Adoption laws serve a purpose

Re “For mercy’s sake, it’s Madonna,” Opinion, April 6

Beth Nonte Russell should have disclosed in her Op-Ed article that her own adoption from China did not follow the usual procedures, as she describes in her book. On its website, the Golden Phoenix Foundation she founded states that its mission is to “streamline” international adoptions for other prospective parents.

“Streamlining,” however, has often created trafficking and corrupted adoptions, which led to the shutdown of Guatemala, Cambodia and Vietnam (from which I adopted in 2001) to Americans hoping to adopt.

Huge fees paid by prospective parents encourage the unscrupulous to falsify paperwork, erasing the true identity of these “orphans.” It also leads to coercion of biological family members to place their children for adoption.

Even though Madonna’s good works in Malawi are indisputable, that does not give her or any other American the right to expect laws of another country to be waived to indulge their own desire to be a parent.

Karen Moline

New York

The writer is a board member of Parents for Ethical Adoption Reform, a nonprofit that seeks to reform international adoption law.

--

Russell has made a heart-rending plea for finding homes for orphans. As one who spent his first year in an orphanage, I understand her point -- but she misses the larger one.

The Malawi court has every reason to try to protect its citizens against exploitation by wealthy would-be parents who may want to be celebrated as humanitarians but who may lack basic parenting skills.

The Malawi court did the right thing for the right reason. Wealth is no measure of parenting ability. Madonna hardly exemplifies the kind of responsibility and commitment required to raise a child properly. The international black market for adoptions can be sordid human trafficking under the guise of humanitarian activity.

If Madonna or other stars wish to provide a better life for Third World children, let them begin by donating funds to the families of the children who are offered for sale.

Robert Haight

Harrisonville, Mo.