[ocracoke]

I have to agree with Karyn too. It is not about discrimination at all. It is about pride. Ethiopians do not want to be seen as having to get rid of their children due to poverty and disease. They understand that by getting rid of their children they are getting rid of their future leaders. And I think there are many countries that do not allow you to take custody of your children until you are ready to leave the country. The other thing to keep in mind is that we do not have a "right" to adopt children from a different country. It is a privilege. It is a privilege that we get approved for by going through the home study process. And ultimately, it is the decision of the sending country who gets to adopt their children -- even if we have been approved by our country. We can be denied for any reason - whether we think it is valid or not. For instance, Korea won't adopt to people with a BMI over a certain amount. Me being fat does not affect my ability to parent but it is a rule Korea has and I have no say if it is fair or not. Ethiopia and every other country has the right (and some might say the duty) to set their adoption rules to reflect their values and we either abide by them or don't gain the privilege to adopt from there.

JMO,
Samantha