Who is this idiot???
Please send your thoughts to the Lafollette Press in Campbell County, TN. The editor is Linn Hudson. You can email her at lhudson@lafollettepress.com

Just outrageous!!!

BIG BABY GIRL SALE - ONLY $17,000! - Jim Dossett

The Chinese have given us many things; gunpowder, spaghetti, woks,
Jackie Chan. Oh yes, they've also been delighted to give us their
discarded children. Actually, they're delighted to sell us their
kids. And government officials have laid down new ground rules for
foreigners who want to adopt children from China's overflowing
orphanages.

Prospective adoptive parents must not be obese; no more than 50
years old; must not take antidepressants; must not have severe
facial deformities. So the bottom line is, if you take up two seats
on a plane, are a member of AARP, take Prozac, or resemble the
Elephant Man - No Chinese kids for you!

Mind you, these edicts are issued by a culture where parents
traditionally leave female babies at orphanages or by the roadside
because they wanted a son, or because the government allows them
only one child. Ninety-five percent of the children available for
adoption are girls. I'm amazed that one of the world's oldest
civilizations, dating back to more than six millennnia, still
doesn't realize that women are the best of us all.

I doubt whether many Campbell Countians would be eligible to adopt a
Chinese baby - not because we're fat, old, or grotesquely deformed -
but because it costs more to buy a child in China than many of us
make in a year.

According to Chinese baby brokers, the estimated total cost of a no-
frills adoption, not including travel, is about $12,000. The
estimated total cost plus travel for two is $17,120.00 - such a deal.

"End of Year Sale! Get your certified, pre-owned girl child for the
amazing price of $17,120! She's a beauty despite a few minor
scratches and dents, but comes with a manufacturer' s warranty - no
surprises under the hood or the diaper!"

Once the bucks are shelled out for the kiddie commodity, who knows
where the money ends up. Maybe some of the cash trickles into the
new charity created by the China Center for Adoption Affairs. This
burgeoning group of capitalists is hopeful the charity will improve
conditions in orphanages and "keep infants and young children alive
and well enough to be adopted." It makes you wonder about the fate
of toddlers who are not well.

Despite the high costs and stringent rules issued by the baby
dealers, childless couples from the U.S. and around the world still
flock to China in hopes of bringing baby home. God bless you decent
souls. Stick religiously to your pretrip diets of carrot sticks and
cottage cheese and look forward to the fat and happy times you'll
have raising your baby girl!


Someone wrote the editor to complain and here is the editor trying to justify the situation.

--- Linn Hudson wrote:

> Thank you for submitting your thoughts on Jim
> Dossett's opinion piece
> that appeared on the editorial page of our
> newspaper. Please accept
> my personal apology over this matter. I have spoken
> with Jim and he
> also apologizes.
>
> Jim's comments were aimed at the Chinese government
> and its policies
> for adoptions. He did not intend to disparage these
> children and
> their adoptive parents.
>
> Jim's intent with this opinion piece was not to
> criticize, ridicule
> or offend adoptive children and their adoptive
> parents.
>
> Jim himself was adopted as a child. Due to this
> experience, Jim
> respects and admires those who adopt on a local,
> national or
> international level.
>
> While we take full responsibility for any item
> appearing in the
> newspaper, for clarification purposes Jim is an
> independent columnist
> and is not an employee of the newspaper.
>
> Once again, your feedback is appreciated and will
> help us as we deal
> with sensitive topics in the future.
>
> --
> Linn Hudson
> LaFollette Press
>
>
> Sarah,
>
> We have spoken with at least one family in Campbell
> County who has
> adopted a daughter from China. We will be running
> their positive and
> uplifting story in an upcoming issue.
>
> -- Linn
>