People seem to leap to the conclusion that whites are the ones opposed to the crossing of races. In 1978, the INdian Child Welfare Act was passed to "strengthen and preserve Native American families and culture."
Adoptions, placements, all are heard in a tribal council. The tribe has to give permission to remove a child from a home, and then it requires placement with extended family or another tribe member. The US courts have to turn all cases over to the tribal council.
I don't know enough about this to have a legitimate opinion. I just read about it last night, but I was sort of nonplussed to learn of it. A few years ago there was a lot of hoopla here in Texas when blacks were demanding that black children only be adopted by blacks families. Unfortunately, there weren;t enough black families willing to do this, and so the children languished in the foster care system. Adoptive parents, willing to love any child, regardless, were furious.
It's an interesting question.
Yesterday, I heard on the Dallas news that the Indian Guide and Indian Princesses, groups that almost all the kids we know participated in with their fathers and loved it, were sued by Native Americans and are now forced to change their names ( I think to Y Guides and Princesses).
This was such a positive organization, and really a tribute to Native Americans as it exemplified GOOD qualities. What were they upset about? The stereotype, I guess-- but doesn't it seem like if you want to preserve your culture so purely, it is bound to lead to stereotyping in some ways? |
