She seems to love her cat more than her kid.
Posted on 11/13/2008 6:12:32 PM PST by Gordon Greene
LINCOLN, Neb. – The mother was running out of more than patience when she abandoned her 18-year-old daughter at a hospital over the weekend under Nebraska's safe-haven law. She was also running out of time: She knew that state lawmakers would soon meet in a special session to amend the ill-fated law so that it would apply to newborns only.
"Where am I going to get help if they change the law?" said the mother...
To the state's surprise and embarrassment, more than half of the 31 children legally abandoned under the safe-haven law since it took effect in mid-July have been teenagers...
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Severe psychological problems, sleeping around and stealing. They didn’t take the girl, step-mom left with her.
No, what I mean is, she’s eighteen...they don’t need a special law to be rid of her, and the state won’t take her.
She’s an adult.
The oddest thing to me was the "gift" box - coffee, socks, liquor (we objected to that and took extra coffee) scarves.
But your friend was right - it was worth it.
The stuff I've heard about the prospects for those orphanage children not adopted is heartbreaking.
Why is this a bad law? I think it is a great idea and should be done all over the country.
To start with, it is done to protect children. These parents were wise enough to realize that they could not protect or support their children anymore. Typically, they would have to go to court to get the State to take care of their children in those circumstances. And invariably, States will do this, for the simple reason that if the parent thinks they can’t support their kids, they probably can’t support their kids.
Otherwise, what would you have these parents do? Oftentimes, people say that there is *somebody* to help that family stay together, but in truth, those *somebodies* are hard to find. Likely, the parent has been agonizing over this decision for a long time, and even unsuccessfully sought out help and didn’t find it.
By the State taking care of these children, they are immediately going to have shelter, food, clothing, schooling, and health care. The parent will still succeed or fail on their own, but they won’t drag down the child at the same time.
The biggest objection seems to be with parents dropping off older children. But State laws are very clear about minors.
I’ve talked a lot with young runaways, and while the majority are “voluntary” runaways, their life on the street is both unhealthy and a rotten way to spend their childhood, when they could be afforded at least a minimum of support by the State. Generally, they weren’t mad at their parent or parents, and just realized that raising them was just too much for their parents to do.
So again, I hope they keep this law, and other States adopt it as well, because, honestly, these kids need it more than their parents do.
Thanks - there are a few of us. The state message board here is not as busy as some.
state won’t take her...she’s an adult
Yes she is and no they did not. Most of those “chldren” were brought in from out of state actually. One 14 year old girl was left by her mother, she promptly ran away.
Lots of comments here by posters that do not know what they are talking about. Course it is easy to sit any where but here and know exactly what is happening, what should happen. And their own states have no problems. Must be wunnerful!
What was the ‘rush’? All she had to do was deposit her ‘adult’ daughter onto the sidewalk with a suitcase.
An 18 YO is a legal adult, is it not?
Teenagers are easy.
"When they hit puberty, stuff them into a barrel, and feed them through the bung hole. When they hit 18, flip a coin to decide whether to let them out, or to drive in the bung."
(From "The Rolling Stones" by Robert Heinlein)
That's not normal for eighteen year old chicks?
My college days prove different, including my happy pappy.
The reasons China has had many little girls and some boys with birth defects available for adoption are well known and documented. Let's just drop the unsubstantiated broad brush junk and go back to the original discussion.
My point, that I have backed up with my own actions is: I trust the adoption system of China over the social services liberals of our own country. You seem to substantiate this concern with your own experiences. Our other concerns regarding domestic adoption were the greater likelihood of maternal drug and/or alcohol use and the possibility of the adoption being contested in the future.
China has its problems and I have been there and seen some of them. We could discuss the system and problems of China for quite a while, but that's not the issue is it? Your comparison, IMO, is a poor one because we, as Americans should know better. The Chinese are oppressed, but seem to be emerging from it. OTOH, America, the greatest society in the history of this planet, cannot wait to run itself into oppression and bondage. There is no comparison.
Guess I’ll leave the left hand comment off the table... I couldn’t assume you meant I’m a liberal. I was suggesting you were off base saying any system in America is a slam on China. And you are.
“My point, that I have backed up with my own actions is: I trust the adoption system of China over the social services liberals of our own country.” Your trust in the Chinese adoption system does not validate the system itself. It only validates your experience.
My initial charge that the Chinese are not above wresting children from their parents is absolutely substantiated. Whether it’s the Olympics or direct employment for government purposes it’s too well documented.
In the case of adoption, the one-child policy has created scores of abandoned children... especially females since the male child is preferred in that society. In many cases there is thought to be pressure brought to bear by the government to give these children over for adoption. More often than not it is suggested that they are adopted out to foreigners because they make more money that way.
The fact we have our own problems here in America is not in question. The fact that your child(ren) will have a better opportunity here than they would ever have in China is also without question. Should we point out that there are problems with America? Absolutely. Are we anywhere near the level of China? Not a chance.
As an aside, concerning your account name, I’m not missing the obvious scriptural reference. Your child will have one opportunity here that the officials who approved and handled their adoptions in China will never have...
I’d much rather work with you to make sure we retain that priveledge.
I certainly did not mean to imply you are a liberal; I can get pointed at times, but that would be over the top.
Your trust in the Chinese adoption system does not validate the system itself. It only validates your experience.
My experience and the experience of millions of others does more than validate our own individual experiences. Perhaps what you are suggesting that it does not validate a government system that places so many in the horrific decision of abandoning a child, or supports a mindset that makes it ok. I agree completely with that.
My initial charge that the Chinese are not above wresting children from their parents is absolutely substantiated. Whether it’s the Olympics or direct employment for government purposes it’s too well documented.
Can't argue with that one either. My wife and I have seen the physical and mental capability of our adopted daughter. We wonder sometimes if either would have been exploited for the state, or if she would have just been ignored as a byproduct of a warped system. We are grateful to God for her as for our other children.
In the case of adoption, the one-child policy has created scores of abandoned children... especially females since the male child is preferred in that society. In many cases there is thought to be pressure brought to bear by the government to give these children over for adoption. More often than not it is suggested that they are adopted out to foreigners because they make more money that way.
While there is pressure from the government, what you are implying is an oversimplification. The nature of their society is that parents are cared for in old age by their sons. The governmental pressure is for one child. But there is economic pressure as well. On the train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong virtually every parcel of land on either side of the tracks was used by locals to grow food on their own patch of ground. Daughters are abandoned because there is already one or more children in the family and they cannot support another, or they desire a son rather than a daughter to provide the desired support. Even after seeing the extent of the population of China it is difficult to wrap my mental arms around it. The one child policy has been relaxed recently and the wait for adoption in China has increased from ~6 months up to as long as 2 years.
The Orphanage where our daughter came from is no longer in use because they built a new building on adjacent property. She was clean and well cared for over her first 18 months there, and this was supported by the photographs taken by the workers at the facility. Is this common? Unfortunately I don't think it is. Our daughter was blessed to have come through that particular system. The daughters of nearly all other parents we have spoken with didn't receive the care level she did, but they were cared for and healthy.
I have spoken extensively with Chinese people, parents, who emigrated to the US from China. They typically have a strong dislike for their government, but love China and want to see the terrible things that we are both aware of corrected. They are sensitive to the loss is children there - it is one of the reasons adoptions have slowed. Again I mention that there are restrictions on who can adopt. If it was only about money why would a new building be built? Why would there be restrictions? Yes some of what I cite is emperical, but much is not. Your experience is based on a Time article or the like, extrapolated to the adoption system.
The fact we have our own problems here in America is not in question. The fact that your child(ren) will have a better opportunity here than they would ever have in China is also without question. Should we point out that there are problems with America? Absolutely. Are we anywhere near the level of China? Not a chance.
Do children in America have a better chance? of course. I didn't contest that. But then, that depends on some things doesn't it? What does America do with it's unwanted children? You know the answer. I submit that America's murder of millions of its children for money is more disgusting and evil than even the "sale" of children you suggest that takes place in China.
As an aside, concerning your account name, I’m not missing the obvious scriptural reference. Your child will have one opportunity here that the officials who approved and handled their adoptions in China will never have...
Agreed, brother.
I’d much rather work with you to make sure we retain that priveledge.
It would be my privilege and pleasure.
Can’t take exception with anything you said (almost) and I really appreciate the insight. I don’t read Time magazine but do spend a lot of time in reading and research. Of course, I admit this is not a subject I have much (read “any”) direct experience with... just gathered knowledge over a period of years. I welcome the shared first-hand experience you’ve had.
“Do children in America have a better chance? of course. I didn’t contest that. But then, that depends on some things doesn’t it? What does America do with it’s unwanted children? You know the answer. I submit that America’s murder of millions of its children for money is more disgusting and evil than even the “sale” of children you suggest that takes place in China.”
This was the only thing... I hate abortion as much as most any Christian does... China is not immune from it. They do abandon their unwanted children, but they abort them as well.
I tend to make pointed statements at times also. It’s the struggle those of us who actually believe in something (like you and me) have. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love a lively debate but apologize if I framed it in a way that offended.
Gordon
No worries, brother. It is so much better to have a foundation and reason behind what we hold to, rather than the jumble of contradictory ideas typically held by those on the left. Lively debate is one of the things FR is about.
You have reminded me – I met a brother in Christ on that train I mentioned. I owe him an email. Regards
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