We need to have a conversation, but it's one that neither you nor I want to have. It's uncomfortable, it's unnerving, it's painful, and it involves two of our least favorite topics, suffering children and murdered babies. Yet if we don't talk about it, how can we ever hope to change anything or make it better for anyone?
I don't like clichés, but in this case its accurate to say, "it's for the children."
You see, one of the main arguments made by abortion proponents is that the foster care system is overloaded and it ends up dumping kids into group homes or letting them run homeless. This, they say, is so much worse of a life that abortion becomes "merciful." No, I'm NOT kidding, they really say it, and the TRULY believe it. I know, I know, but they do.
Now, I suppose a little background is in order so that people don't think I'm just talking out of my fourth point of contact. We were a foster family multiple times when I was growing up, and more than once my brother or I brought home a "stray" to live on our couch and put their lives back in order. The term isn't used as a pejorative, but rather as a provocative. I'm goading you into an emotional response in order to ask the next question. Ready?
"Why do we as a people seem to be so much more concerned about stray animals, who are much better equipped to make it on their own in the wild, than we are with stray children who are just trying to live, learn, and carve out a future for themselves?"
So while I don't believe that MURDERING A BABY is better than a life that is not well off, I do believe that we, as a society, need a serious attitude and focus readjustment to realize that children need parents, parents need children, and that children ARE NOT JUST SOME BURDEN TO BE AVOIDED. Is it any wonder why we have such high rates of childhood homelessness with a societal attitude like that?
But there is also a myth out there that this is the BIGGEST reason why we have these high homeless children rates. It's because people don't WANT to foster or adopt. They don't WANT to be a part of the solution. Yet from all of my experience, it's not true in a general sense.
My best friend recently took in a young transgender teenager, whose step-father had died from an overdose, and whose mother ended up in the hospital due to an overdoes in response to that death. Yes, EVERY SINGLE CONCEIVABLE strike against this child for fostering / adoption: age, issues, drugs in the family, and others and yet, someone was willing to take them in and parent them. Sounds like a happy ending, right?
Well, it turns out not so much.
You see CPS, like they often, if not always, seem to do, deemed them an improper home. Was it due to a legal issue? Nope, clean criminal records. Was it due to a past child issue? Nope, three kids, one finishing up college and three Disney internships, one starting her own business while in high school, and one who is autistic and who is loved by everyone that meets him. Was it due to the biological parents fighting it? Nope, the mother couldn't care less.
So what was it? What brought his happy story to an end? It's much sadder than you think...
You see, CPS (yes, it's always government involvement) decided, in all of the infinite wisdom, that these parents of three, with 15 years of special needs experience, one of whom works in a SCHOOL, while the other has over two decades in the HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, need to take their "parenting classes" so that they can become "certified" to host foster children. That certification includes an in home, "inspection," and all kinds of other unbelievable and intrusive stipulations including subjecting yourself to unannounced inspections of your home and family by the "authorities." (No, this was not in Texas)
Now, why is it that we can't find enough foster parents?
And don't even get me started on the cost of adoption. Oh yes, it can be mitigated, by doing foster to adopt, but that comes with a ton of heartbreak and subjecting yourself to the above. Most people just say, "pass," and I can't blame them.
You see, THIS is where the real fight is for those of us who truly want to move and advance the football against abortion and abortion providers. We DESPERATELY need to fix a wholly and completely broken foster care system and adoption mechanism in this country so that more of these children can have forever homes and families, even if they aren't blood related. It's a beautiful thing when someone says, "Come here, you're mine because I choose you, not just because I birthed you." We could have so much more of that, but that requires change.
Yes, it is time for us to stand up and begin to demand better adoption laws, foster laws, and a change in emphasis on the part of CPS to place children in forever homes, not just temporary foster care while hoping that things can get straightened out for them somewhere else.
Further, we need an orphan clause in our adoption laws that allows for government funds to cover adoption costs for those who have no immediate family, and whose extended family refuses to take them. Throwing them into a group home where you have astronomical run away and suicide rates is not a good answer, especially when there are lots of people who would love to open their homes and hearts if the government would just GET OUT OF THE WAY.
Which leads me to the reason for the title of this article. While we sort through all of the above, and the situation gets worse, abortion providers and advocates are able to say, "See, they're better off being aborted than living through that." So yes, our inability to engage on THIS front is leading to a losing battle on the other. If we focus on solving THIS problem, then we cut the legs out from under the other side and their narrative of "abortion is better than poverty" argument.
While the bureaucrats pat themselves on the back for "protecting the kids," the kids are suffering and the babies are being murdered all while barren families, and a large number of empty nesters, pine away to fill their homes with children, laughter, and love. It's an unbelievable tragedy, but it's not a surprise, after all, they're from the Government, and they're here to help.
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