OlderWed, 25 October 2006 at 10:39 am
Madonna Opens To Oprah
Just hours from now, The Oprah Show will air Madonna’s real-life confessions regarding the adoption of a 13-month-old boy,David Banda of Malawi. Here’s a couple of excerpts:
- On how she was drawn to David: “I’m financing a documentary about orphans in Malawi, so I was allowed to view footage and photographs of a lot of the children. An 8-year-old girl who is living with HIV was holding this child. I became transfixed by him. … But I didn’t yet know I was going to adopt him. I was just drawn to him.”
- On the reaction of her other two children, Lourdes and Rocco: “They just embraced him, and that’s the amazing thing about children. They don’t ask questions. They’ve never once said, ‘What is he doing here’, or mentioned the difference in his skin color, or questioned his presence in our life. That is an amazing lesson that children do teach us.”
- On David’s father being manipulated by the media: “I do not believe that is true. I sat in that room, I looked into that man’s eyes,” Madonna says. “I believe that the press is manipulating this information out of him. I believe at this point in time, he’s been terrorized by the media. They have asked him things, repeatedly, and they have put words in his mouth. They have spun a story that is completely false.”
- On begging others to adopt from Africa: “I beg all of those people to go to Africa and see what I saw and walk through those villages. … To see 8-year-olds in charge of households. To see mothers dying, with Kaposi sarcoma lesions all over their bodies. To see open sewages everywhere. To see what I saw. It is a state of emergency. As far as I’m concerned, the adoption laws have to be changed to suit that state of emergency. I think if everybody went there, they’d want to bring one of those children home with them and give them a better life.”
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46 Comments
Yes adoption is a beautiful thing Madonna, but what about donating some of your millions to rebuild the vilages, educate the people, give them clean water, electricity, and all the vital things they need to live healthy lives? Adoption is beautiul, but way more needs to be done. You’ve got the money so why not help.
Shete up
i have no doubt whatsoever thaty she means well but seriously how manty of this kids can be adopted not all and someone dies every second i am an african and i know what it is like in AFrica and i come fom the richest country but there is still hunger no electricity i, my fater was a doctor before he died so i could go the bset schools but once he died i knew whta it was not to have food or not knowing were my next meal will come from and my mom worked but cold never addup enough money and damn did she sacrifice alot , Africa can become alot better if the leaders were not so corrupt and selfish most of them have millios in accouts all over the world and some have been in power for forty yerars , all in all i want africans to know we are in charge of our destiny and no matter all the adoptions that are done there will still be th ellack of ammenities whom will do that we are still on the same issue for the last foty years it h as got to change i wish David the best i am not a fano f Madonna’s never have and never will be but i applaud her for what she has done but how many can truly be saved? That is the question you i, Madonna everyone do not know only time will tell.
(Yes adoption is a beautiful thing Madonna, but what about donating some of your millions to rebuild the vilages, educate the people, give them clean water, electricity, and all the vital things they need to live healthy lives? Adoption is beautiul, but way more needs to be done. You’ve got the money so why not help. ) MISSY
(Yes adoption is a beautiful thing Madonna, but what about donating some of your millions to rebuild the vilages, educate the people, give them clean water, electricity, and all the vital things they need to live healthy lives? Adoption is beautiul, but way more needs to be done. You’ve got the money so why not help. ) MISSY
well if you would read about her then you would know that she did give money so be for you post something make sure you have all the FASTS FIRST
I agree with missy.This isn’t Madonna-This is POVERTY!Let’s be angry at that,nobody wants to give up their children if they can help it,but I think she should have adopted a child who had no parents and no hope left…if she felt such a strong link to this boy ,why not sponsor him and his family ,as little as $20 a month would have enabled him to be back at home with his dad,still connected to his country,culture and blood.
However,I wish him all the health,love and happiness in this world.
Ah Madonna being Madonna…I think #1 & #2 encapsulate pretty much most of what there is to say… particularly #2.
It takes a lot to bring a kid in your life, it’s easier just to give money. Would Oprah adopt a kid? Bye.
No, Oprah is too busy with her dumb-ass dogs.
one question…(aside from the obvious…)
she’s 48… isn’t there an age limit to adopting a child?
not saying she’s not in great shape and all but…seriously…what kind of mother will she be when he’s 12 and still in need of parental supervision and she’s already hitting 60?
She just wants attention. She’s getting too old, and she just wants to be in the spot light! Get over it! Poor kid.
If the adoption laws in african countries need to be changed then fine, work within those countries to do so. Don’t play the role of the stupid arrogant american who comes and flout the laws of another country. Has madonna considered that the money and resources she paid to separate David from his father and heritage could have been spent bettering the lives of at least 10 children. The answers isn’t to remove children from their communities as we’ve seen done with Austrailia’s aborigines and America’s Inidians, but to better those communities thus bettering the kids lives. And there are age limits for most countries that allow international adoptions. 45 is the highest that we’ve seen. I think the only story being spun is this one.
Alright. I’ve been a lurker on JJ for a while now and I’ve not been tempted to post until this happened.
Madonna has done a wonderful thing. This kid would’ve languished in an orphanage until he turned 18 (if he lived that long). She’s giving him a life and opportunities he would not have had otherwise. Who knows, maybe because of her, he will become a doctor and go back to Malawi someday to save lives. Even if she supported the family, he still would be in a bad situation (poor education, exposed to AIDS and unsanitary living conditions, etc.). We should applaud people like Madonna, Angelina, and others who adopt.
Three of my four siblings are adopted. They still have living family, but were placed in foster care because their parents were unable to care for them. I shudder to think what might have happened to them if not for my parents. Situations like this are very common in the U.S. Why is it ok to adopt a child with living parents in the U.S., but not in Africa? I see David’s situation as no different than the situation of my own siblings.
I sincerely hope that Madonna ignores all the naysayers and continues to give the boy a chance in life. Hopefully, he will in turn improve the lives of others.
If the adoption laws in african countries need to be changed then fine, work within those countries to do so. Don’t play the role of the stupid arrogant american who comes and flout the laws of another country. Has madonna considered that the money and resources she paid to separate David from his father and heritage could have been spent bettering the lives of at least 10 children. The answers isn’t to remove children from their communities as we’ve seen done with Austrailia’s aborigines and America’s Inidians, but to better those communities thus bettering the kids lives. And there are age limits for most countries that allow international adoptions. 45 is the highest that we’ve seen. I think the only story being spun is this one.
14 | sharon |
Sharon: I would someday like to adopt, to give someone the chance that my parents gave to my siblings. I’ve done a lot of research into international adoption. 45 is the upper age limit for adopting an infant from most countries. However, as the child’s age increases, so does the eligible age of adoptive parents.
>
Right!! Don’t try to change the situation on the African continent, just bring all their people, especially those cute big-eyed kids, into a western industrialized country. *snort* Really, I never thought Madonna is THAT stupid.
look what angelina started. that kids father cant even take care of the child.. even if madonna gives the kid back, the father wont get him, he’ll go right back where he came from. **** she could adopt anyone from anywhere in the world. madonna save urself the headache give the kid back, and go adopt someone else.. the boy will grow up poor and with out a father, probably wont live to see 18
11 | zzZ |
Hey Angelina didnt START anything! She adopted her children by following the rules and those children are certainly blessed that she has them. They probably wouldnt be alive if they hadnt been. Certainly this is true of her daughter Zahara.
Perhaps you are referring to that tabloid story that claims Angelina persuaded Madonna to adopt in Africa? Yes, like anyone can make Madonna do anything. That story IS A LIE. Madonna told Oprah that she hasnt even met Angelina!
Im tired of Angie always being maligned by the tabs and by people who believe them.
SHAME ON ALL OF YOU who criticize a woman who is trying to give a child a bettter future when you are at home not willing to spend on red cent to help another not right here in the United States of America. So Madonna I commend you you are truely an inspiration.
It is a great thing that madonna did…HOWEVER…how many children are there in the United States without parents or hopes of being adopted?? Why would you adopt a child who has a father already? why not take a child home who has absolutely no one left in his life? I still don’t understand why celebrities think it is cool and great to adopt children outside of the United States…there are millions of American children who are hurting just as much as children from third world countries.
It is a great thing that madonna did…HOWEVER…how many children are there in the United States without parents or hopes of being adopted?? Why would you adopt a child who has a father already? why not take a child home who has absolutely no one left in his life? I still don’t understand why celebrities think it is cool and great to adopt children outside of the United States…there are millions of American children who are hurting just as much as children from third world countries.
20 | brass
Brass: I can’t speak for any celebrities, just for myself. I intend to adopt internationally someday, rather than domestically. I’ve chosen to do so because of the atrocious adoption laws in the United States. Biological parents and family members in this country are given extreme preferential treatment in adoption cases. My parents were involved in a nasty fight to get my 3 siblings. It’s almost as if the U.S. government is on a mission to prevent domestic adoptions. Potential adoptive parents have to jump through hoop, after hoop, after hoop in this country. It’s ridiculous. International adoption is faster, easier, and safer.
Plus, adopting an infant domestically is very hard. There is a long waiting list for infants. Internationally, there is no waiting list.
me-you are right.
21 | me | 10/25/06 1:14 PM |
glad you decided to post instead of just lurking - your comment was appreciated - at least by me. Thanx for your sincere input.
Seems to me that David’s father may have misunderstood some aspects of the “adoption” - like thinking his educated son would come back some day and work in the fields with him - to make a statement like that shows he really didn;t get the big picture - maybe he thought education means just a few years - long enought to read a little and write. He also said that he would want to go visit David — on 50 cents a day how did he expect to pay the airfare - maybe he thought from the beginning that David’s adoption would be a finacial boon for all his family - hopefully they will be better off - Madonna has said that he can visit David anytime and that she plans on visiting the village with David frequently — I think the whole thing is a big misunderstanding and hopefully it will be resolved. There could also be problems from the religious point of view - he was in a Christian orphange - it sounds like his family is Christian and his father said he was told that a nice Christian lady wanted to adopt David - not the switcheroo to Kabalah or whatever they call it - that may not set well with and devout christian family.
It’s very unfortunate that this Madonna adoption thing has gotten so much bad publicity. People should focus on the terrible AIDS problem in Africa and how they can help donate and educate the people living in those countries. That is really where the problem lies.
The media needs to leave Madonna alone.
Adopting a child internationally can be extremely expensive. I know 4 families that adopted this way and they all had to pay over $20,000 and it did take some time. My husband was adopted in the state of Oregon and his adopted parents had little trouble with the process. Many times it depends on which state that you’re in. I think that it might be more difficult to adopt these days because there have been many cases of abuse. It really doesn’t matter where these children are, they just need loving homes.
She does nothing for anyone if she is not getting something for it!!! In this case all the eyes are on her again….She is a big ***** who slept her way to the top and poor guy he is a dumb ass if I ever saw one….money can buy you anything….
While I agree with Sharon’s and Carrie-Ann’s thoughts on the subject I would have to say that dj (comment #3) nailed it.
On the surface it’s hard to be critical of Madonna for reasons many have already outlined (giving a child a good home etc etc etc) but I can’t uncritically support her, Angelina, Meg Ryan or any of the other celebs who have adopted internationally ~ the unnervingly trendy aspect of international adoption notwithstanding.
The entire transaction (and I say transaction since the child was essentially purchased) smacks of elitism and neo-colonial exploitation and appropriation and for that reason I cannot wholeheartedly embrace it like all the Oprah disciples will.
She’ll stick the kid with a nanny and once the “adopt a baby from
Africa” trend dies out, she’ll move on to the next celeb cause du
jour. These celebrities do more harm than good. Sure, they shed
light, but the people exposed to all this light become cynical very
quickly because the motive for most celebrities in doing things like
this is to get attention for themselves–it’s so transparent.
Madonna’s whole career is based on publicity stunts, so when she
all of the sudden out of nowhere decides to be a humanitarian it
rings false. Her old antics don’t work, and she sees all the
attention Angelina is getting, so now we have Mother Madonna
adopting the poor African baby. I’m all for helping others but I do
think one’s motives for doing so should be pure and not a means
to promote yourself, which by going on Oprah she is clearly doing.
Madonna must be reveling in all the attention she is getting. I
doubt few people will even focus on the poverty problem because
the lionshare of the attention will be on Madonna, which is exactly
what she wanted all along.
Can’t believe that this is happening in front of the whole world and not one person with the power is doing anything about it.
I mean we all see the wrong here don’t we? Any person with any decent morals could see it. I mean how can she not see it her self.
Poor man. Though I’m glad that his child is away from all the poverity, regardless no one should be taken away from there family.
Soooooo, did O’ ask Madge anything about BAMZS??
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