Just a few notes. 20 years later.
So many have said it so much better than I can today. So I will just share something that always bothers me.....
There are 88,000 children in foster care in Canada (I believe the number is significantly higher because there are 30,423 children in foster care in Ontario alone and the numbers are similar in Alberta); of these, 49 per cent are "Crown Wards". In other words the Government is 'looking after' 49% of children in foster care.
It is far too easy to remove children from their homes. 25,000 are in foster care because their mothers are in jail - often on minor charges while legal processes delay. Abandonment issues are not considered or recognized.
43% of children in foster care are violently abused.
Thousands of children in foster care are waiting for adults to "roll the dice" on their future.
Another report suggests that 43 per cent of these children experience violence in the foster care setting.
These children exist in Ottawa and every city in Canada. Their plight has not been brought to public attention. They are children who have fallen through the cracks.
Meanwhile, there are 22,000 foster children in Canada actively awaiting adoption. Every year.
"Well-loved children grow into adults who do not build concentration camps, do not rape and do not murder,"
"The most important factor is that there are fewer unwanted children, fewer
children likely to be abused, brutalized or neglected ...Henry Morgentaler.
We still have too many children that are not well loved.
Imagine how many there would be if women could not make a choice?
Imagine how many women would be dead because they could not deal with life threatening complications? And then imagine how many women's lives would be shattered because they are punished again and again for the result of an act of violence?
Thank you Dr Morgentaler. I am one of those who will always have your back.
In the meanwhile, 22,000 children wait.
So sad
and completely overlooked in this issue of choice. The anti's always want to try to talk women into adoption instead of abortion, well look at all the children who already need a loving home, tens of thousands of them.
And don't forget
All the homeless toys. Sheeesh. that was a really galling ad the fundies ran.
Just look away from all the children living in poverty, and all the children who have no home. Its the TOYS that matter!
(Not to say that all children born into poverty are unwanted.
Love knows no monetary boundaries.)
Powers that be, powers of three, keep me strong during this insanity......