Randman's World

Ok, maybe I'm not the most unbiased person when it comes to the topic, having been adopted, and having adopted my beautiful son. But, can everyone just get off of Madonna's back?

Look, I'm no fan of Madonna. I've always found her to be an egocentric, no talent publicity whore, who would never have found her fame if she hadn't exploited her sexuality at every turn.

But, I couldn't be happier for her adoption of little David Banda. Not for her, but for David.

Having been to an orphanage in Russia, seen the children there, dying a bit inside because I couldn't take them all home, I celebrate every time I hear about one of the kids from Astrakhan getting adopted and coming home to America.

But, as poor as that orphanage was, I'm sure it was nothing compared to the orphanages in Malawi. Madonna has taken little David out of there, and given him a chance for a life. And that is something to celebrate.

But Randy, aren't you worried about the kind of life and care he's going to receive, living with Madonna? Are you kidding? In Malawi, his mother died after his birth. He had two siblings who died of malaria. His father took him to an orphanage, because he couldn't care for him. What kind of life did he have in front of him? If Madonna sticks him with a nanny, in a mansion in London, and never ever visits him again, it's a better life than he was going to have.

Bur Randy, isn't Madonna just doing this for publicity? Why do we have to assign everything a person does evil intent. Maybe, just maybe, we can give this woman a slight amount of credit that she fell in love with this child, and wanted to help him. I know how that feels, because while I was in the process of adopting Charlie, I saw a little girl in his room in the orphanage. She was cute, smiled at me, and we played a little game of peek a boo while the orphanage workers were waking Charlie. If I could have, I would have taken her home with Charlie. Thankfully, she also has been adopted and come home with a new mommy.

And, according to Hello!, Madonna had made two trips to Malawi concerning the adoption before the news ever broke. So maybe, just maybe, this media obsessed woman wasn't trying to do something for her career. Maybe she just wants to help a child.

But Randy, why should she get preferential treatment? Do you think she bribed someone? Shouldn't she have to wait 18 months? Yeah, let's do that. Let's make David sit in an orphanage for another 18 months before he can have the possibility for a life. That will do him so much good. Build character. Heck, the chances of a third child in that family contracting malaria and dying couldn't be that big. And I'm sure that Madonna will move to Malawi for 18 months. No problem. No chance that if they impose that requirement, she will back out. And bribery? Face it, people. The entire adoption process is about bribery. It's a dirty little secret. It's something I knew when we went to Russia. It's something that was driven home during a certain part of our trip. Madonna's contributions to that country absolutely influenced the government to speed up the process.

But, the thing you have to ask is "What is best for this child?" If this is what it takes for a person of Madonna's wealth to get this child (and apparently, the possibility of another little girl is in the works) into a safe, loving and healthy home, so be it. It may not be fair, but it is best for David. And that's what matters.