Confusing the Issues

Before drawing any conclusions about the, “traditional-independent battle,” as reported in “The Adoption Debate,” facts need to be obtained.

Ultimately, the only valid and factually objective way to resolve the debate is to obtain the child abuse rate among adoptees placed by agencies and organizations that provide screening and counseling as compared to adoptees placed privately.

Other issues include an analysis of what screening and counseling occurs generally among parents, single or not, who have their own children and keep them. The child abuse rate in such situations would also need to be compared to the child abuse rates occurring among the two different kinds of adoption procedures.

It is also important to realize that although the focus may be on the child in the adoption process, the welfare of the adopting parents as well as the welfare of the natural parent or parents giving up the child need consideration too.

Without such an analysis made as objectively and statistically accurate as possible, “the adoption debate,” is just so much hot air allowing those involved to justify their own interests without the benefit or burden of a firm foundation on which to base their strongly held opinions and conclusions.

SYLVAIN FRIBOURG

Woodland Hills