What are your thoughts on the Americans arrested in Haiti?

I’ll have to see how it’s all sorted out before I can make a judgement on that particular situation, but damn! In my opinion, no one here in the US needs to go to a foreign country for a baby or child. I mean, if one is going to adopt a child of colour anyway, there are hundred of thousands of kids of colour in the US who are waiting! It upsets me that any US citizen would adopt outside without looking to our own first.

I’m sorry, but such antics really, really irritates me. I wish I could afford to adopt.

My answer does not answer your question, but have strong feelings about this awful situation. The requirements for adoption with present situation should be altered. True enough, they have to protect those children, but from whom…the Haitian government in my opinion. Those children are used as, for all pracitical proposes as slave until they are 15 years old…then they are thrown out on the streets.

Here are the requirements: Childless, heterosexual married couples between the ages of 35–50 are eligible to adopt

Childless, single heterosexual women who are living alone and between the ages of 35–50, are also eligible to adopt

Length of marriage must be at least 10 years unless couple is infertile

Applicants who are between the ages 45 – 50 must be willing to accept a toddler

One previous divorce is accepted.

Second marriages must be at least 10 years in length

No more than 15 years age difference between husband and wife

Preference is given to Christian and Jewish families; LDS families are not eligible for this program

Families may have no more than 2 adopted children under the age of 18 living in their home and no biological children

U.S. citizens in all 50 states are eligible to adopt from this program.

Will be interesting to see how this situation plays out with our citizens. Don’t know enough about to really comment on it yet!

The truth is; there is a lot of Americans who mean well but they believe just because they are American,they are have political immunity and cannot break laws nor commit any wrong doing while in a third word country !
There was a American Nun back in the 90’s who worked in Central America,she was told by the local Warlord to leave town or else,,,she chose to stay as she felt as an American she had nothing to fear and nothing would happen to her as just for the fact that she was an American she was completely protected !!!!! I don’t need to tell you want happened to her !!!

I am glad they are being investigated. It is no secret that human trafficking, in particular child trafficking, abounds. It is actually heartening to hear that the Haitian authorities didn’t let this slip past them. If the arrests were made in error then things will move forward. If the arrests were proper then some children’s lives were protected.

Not enough facts to have an opinion. Sorry.

@BoBo1946 if this were a question about adoption I would be so very tempted to engage you in debate :P

I suspect it is a big misunderstanding.

@liminal no, don’t want to debate! Just think the Haitian government needs to alter their adoption rules to fit the situation.

lets all pick out a puppy, shall we?...come on. it was a quixotic escapade….get FUCKING REAL.

@mammal ?

I’m thinking these people didn’t really have a good plan and meant well but should have educated themselves a bit more and should have been more careful.

a few days ago I read an interview with the founder(?) of Free The Slaves. he mentioned that human trafficking exists in haiti. (this interview came out well before the earthquake.) actually virtually every country on Earth has human trafficking, but some, and especially the poorer nations, more than others.

I answered without doing enough reading. <blushing a bit> I have moved over to the “good intentions with not well thought out execution” camp. I am still heartened that the haitian authorities are being careful.

@BoBo1946 ridiculous rules

@faye unreal….they (government) want to keep their servants…all it is!

With regard to ‘human trafficking’ I would very much like to know what is and is not meant by the term. Sex slavery is a horrific practice while taking starving orphans to a family who would care for them is…considerably less horrific.

@aprilsimnel My understanding is that a lot of adoption agencies won’t let non ‘people of color’ adopt ‘people of color’ citing cultural differences.

Adoption in the US is a very difficult thing to do. If it were not people would happily adopt local children rather than go to the effort and expense of getting children from entirely other continents and under dicey legal circumstances.

People are sick….