Argumentative Essay on Adoption

"Adoption Should be Abolished" is an excerption from Evelyn Burns Robinson's book Adoption and Loss: The Hidden Grief. While Robinson does have some authority on the matter due to personal experiences, she tends to have a one-sided opinion that doesn't touch often on the other side's views. She offers some good alternatives to adoption, but tends to state that adoption is very rarely done by choice and is usually forced on young mothers. She claims in her article that there is no justification for adoption and makes some fairly disturbing comparisons to slavery. Although I agree with some of Evelyn Burns Robinson's ways to help avoid adoption, I agree with little else she says.

Evelyn Burns Robinson does have some authority to write about adoption and her views on it, being a woman who as a teenager, gave up a baby for adoption. She feels that in her case she was forced to give up her baby, and she states that almost all teen mothers are made to give up their baby. I don't think that's the case however. I know several people who have had babies as teenagers, and when asked, all of them said that though it was hard, they wanted their baby to have a better life than they were able to provide and loved their child enough to let it go.

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The very first line in the article is "There is no justification for adoption." I don't agree with this at all. Sure, some people don't consider any of their other options, such as foster care or asking a friend or family member to help, but that's rarely the case. Many adopted children came from a home where they would not have enough shelter, family support, or safety to become functional members of society. If a young child is in an unsafe situation, in my mind their parent then loses the right to have them in the house and should automatically have to give them up, even if only for a short time until they can be rehabilitated. Another justification for adoption would be if a baby is born into a war-torn country and their parents can't afford to have the whole family leave the country, but they can get their children out. Those parents are extremely brave and unselfish for wanting a better life for their kids that they know they can't provide.

Robinson's use of language is quite biased towards not having adoption. Her personal experience makes her have a negative opinion of adoption, and it's very apparent. Not only does she say outright that she thinks it's morally wrong and unjust, she also blatantly compares it to slavery, as though adoption is the same as buying and selling people. She looks at abstract views of slavery, such as the belief that slaves were better off being owned by a good master that provided them with a home and security, and rescued them from a life of disadvantage. This, most people will agree with is a very wrong and indecent belief. She says that since adoption's defenders use the same reasoning (a better life with a home and security) it's very comparable.

I do agree with the author that there are other solutions that aren't adoption. One such example is that she states "if a woman is unable to care for her child because she lacks the skills, then we should try to teach her the skills." I agree with her completely on that. I don't believe we should just uproot children out of a home unless their life is in danger or everything else has been tried and has failed. I believe that society ad a whole should help these parents, especially if they're single, raise their child/children well, but there's got to be a point where you've tried all you can. I also agree with her that the biological parents should be at least somewhat involved in their children's lives, whether they have ongoing visiting sessions or just keep the adoptive parents informed on family issues, such as heredity health issues.

The article "Adoption Should be Abolished" from Evelyn Burns Robinson's book Adoption and Loss: The Hidden Grief touches on why she believes that adoption should be illegal. Her personal experience with giving up a baby at a young age makes some of her views understandable, I think that if she had included more of what the people who support adoption's view points to somehow make her arguments stronger, she would have had a more powerful argument. I believe adoption is overall a good thing and although there are a few bad things about it, generally speaking, I think the good strongly outweighs the bad.

Essay on Adoption

“Adoption may be defined as the process of providing parents for children and children for families when birth parents are unwilling or unable to care for their offspring.” Adoption has been practiced throughout history. In the past years adoption seemed to be a working solution to problem situations. In the late nineteenth century the United States legislature began to grant legal status to adoptive parents. By 1970 some 175,000 children were adopted in the United States. In recent years adoption has become a distinct benefit for thousands of children in need of parents (Bender 12).

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Bender states that there are more than a half-million children eligible for adoption in the United States. Americans adopt more than 100,00 children every year (13). For many children and adults the word adoption represents hope and joy. Approximately 440,000 grandparents, siblings, and other family members are affected by these adoption connections. Connections are really what the adoption process involves; in many cases, these bonds are joyful and life long (McKelvey XV). Olasky believes that adoption works well for the majority of adoptive children, for birth mothers, and for those who adopt children with special needs (24).

Adoption is a three-faced entity. The circumstances in any adoption affects three groups—the children, the adoptive parents, and the birth parents. All three groups have much to gain through the adoption process. Adoption is a sensitive subject that touches the hearts and souls of all three groups. It enriches the lives of all who are involved (Moe 42-43).

Adoption enables the lives of many children to be transformed. “Adoption offers children who are orphaned, abandoned, neglected, abused, or unwanted a chance to live in a stable, loving environment.” The adoptive parent-child union is commonly looked at as sanctified because the adoptive parents provide a needy infant with love, a home, and nurture. Studies indicate that adoption works well for the large majority of adoptive children. The adoptive children have parents to raise and love them as they grow up (Bender 261-262).

Adopted children have the potential to become blessed, healthy, and productive members of loving families. Being a member of a caring family can help them to become “responsible and compassionate adults capable of making positive contributions to their world while raising happy and healthy children of their own” (McKelvey x). Thousands of children throughout the world have been legally abandoned by their parents. “Adoption is right for some people.” Bill Berle, adopted son of Milton Berle, states that he had a good adoptive family. Without adoption, Bill Berle’s life might have been a lot worse and not as happy (Pro-Adoption Viewpoints 2-4).

A major concern and debate about adopted teenagers involves whether they will have problems growing up healthy and successful because of factors related to their adoption. Studies reveal that, on the average, adopted teens seem to be doing well. Half of adopted youth indicate they are as happy as their peers, and thirty-eight percent say they are happier. Adopted teenagers benefit from the vast support of family, friends, and other people involved in their lives. Being a part of a loving home enables the adopted children to be involved in positive, structured youth activities. Studies have indicated that adoption has helped many children to become stronger in their personal identity and self-esteem. They exhibit higher levels of caring and behavior that they, otherwise, might not have had (Bender 246-250).

McKelvey states that in America more than one million potential parents have a singular goal—to adopt a child. Adoption gives adoptive parents the wonderful chance to love and raise a child. Many aging baby boomers have found that their biological clock has run out. Other people who adopt may have infertility problems, and their dream of children may seem impossible. All of these people must turn to someone else to fulfill their dreams; adoption is their only hope of having a family (ix-x).

Infertile parents can acquire the parenting opportunity that they long for and can also gain a new understanding of their lost fertility (Bender 56-57). Studies indicate that some adoptive parents have biological children, but they feel that they have room for one more. Many adoptive parents adopt older children because of their concern for others. They want more children but do not want to add to the overpopulation of the world. Therefore, they become adoptive parents (Moe 2-4).

Bender contends that adoption provides the birth parents with the opportunity to gain control of their lives. By giving a child up for adoption, birth parents may feel like their child has a better future. Adoption enables them to give their child a nurturing home that they may not have been able to offer. Birth mothers will have a grieving time for the child who is adopted. Most of these mothers are glad that they have given the child a chance for a better life. Some birth mothers say, “I knew that something can hurt a lot and still be the right thing to do” (24-25, 56).

McKelvey states, “Hundreds of thousands of children spend their lives in limbo.” Society needs to continue the efforts to adopt children. Adoption enriches the lives of children, birth parents, and adoptive parents. “It is with knowledge and conviction that adoptive relationships can grow and mature. It is also important to remember the old adage: To change the world, start by changing just one child” (177-181).

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