Posted by DipNote Bloggers on May 05, 2008 - 08:02 AM
![Vietnamese vender waves to Vietnamese adopted child in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Dec. 9, 2008. [AP]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/UNGA/field/2008_0505_viet_bh_m.jpg)
Americans adopt more children from foreign countries every year than all other countries in the world combined. The United States strongly supports international adoption as an option for children who need a family. The Department’s Office of Children's Issues works hard to support and assist American citizens interested in foreign adoptions.
Unfortunately, some international adoptions from Vietnam are not straightforward. Our colleagues on the ground in Vietnam have found serious irregularities, including forged or altered documentation, mothers being paid, coerced or tricked into releasing their children, and children offered for adoption without the knowledge or consent of their birth parents. (See Warning Concerning Adoptions in Vietnam) American parents shouldn’t have to question whether the child they’ve adopted and brought into their family was taken from unwitting birth mothers. And no parents should be coerced or tricked into relinquishing their children. Vietnam needs to strengthen procedures to protect children and parents to advance our common goal of protecting children, their birth parents, and adopting parents from exploitation.
International adoptions from Vietnam are governed by a Memorandum of Agreement, but the agreement expires on September 1. And last week, the Government of Vietnam announced it will not renew this agreement. The United States could consider drafting a new agreement. However, until Vietnam puts into place safeguards and procedures to protect babies and families involved in international adoptions, we will be unable to sign a new agreement
The United States urges Vietnam to create an adoption system that is transparent and protects the children and parents involved. There currently is an adoption system that works, one the United States joined on April 1. (See The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption). Over 70 countries are members. If Vietnam joined the Hague Convention, the United States and Vietnam could ensure that adoptions take place in the best interests of children, free of abduction, sale, trafficking, or other abuses.
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Comments
@ SNP in Syria -- Joe is right SNP.
Not only you translate history and religion subjectively, but also you never really interpreted how America was created.
You write:
"But if you insist on fabricating such Christian history and value for America, was it a Christian way to slaughter the Indians, steal the land and shove them into reservations"?"American" settlers who were reaching the New World back then were immigrants forced to go there. If they had not manage to survive, then the Indians would have killed those immigrants.
They had to fight for their lives, they had to survive and to achieve great things. And they did achieve The Greatest Things of the modern history, science, culture, democracy and civilization.
Besides, I would suggest that instead of analyzing the Christianity of the first U.S. settlers, on the same basis of your argumentation, we can talk about Muslim Holy Wars of the past. Although, I?m sure that you believe that these wars were Godly inspired and pure -obviously not for survival though.
Moreover, I do not quite understand this unexpected, strange love of yours about Indians. I think that your thesis has nothing to do with your sympathy for the natives, but with your hate for the United States.
Posted on Fri May 09, 2008
@ SNP in Syria --
- Want to start with the Scottish Rite Masons who had the guts to start the Revolution and form this country? You do not know American History apparently.
- Even if I agree with you, there is more than enough evidence to say Jesus was not a myth...no more then Mohamed was a myth. What people perceive as Religion is varied, but a constant in decision making world wide.
- You need to educate yourself to POINT IN TIME relationships of historical values of culture.
- You need to re direct your anger toward different views of God to another venue...like your own life. Syria was a homestead of Christian values, least you forget your heritage. You would not have Islam were it not for Christianity. That is the most confusing of issues to me in separation of beliefs on the common man level. This is how both sides have been controled through out history by both Religious demonations. How can one point of view be wrong if both are right?
Posted on Thu May 08, 2008
@ Joe in Tennessee -- Where in the Constitution and history of the United States it says that America is based on Christian theology and the Jesus myth? You must be relying on the Quakers, JW and Josef Smith golden tablets given to him by the angle Moroni.
But if you insist on fabricating such Christian history and value for America, was it a Christian way to slaughter the Indians, steal the land and shove them into reservations?
Posted on Tue May 06, 2008
The problem of International ethics goes beyond the paperwork and reaches into the very existence of all our beings. Why these childern are homeless is the real question that has to be addressed. Even here in America, there are so many children with no home. Most are due to ethics, not economics as much as in developing countries; but, the consequences of having children with no support functions available is the sole burden of the bearer, with the exception of rape victims.
What can you really say? If we are a Christian based country morally, then "For Jesus so loved the Children" ...any step to salvage a life is worthy.
The weak and the poor always suffer the most, which is not a good report card for the world after all the years of civil existence is it?
Posted on Mon May 05, 2008
This may seem like an odd solution, but given a designated number of refugees the U.S. allows per year, what if some of those were granted status as orphans, where Dept. of State worked with orphanages directly to provide the opportunity for folks who are willing to adopt, do so without the risk of third party criminality involved?
Posted on Mon May 05, 2008
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