Couples ally to publicize foreign adoption plights
International dispute holds up some visas
By Rachel McGrath
Correspondent
Monday, January 14, 2008
The goal is to try and persuade broadcast organizations and media personalities to publicize what’s happening to them and why, and to bring public pressure to bear on government officials so they can bring their children home.
2 Responses
I feel for these families. I cannot imagine the difficulty they have faced throughout their situations, and I understand their desire to broaden the base of public support via the media. However, a generalization like this from the article’s author is just poor journalism, IMHO: “[Attorney] Zengerle blamed the roadblock on…souring of relations between the U.S. and Vietnamese governments.” And, also, the subtitle: “International dispute holds up some visas.” What exactly is the interntional dispute and/or souring of relations between governments that is referenced? This type of coverage, I believe, is part of the reason the public, at times, seems so misinformed about international adoption. A very specific occurrence of NOIDs being issued to families who have adopted Vietnamese children does not rise to the level of two entire governments not getting along. What ever happened to fact-checking?
Gina,
I only wanted to add that it is not only the public that “seems so misinformed about international adoption,” but the very participants directly involved, I.E. PAPs, former PAPs, etc. I feel it is a sad state of affairs we are in if we have to turn to blog sites to rely on information gathering, because the very source of the information just isn’t available. It is sad that we have to hire lawyers and use the media to get any information, or answers from our own government agencies. I am not supporting unethical reporting, but my hope for the future is that we are kept informed by the very people whom are handeling these adoption cases, so we do not have to “bring in the troops,” to get our concerns noticed.