Something from my developmental psych book:

"Adoption agencies try to ensure a good fit by seeking parents of the same ethnic and religious background as the child and, where possible, trying to choose parents who are the same age as the biological parents. Because the availability of healthy babies has declined (fewer young unwed mothers give up their babies than in the past), more people in North America and Western Europe are adopting from other countries or accepting children who are past infancy or who have known developmental problems." (Schweiger & O'Brien, 2005).

First of all. As much as I like to think racism is less of an issue, I really don't agree that race has anything to do with adopting/raising a child besides explaining the confusion of differences. I was curious when I realized my mother and brothers were darker/Mexican, and my father and I = fair. My mom pointed out my freckles and birth mark, telling me that these were pieces of her skin showing through. It made sense to me right then. I belonged. ( Although people find it hard to believe, I get my freckles from my Mexican family rather than my white side.)

Secondly, since when do babies and infants even know that religion exists? I can see how a small child might follow a certain doctrine of "Jesus loves me this I know..." or "be good or go to hell" (I seriously thought if I behaved any way that made my parents upset that I was destined for hell. I feared it.)- but seriously. To prohibit a child from a loving home because religious background isn't aligned is ridiculous! How many children would seriously be offended to give up a one-sided brainwash over a warm family or home who may educate that child to help explore other possibilities of spirituality?! God forbid a couple of those pagan deviants get a hold of one of our country's children and, *gasp!* teaches it to appreciate/preserve/share earth, the universe and other beings in existence!!

More so, God REALLY forbid a couple of muslims adopting- They'll raise some terrorists... And those gays. They're just gross. They know nothing of family life! We can't have perverts raising kids to be queers! Kids learn from example! All American Heterosexual families who fear god, pay taxes and don't ask questions are the ones going to Heaven!

Let's see. The biological parents were 20 years old, freaked out and peaced out on the baby. So let's find it another couple of 20 year olds to care for this child, even as they are still discovering life for themselves! Ok, I know the book probably meant relative same age... But let's not make a lonely 50 year old couple complete- in case they might croak on the kid before the state no longer has to provide funding for an orphan!

A couple in their 50's might possibly be the best fit, being that they are most likely established financially and emotionally from the wisdom of experience! Let them not share the fruits of their lives with a child in need of love and guidance because they might get health problems or cannot keep up. HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE BETTER RAISED BY THEIR GRANDPARENTS? Or older aunts/uncles/godparents!?

I wanna give a shout out to all those single parents who kept their kids and toughed it out though. That's the hardest part when you realize it's too late or you don't have it in you to take yourself to planned parenting.

I could get started going around in circles over pregnancy prevention.

But seriously- I thought people were outsourcing orphans from other countries b/c they are cheaper/ much easier to obtain through meetings and paperwork, because foreign systems are less discriminative toward potential American parents,( who are assumed to provide a "better life" just because they are American... When our own children are remaining in orphanages or being passed around in foster care because the system doesn't see it's own as worthy unless they fit a certain resume.