Against Stupidity...

IN THE PAST twenty years, approximately sixty thousand russian children have been adopted by american families. One of my good friends and his wife adopted a kid from the ukraine several years ago, and it seems to be working out fine.

The kid's name is ivan, or some such, he was about five years old when brought to america, and by now he must be in high school.Next time i talk to my friend I'll get caught up.

You hope all sixty thousand russian kids are thriving in america, and, as an american, i am convinced they are. The american adoptive families are chosen carefully and approved by very serious, selective scrutizining russians.

My friend had to go through hell to get his kid. At least two separate trips to the ukraine, endless interviews and inspections, paperwork, and bribes. Bordering on extortion and blackmail. Somehow, he endured it all, because he knew what he wanted.

The stupid diplomatic squabble between the united states and rusiia is abnormally tragic, because as part of it the russians have stopped all adoptions to americans. how tragic, how stupid. Ever since the break up of the soviet union, economic conditions in russia have mandated the adoption program.

we sincerely hope that russia improves its economy enough to keep its own kids. mr putin said something to the effect that many countries have a higher standard of living than russia, but that doesn't necessairly mean that russian children should be sent to america.

Then why have you been sending them, mr putin? Sir? what drivel. it all  started when the united states sanctimoniously asserted that any russian government official who is a known violater of human  rights will be given less favorable diplomatic status by the high and mighty united states of america, as if the high and mighty aint got no human rights problems of its own to focus on.

Well, a plague on both parties, the  respective  governments. There's plenty of blame to go around. The more people who come to america from abroad, the richer america is because of it. And the mroe americans travel and visit the world, well, we hope the world is richer, somehow, for this.

Against stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain   -agathon