have adopted American children is that all of the children in these cases were white. I think that’s why these examples aren’t swaying the people frustrated about international adoption. I’ve noticed that most of the people–not all, but most–who have brought up the “Why Africa?” argument (not just on this board, but in general) are black people. And I think the frustration is routed in race relations in America.

From numerous conversations I’ve observed and been a part of, it’s obvious that many black people in this country feel American blacks are not only the least respected race/culture in our country, but that Americans are the least respected blacks in the world. I mean, honestly, look at what parts of our culture make it to the media compared to other countries. Not exactly flattering. I think people feel like blacks from the islands or Latin America or Europe or anywhere else, even Africa are more valued (and considered more exotic) than we are. I also think that frustration is heightened every time a new celebrity/African adoption makes news. There seems to be a feeling of being passed over. Whether you think it’s ridiculous or not, the root of this argument isn’t really misguided patriotism, it’s race.

No one can argue that a child in need given a good home is an amazing thing, no matter where they came from. I just wanted to point out that this “Why Africa?” debate goes deeper than the surface and it’s about so much more than most people are willing to bring to the table for discussion.

So without taking sides in the debate, that’s another perspective I wanted to offer everyone. Now discuss. Respectfully. Or not.

There is something inherently racist (and startling) about people who seem to feel American children are somehow more deserving of a good home than children from any other part of the world. Being American doesn’t make a child more special or deserving, sorry.

Amanda, ITA! That said, I know this is getting slightly off-topic, but….I hope that Angie and Brad also plan to take Zahara back to Ethiopia for visits. They’ve taken Maddox back to Cambodia for visits, and Angie has mentioned that they plan to take Pax back to Vietnam for visits. However, as far as I know, Brad and Angie have never said a word about plans to bring Zahara back to Ethiopia for visits. I would think that they would want her to mantain a connection with her birth country, just as her big brothers are doing.

Angie has mentioned setting up an Ethiopian-based charity for Z (just as they have done for Maddox in Cambodia), but beyond that, they’ve never mentioned anything about keeping Z connected to her birth country. Anyone have any ideas why they’ve never mentioned taking Z back to Ethiopia for visits?

I will never understand the people saying American should be adopted first. Why? Explain to me why you feel that a child born in the US is more deserving of a good home than a child born somewhere else?

Let’s just be happy these people are adopting and with that giving a child a better life.

Thank you, Creme! Speaking as an internationally adopted child, my Caucasian parents gave me an English name (named after my paternal grandmother) and retained my Chinese name to be used as my middle name. My Chinese name means “beautiful sparrow”, given to me by my birth mother. Perhaps she saw my potential to reach proverbial great heights, or perhaps my gurgling was music to her ears. Regardless, my Chinese name is reflective of my heritage and is an actualized connection between my biological mother and me. I am forever grateful to my adopted parents for their wisdom.

As for the much debated Pax Jolie-Pitt [which, by the way, you never directly mentioned ]… he was named Pham Quang Sang. What is the significance of that name? I don’t know, and neither will Pax.

I guess, simply put, each person is a sum of all parts.

I forgot to add, Angelina has stated that she has a Vietnamese person come to visit Pax so he doesn’t lose the ability to speak in his native tongue.

Add to that, the fact that she and Brad will set up a charity/foundation in Vietnam and will no doubt take him back to Vietnam (as they do with Maddox), I am confident that little Pax will never lose touch with his birth country.

pmfrances – KUDOS!! I totally agree with you!

creme, I notice you only mentioned Angelina and Brad when talking about parent changing the name of their adopted children? Why? They are not the first and they certainly will not be the last parents to do so, celebrity or not.

As Anonymous so rightly put it above, Pax’s name was not changed ‘just to suit their fancy’. It was chosen by Angelina’s mother who died shortly before her 2nd grandson came home and it will forever give him a connection to his Grandma.

And what’s so wrong about changing his name anyway? He’s moving to a new country, to be with a new family. A new name to fit in with brother and sisters seems logical to me. If they didn’t change his name how would they have explained that to him?

“Well we thought really long and hard about your brother and sisters names. We chose names that meant something beautiful to us and had real meaning. But we couldn’t be bothered changing yours in case we offended someone.”

Anyone who adopts is doing a wonderful thing and does not deserve to be chastised over it.

creme- If you are referring to Pax Jolie-Pitt…Yes, Pax is indeed a Latin name. However, his middle name, Thien, is Vietnamese, so part of his name does, in fact, reflect his birth country.

Also, Angelina stated in an interview that Pax’s name (well, at least his first name), was actually chosen by his grandmother, her mother. When Angie was pregnant with Shiloh, her mom made her and Brad a list of baby names she liked and recommended….and Pax happened to be one of them (naturally, the reason Shiloh wasn’t named Pax is because, plain and simple, she’s a girl. ).

In otherwords, they didn’t re-name him “just to suit their fancy”. The name they gave him was special to them because Angie’s mom chose it.

That said, I do think it’s nice when adoptive parents give their children some version of their birth name. However, I can understand why some adoptive parents choose to give their children names that don’t have any connection with their birth names or countries (especially those who adopt from places like China and Japan, since names from those countries are often next-to-impossible for Americans to pronounce correctly).

I can see where J-Lin is coming from by asking why more people aren’t interested in adopting babies and children from the U.S. I know a few couples who chose to adopt out of the U.S. Mainly from China and they adopted baby girls. One couple said it was easier than the adoption processes in the U.S. and England. The other said that they wanted a Chinese baby. I guess to each their own reagarding the adoption reasons, but after working with shelters and programs here in the states, I’d look in the U.S. first for a child who needed a family.

As to Amom and Lola7’s being upset with J-lin’s “new black” comment; have you never heard the term “such and such is the new black”. It is just a term, as a black woman myself, I’m at a loss as to how people of my race can still interpret such comments into a racial thing. Perhaps if J-lin had made it into a bad joke and then said “no pun intended”, but come on, I think you both full well know what she meant and that it certainly wasn’ meant to be taken out of context.