Madonner (That’s Madonna with a cockney accent, if you’re confused…)
I don’t have much today. I went and gave my presentation last night, which went OK, but I was nervous all day, so it sucked my energy dry. I received a phone call that my poor Grandma had fallen and hurt herself (she’s going to be OK, no broken bones, but still, she fell pretty darned hard), which was very upsetting because I love her to pieces, and that kind of took what energy I might have had left. And it’s only Friday, not Saturday, so I have a bunch of work to do today, blah blah blah.
SO, I’m going to post today, because you know, the world would end if I didn’t write SOMETHING on a weekday, right? But please forgive me, because I’m truly lazy on thinking of a topic.
Remember the saying by Eleanor Roosevelt, “Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” Guess how big my mind is today? That’s right, so damned small that I’ve decided to talk about a CELEBRITY. I don’t think it gets any smaller than that.
I’ve been reading about Madonna’s adoption of a 13 month old boy from Malawi. Mostly, I really don’t care what Madonna does with her life and her money, and it’s somewhat judgemental to say that taking this boy from his culture and taking him to another, very different culture, is going to cause him harm. Sure, he’s in for a life in a MUCH different world than he has thus far known. But better or worse? I don’t know. I think I’d prefer not to live under the constant spotlight of an uber-celebrity like Madonna, but living under crushing poverty doesn’t sound so hot, either. The part of this story that gave me pause was that this child’s father is still alive…he had put the baby into an orphanage temporarily, because he couldn’t care for him, and intended to bring him home in the near future. Madonna could have easily asked about this boy, been told no, given the father some money to raise the child, which would have reunited the family and made it possible for them to stay together (albeit under the weight of charity, which is a very heavy weight to carry, I suspect), and she could have chosen another child. Then the boy could have been raised by his own parent, instead of being moved half way around the world and immersed into a culture of which he knows nothing. But, on the other hand, where does that stop? What responsibility do the rich and famous have to save the world with their money? Is it Madonna’s responsibility to make sure that all of the children in Malawi have decent homes? Should she have adopted an American baby, rather than one from another culture? And what of the law in Malawi that forbids the adoption of children from people who have not lived in Malawi for at least 18 months. Other would-be parents have to abide by this law, but not Madonna? Why? (I’m guessing $$$, what do you think?) So what of unequal access and how the rich get what they want and the poor or middle class have to wait their turn? And how to balance that with the fact that she probably gave enough money to really help out, and that comes in handy sometimes when you’re running an orphanage and have a bunch of hungry mouths to feed.
I don’t know. As I said earlier, my brain is on auto-pilot this morning. I don’t have a strong opinion on this matter, I think there are many more important issues going on in the world today than celebrity adoptions. Trouble is, I can’t think clearly enough to write about them right now.
Happy Friday, and I’d love to hear your opinions on stupid trivial crap Madonna’s new baby!
11 Comments
Tabitha
I don’t feel that what she is doing is ‘heartfelt’. I hate to even say this (it may just show how small my mind is) but I feel that she is trying to make it a ‘fad’ or the ‘it’ thing to do….while other celebrities (Angelina), I feel, are actually trying to do some good in the world.
I feel that this is completely self-serving on Madonna’s part. Not sincere at all…….
I dunno, that’s my measley, small-minded .02
Beenzzz
I think Madonna is full of crap and is doing this as a publicity stunt. I can’t help but get the feeling that she is just picking up a “souvenir” while in Africa. UGH!
Ml
I agree with Tabitha and Beanzzz. Madonner 🙂 used to be the trend setter back in the day, but she’s not anymore. This is just another way for her to get attention. Unfortunately, it’s not a different fashion statement, it’s someone else’s life.
Shelliza
I saw this on the news a few days ago. She could have easily adopted an orphaned baby rather than choose one that still had a surviving parent. Ahh, the things one can do when they have sh*t loads of money and don’t know what to do with it.
Gina
Yes, I was a bit perturbed to hear that the child had a father. To me, that does not qualify you as an orphan. Could she not have chosen a child who truly had no one that cared about them in the world? Imagine growing up and knowing that the only reason you aren’t growing up with your very alive father was because he was too poor and some big star threw money around and chose you. Talk about conflicted!
Maya's Granny
It beggers the imagination that she would choose, and be allowed to take, a child who was placed in the orphanage temporarily and given up for adoption. To me that sounds like trafficing, which is illegal almost everywhere.
This one has such potential for coming back and biting her when the child finds out what happened, and if you and I know it happened, this child will also.
Heidi
I think it’s a total crock of (stupid trivial crap) shit! BOOOOO Madonna.
hellomelissa
in most cases i think adoption is one of the noblest deeds in the world. this case drips of selfishness, political motive, and “looky me!” i want to cry for that boy, even though he’ll most likely be raised with love and in great priveledge. good thinking topic as always, j.
Jessica
Okay, I admit that I have been on a bit of a blogging break but I come back and people have MOVED? At least you gave me your forwarding address (and now I need to update your link in my blogroll).
Re: Madonna – I, too, don’t really care. I did hear someone comment re: “Why couldn’t she just give the father enough money to care for the boy himself” and that seemed like a reasonable question but, then again, she can’t exactly pick the bill up for everyone (nor can she adopt the entire orphanage).
I think we should wish she and her family well and worry about our own lives.
Heather
I have mixed feeling about it too. I have some very good friends who’ve adopted from overseas, but in both cases, they lived in the culture from which they adopted for several years, so it seems a little more valid somehow. At least they have some sensitivities to their children’s culture, etc.
In Madonna’s case, though, it just seems like a self-centred “I can do whatever I want and screw the rules” kind of thing. Does she really want another child, or is this just a play-thing for her?
I was already turned off by Madonna when she sang at Live 8. The young woman from Ethiopia was on stage with her, and Madonna dragged her around like she was a puppet and not really human. It just seemed really disrespectful.
Jenny
I found an article on MSN in which the father of the boy Madonna is trying to adopt seems to suport it and in fact is very much in favor of it. He was quoted as saying:
“I am afraid Madonna may get angry and frustrated and decide to dump my son because of these people,” said Banda, referring to criticisms from human rights activists in Malawi that officials there had bent the law to speed the adoption process.
“These so-called human rights activists are harassing me every day, threatening me that I am not aware of what I am doing,” Banda said. “I’m afraid David may be sent back and the orphanage may not even accept him back. So where will he end up? Here? He will certainly die.”
He said activists tried to visit him Wednesday.
“I hid from them. I didn’t want to see them. They want me to support their court case, a thing I cannot do for I know what I agreed with Madonna and her husband,” said Banda.