Ignorant Paula Zahn helps expose uninformed self-proclaimed race/ adoption "experts"

So today out on the intertwine, the adoptive community and Chinese adoptive community in particular is buzzing about an interview done by Paula Zahn last night. Here is an excerpt that helps to explain why people are so upset.

ZAHN: Let's bring in tonight's "Out in the Open" panel, Cenk Uygur, a host of "The Young Turks" on the Air America Radio Network, Solangel Maldonado, an associate law professor at Seton Hall Law School, and Roland Martin, executive editor of "The Chicago Defender" newspaper, and host of "The Roland S. Martin Show."

MARTIN: OK, why? What's the big deal with Chinese children? Enlighten me, please, help me out.

ZAHN: You understand this better than anybody. Why don't we see more Americans adopting black foster children?

MARTIN: That's my point. What's the big deal with Chinese children? Why the infatuation?

ZAHN: You think it's something with the color of their skin? Is that what you're driving at?

MARTIN: Maybe they think they can adopt a smart kid that is going to grow up to be a doctor? I don't know. They need to realize that's called training, not just inherent, it will happen when they're born.Angel, help me out.

MALDONADO: Absolutely. This is something I've been looking into for a long time. Americans have this love affair with girls from China. There is this belief, this perception, irrational as it might be that if you adopt a little girl from China, she's going to be intelligent, she's going to be more lovable.

MARTIN: Like the porcelain doll.

MALDONADO: We definitely see that idea of the beautiful Chinese little girl, as compared to do, they really want to adopt a black boy.


ZAHN: What are some of the other assumptions you think people in America make about the native intelligence of children based on whether you're Hispanic - We had a guest on the other night when you were with us suggesting that Hispanic parents don't take education as seriously as some other sets of our population. There's a very complicated picture here.



Wow. Let me say that again. Wow. I thought I had seen and heard some super ignorant comments about adoption before but this takes the cake. Do people really think that parents that adopt from China are looking for upgrading to a smarter, doll like child? Really?
What about not wanting to deal with the unpredictable private or open adoptions? What about wanting to give a child opportunities they wouldn't have in their current situation? What about wanting to deal with a program that is well established, that (until recently) was timely and easy to be accepted into. What about the celebrities who drop into orphanages and "shop" for a kid? Ugh. This whole conversation was disgusting and helped to spread more misconceptions. And this was CNN? This was not responsible journalism. If they were going to have a conversation about people who adopt- where was our representation? And who were these people to discuss this issue on international television? No one who participated in it had the background to discuss this issue. This is just what this community needs- more negative publicity. Do we need to aggravate the Chinese anymore- with journalism like this? Ugh.