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Buying and Selling [ White Babies $35,000...Black Babies Only $4,000 ]
ABC News Website ^ | 3-12-02 | Dean Schabner

Posted on 03/12/2002 1:26:04 PM PST by antaresequity

 

 When a couple seeking to adopt a white baby is charged $35,000 and a couple seeking a black baby is charged $4,000, the image that comes to the Rev. Ken Hutcherson's mind is of a practice that was outlawed in America nearly 150 years ago — the buying and selling of human beings

The practice, which is widespread among private adoption facilitators, of charging prospective parents different fees depending on the race or ethnicity of the child they adopt is one that Hutcherson is fighting to change from his Redmond, Wash., church. The Antioch Bible Church has established its own adoption agency, and is lobbying state legislators to change Washington's laws.

"I've got championship Rottweilers. I sell them by supply and demand," Hutcherson said. "I raise thoroughbred racehorses. I sell them by supply and demand. I'm not going to let people sell children by supply and demand. What's the difference between that and slavery?"

The campaign to change the law is directed at Washington state legislators, but Hutcherson said he would prefer to see the federal government step in and create one set of regulations governing adoption, rather than leaving the issue to the states to decide.

Current Washington law bans payments to a birth mother for placing a child for adoption, but does not address payments for arranging an adoption or the fees that may be charged.

"I think it's an issue that Americans have not looked at closely enough, because if they had, things wouldn't be the way they are," he said.

He hopes to get attention around Washington with a billboard campaign as soon as he can raise the $70,000 to $80,000 he needs. The billboards will feature a white baby, a latino baby and a black baby and next to each, the fees some adoption facilitators might charge for them: $35,000, $10,000 and $4,000.

He said that besides putting a price on children, the practice discriminates against white babies and people who seek to adopt them — an issue he said has been overlooked because white people, particularly those who can afford the high adoption fees charged, are not used to considering themselves victims of discrimination.

"I know about discrimination," said Hutcherson, who is black. "I don't care who it's against, it's wrong. Tell me that if it was black babies that cost $50,000 and white babies that cost $4,000, people would be screaming their heads off."

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TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: adoption; discrimination; noteworthy
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I will take a dozen of each...
1 posted on 03/12/2002 1:26:04 PM PST by antaresequity
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To: antaresequity
I never occurred to me that the adopting couple ever actually paid for the child. I mean, paying for an adoption license or something, that would not surprise me.

In fact, the whole idea of private adoption facilitators is new to me...

2 posted on 03/12/2002 1:30:11 PM PST by KayEyeDoubleDee
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To: antaresequity
As I recall from my Econ 101 back in the 70's there is a concept called Supply and Demand...
3 posted on 03/12/2002 1:30:32 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
That's a racist concept, and you're a racist for even bringing it up.

Off to the re-education camp for you.

4 posted on 03/12/2002 1:31:47 PM PST by GoreIsLove
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To: antaresequity
"I know about discrimination," said Hutcherson, who is black. "I don't care who it's against, it's wrong.

Am I the only one that finds this statement from a black person extremely refreshing in today's PC environment?

5 posted on 03/12/2002 1:32:00 PM PST by Pern
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To: KayEyeDoubleDee
What's the problem? Price's sound about right to me.
6 posted on 03/12/2002 1:32:45 PM PST by Warren
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To: Warren
Did I say there was a problem, G?
7 posted on 03/12/2002 1:36:17 PM PST by KayEyeDoubleDee
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To: GoreIsLove
Why, thank you!
8 posted on 03/12/2002 1:36:18 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Pern
As one from his state, I can tell you Pastor Hutch is a staunch conservative - sometimes even making others who call themselves that uncomfortable!
9 posted on 03/12/2002 1:36:32 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: antaresequity
"I don't care who it's against, it's wrong. Tell me that if it was black babies that cost $50,000 and white babies that cost $4,000, people would be screaming their heads off."

I think that there would be even fewer black babies adopted. It seems to me an attempt to get more folks to adopt black children.

11 posted on 03/12/2002 1:38:06 PM PST by opbuzz
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To: antaresequity
How much for an 18 year old Swedish chick?
12 posted on 03/12/2002 1:39:01 PM PST by dead
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To: antaresequity
The price is not some racist plot against whites, but simply reflects the facts that there is a high demand for white babies and very low demand for black or biracial babies. Something to think about when other insist that are thousands of loving couples just waiting to adopt children that would have been aborted.
13 posted on 03/12/2002 1:40:02 PM PST by LWalk18
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To: KayEyeDoubleDee
Adopting costs money, believe me.. even if you take a child from the state system (public adoption) you are talking several thousand dollars in expenses from the parents. In private adoption you aren't "paying for the baby" you are paying for the help in finding and locating a baby and the agency to handle most of the legal matters for you... As someone who has been looking into this, believe me its messed up.

If you are willing to adopt a healthy black child, costs will be $3500-7500 depending and you can have a child in 2-6 months. If you insist on a healthy white child, costs are upwards of $10-20k or more and can take several years if you even get one.

14 posted on 03/12/2002 1:40:58 PM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: KayEyeDoubleDee
One factor in adoption is that quite often they can not place a child across racial lines. A black baby must go to a black parent; an American Indian child is considered the property of the tribe and will not be placed with a non-Indian family.

This leads to a reduced pool of adoptive parents for these children. Some end up not being adopted at all. Sad.

A. Cricket

15 posted on 03/12/2002 1:41:19 PM PST by another cricket
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To: LWalk18
Something to think about when other insist that are thousands of loving couples just waiting to adopt children that would have been aborted.

Your point is completely idiotic.

If somebody is willing to pay anywhere between $4,000 and $35,000 for a baby, then there has to be people out there who want them.

16 posted on 03/12/2002 1:42:56 PM PST by dead
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To: antaresequity
The same phenomenon happens in international adoption. Haitian adoptions are usually the least expensive. Adoptions from India are much cheaper than those "china dolls." Russian and other east European adoptions are usually the most expensive, because they're caucasian kids, despite the fact that some of those kids have mental problems and diabilities arising out of some horrific orphanage conditions. Light skin is prized and the countries involved know they can charge for it.
17 posted on 03/12/2002 1:43:38 PM PST by colorado tanker
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To: antaresequity
I don't believe him. The real reason he's pissed is that black babies are not as desirable among adoptors as white ones. Most people who are adopting are white, and white people generally want white babies. Black couples who adopt generally want black babies.

Like it or not, the laws of economics are such that the more desirable something is, the more people are willing to pay for it, and as a result the price goes up.

It is a fact, though, that the social services departments in many states are awash in black children, and adopting through your county is oftentimes FREE or extremely low-cost.

Question for Freepers, though: What are your predictions on the results of FEDERAL INTERVENTION AND REGULATION of private adoptions? What have we learned about what happens when the government gets involved in "solving" an inequity? I gladly await your answers.

18 posted on 03/12/2002 1:44:06 PM PST by Lizavetta
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To: LWalk18
Biggest hinderance to adoption of black children by white couples is not generally the fact the child is black, but the fact the fear of a mother changing her mind, or racial groups targeting them for harrassment. Had a case a few years back in Pittsburgh where a white couple was portrayed as the devil and unable to raise the children because they were white... the children were of a prostitute crack addict who was in jail for prostitution when her hearing regarding custody came up... all the local race hustling poverty pimps were all over this couple etc... I can't rightly blame someone for not wanting to put their family through that.

Family's pay 10s of thousands of dollars to go overseas just to make sure they adopt a child and it cannot be taken away.... Baby Jessica probably did more to hurt domestic adoption than anything I can think of. That judge should have been tarred and feathered.

19 posted on 03/12/2002 1:45:23 PM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: Lizavetta
Boy, do you have this pastor all wrong. He's calling our current system trafficking (selling human beings) and he's right. We need to remove barriers to adoption and stop feeding the industry.
20 posted on 03/12/2002 1:45:27 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
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