Two days before Donald Trump got his Cheetos handed to him on Joe Biden’s platter, he issued the annual presidential proclamation in honor of National Adoption Month (NAM) , which is the same thing as National Adoption Awareness Month (NAAM) as far as I can tell. Both designations are commonly used and are interchangeable for most of us. It’s confusing, but then, adoption is confusing. Adoption is especially confusing for adoptees whose mothers loved them so much they gave them away. Especially confusing for adoptees who are so very special that their birth records are confiscated, sealed by the state, locked om top[ secret government vaults, and in most states available only to lucky bastards through loving bio parent consent or court order. Adoption is especially confusing for adoptees deemed “gifts” from God,who was distracted momentarily by the yakking-yak in His ear by football fans, test-takers, and foxhole converts, that he mistakenly put them in the wrong mommy’s tummy and had to create adoption agencies and lawyers and Rosie O’Donnell to teleport them to the right mommy’s heart.
Trump, of course, did not sit down on his toilet and write this proclamation between tweets. The job was delegated so some lowly sycophant or intern (who hadn’t bailed, Covided, or been fired yet ) and possessed a way with words. Words like “new beginnings,” “healing.” strengthen families,” prevent abuse and neglect, ”good news.” Our young sycophant urged us to support Melania Trump’s “Be Best” initiative even if nobody knows what that means or where it is. Trump-by-proxy referred to her only as “First Lady,” since, like his boss, he couldn’t remember her name.
There is nothing particularly different about this year’s NAM proclamation from last years, or 2018’s or for that matter from any other NAM kickoff in the last 30+ years. I think Obama’s 2010 release had a nicer approach, but both presidents’ statements might be hard to differentiate for the blindfolded. Both tied adoption to their political agendas. Obama hit on the Affordable Care Act. This year as last year, Trump tied adoption to abortion and clap-clapped his Executive Order: Strengthening the Child Welfare System for American Children which encouraged participation and loosened federal funding restraints on “faith-based” (ie, evangelical) agency and other non-profit adoption, foster, and child welfare missions.
My administration believes that every human life has inherent value, and encourages adoption as an alternative to abortion,” Trump said. “All children, born and unborn, deserve a chance to have a better, more prosperous future.
and later:
Adoption also offers a loving option for women who experience unexpected pregnancies or are unable to provide for their children. Every year, countless families -– including many who cannot have children of their own –- cherish the priceless gift of an adopted child. My Administration believes that every human life has inherent value, and encourages adoption as an alternative to abortion. All children, born and unborn, deserve a chance to have a better, more prosperous future. I commend the selfless men and women who preserve the majesty of God’s creation by providing children with a chance at a better life.
Kids in cages were overlooked. Perhaps Trump believes that living in a concentration camp is an improvement over a home with parents in one of his “shithole countries.”
The “pro-life’ forced birth mob as usual, wet-dreamed themselves. Lifenews.com headlined: President Trump Issues Proclamation Promoting Adoption as an Alternative to Abortion” giving the impression that the proclamation was specifically about abortion, which it was not. Numerous other Evangelical. Catholic Christian and anti-abortion news outlets as well as social media drones parroted adoption as a solution to abortion. I think they just re-wrote the White House press release to make it look like it came from them.
Eric Metaxas, a “Christian radio host and author, said that Trump turned away from New York liberalism and support for abortion due to Barron, who was a “surprise” baby. Can we blame the entire Trump administration on Barron?
I do think that he is different from the man he was 15 years ago,” Metaxas said. “For example, I think with the birth of his son Barron, he really became dramatically pro-life.” due to Barron.
Trump exhibited no similar abortion turn-off at the births of Don, Jr (whom he feared would “grow up to be an asshole“ according to Ivana Trump), Eric, Ivanka, and Tiffany, Not-Ivanka Trump.
Extra points to Trump for checking his Adoptee Bingo Card, naming us “priceless gifts.” I think “priced gifts” might be more appropriate since we aren’t just literal gifts from government and adoption agencies passed out to random passersby. That would be socialism.
In a little over 2 months, Joe Biden will be in charge. He will rescind a lot of Trump’s Executive Orders. Reportedly the Strengthening Child Welfare EO is on the chopping block. This is good news for adoptee rights activists and adoption and fostercare reform in general. Religious-based adoption and fostercare won’t go away, but it can be penned in—controlled. I expect a broader policy agenda to be established. And I expect to hear a lot of screaming.
I don’t expect Adoptee Atonement Month to be a thing.
‘ My administration believes that every human life has inherent value, and encourages adoption as an alternative to abortion,” Trump said. “All children, born and unborn, deserve a chance to have a better, more prosperous future.” your quote
One might ask the Donald just how children who are separated from mother, father, siblings, kith, and kin could possibly be harbinger of ‘a more prosperous future’…. But then Trump has always been the HYPOCRITE and LIAR throughout his life.
Whatever Joseph R. Biden, Jr, now US president -elect, may do for adoptees is for we the adoptees current and future…. not for advocates (unless of course they themselves are adopted)