[ROY]

You are concerned with what people think? Why do you want to adopt? If you want a child to love and teach and raise up to be a responsible human being what other people think is not germaine to the project. Children are children they become what you show them and teach them. It is a minumum of an 18 year obligation, not something you take up as a temporary hobby. What other people think is not important. What YOU THINK is IMPORTANT and that is the only thing that is important to your well being and that of the child. If you consistantly teach them that by word and example you will not only be doing your job as a parent but you will reap all the joys of being a parent.

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Name : ROY, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 63, City : Butler, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : doctor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Julianna-H]

I would like to know what people think about the adoption of a child by a couple that is not of the same ethnic background as the child. What about the adoption of a child by an interracial couple where the child is of the same ethnic background as one parent, but not the other?

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Name : Julianna-H, Gender : F, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Age : 25, City : Santa Clara, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Systems Analyst, Social class : Middle class, 

[Andrew]

Is there a problem with that? I have several friends with adopted kids of different races than themselves. Everyone seems happy and functional to me.

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Name : Andrew, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 35, City : Huntington, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : Reporter, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[GARY]

This may take a bit but please bare with me. A child plays on the playground with other children and never gives thought to whether another child is wearing a crusafix or a star of david. Children don't think about skin color or external appearance in the same way adults do. Somehow, we as adults teach them to notice these external diferences and attach 'labels' that take on a very different meaning than those of a child. And once these same children have grown up, these 'labels' and the meanings that have been attached to them are nearly impossible to be seen in a different way. They become 'us', if you will, and perpetuate the same horrors and character de-escalations that we do daily. I see interracial adoption the way I see any adoption. It's one thing to give birth to a child of your own and love that child. But to look at a child who is not born of your loins and say to that child, 'I want to love you and nurture you and give you a life of security and well-being', to me is a very special and wonderful gift. When you give birth, you get what you get. When you adopt, you get what you want and you give something extremely precious to a child in a way that a birth parent is not capable of doing. I am aware that there are people who feel that a child should only be adopted by a family of the same race/ethnic background, and I am aware of all the arguments to that affect. I think a child needs, first and foremost, to learn love and respect for himself and his/her fellow man before anything else. It takes a special kind of strength in our world to withstand the glares, stares and whispers and go against the grain of societal norms and just love someone. Perhaps this should be your questions. How does one teach this to a child rather than should one adopt because the child is different.

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Name : GARY, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Jewish, Age : 38, City : Los angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : professional, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[TR24790]

I think that it is perfectly ok if people adopt a child of another race. There are so many kids out there that need a home, and it would be ridiculous to deny a home to a child solely on the basis of the skin color of the parents. My aunt adopted four children of a different race, and everyone considers them as much a part of the family as everyone else.

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Name : TR24790, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Mormon, Age : 17, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[George-Winfield21650]

Whenever I've seen this kind of subject brought up in popular media what is invariably shown are white couples adopting black or other non-white children. The insistence of the couple and the 'experts' is that all that counts is that the child be brought up in a loving household. I would in principle agree but I also have to say that I NEVER have seen a black couple who have for some reason decided to adopt a white child or any other non-white couple adopting white kids. I would not be surprised if this is because it is rare to non-existant. To me this suggests that while the 'experts' and whites who adopt non-white children say it is all about love that there is more to it than that. I feel that white people often want to prove to themselves and 'society at large' that the 'race problem' is improving and to prove it they'll even bring one of 'them' into the family.

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Name : George-Winfield21650, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Afro pagan, Age : 33, City : Buffalo, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : factory worker, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Liz22546]

Personally I think that the most important thing a child can have is a set of loving parents. If the choice is between having no one to care for them, a foster home, or group of foster homes or an interracial adoption I will opt for the adoption.

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Name : Liz22546, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 30, City : Boise, State : ID Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower class, 

[Dan]

Adoptive parents are an all too scarce resource, so if the kid can get into a loving home, then it should be pursued at all costs, regardless of the color. However, there are guidelines I think need to be followed. First off, the parents should make every effort to make their child aware of their heritage. A black or Asian child is eventually going to figure out that they are different from their Anglo parents. The family might have to make an effort to move to an ethnically diverse neighborhood or send their child to an ethnically diverse school. Trying to turn a black child into a white child is harmful, not because of race but because of culture. If the child wants to know about their heritage, the parents should jump at the chance to accomadate them and learn along with them. Back in the early part of the century, when Native American children were taken from their families and placed in white families to be raised as white, it did irreparable damage to these children. Heritage is important, and can make all the difference between a confident and happy child and a confused and marginalized child.

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Name : Dan, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : na, Race : Chicano, Religion : Pentecostal Christian, Age : 21, City : Los Angeles area, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Rhonda30031]

I think if the adoptive parents can provide a stable loving home it shouldn't really matter if their child is from a different ethnic background. I would much rather see a black child being raised by white parents who loved and cared for him than spending his entire life in a foster home.

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Name : Rhonda30031, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 37, City : Lansing, State : MI Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Sidhe27996]

If the couple have enough resources to support a child, it doesn't matter what races are involved as long as the child gets a good chance at life.

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Name : Sidhe27996, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Religion : Deist, City : Vancouver, British Columbia, State : NA Country : Canada, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jen30980]

That is not a problem. If the parents are loving, it doesn't matter what race they or the children are. I am adopted by parents who are Caucasian, and I can't imagine any better parents.

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Name : Jen30980, Gender : F, Race : Asian, Age : 28, City : Colorado Springs, State : CO Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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