[smbcpc]

I just read an article on CNN about a couple who was auctioning an item on Ebay as a fundraiser to help pay their fees for adoption from Guatemala. However, Ebay removed the auction, saying that they violated its policy on charitable auctions. The article is in the U.S. section of CNN in case you are interested in reading it. What is your opinion about it?

[specialk4b]

I think it's a novel way to raise money for their adoption. More power to them.

I know that eBay is kinda picky about what they allow. A friend of mind auctioned a KC Chiefs pad of post-it notes on eBay for several hundred dollars. Why did he get so much? Because the winning bidder got a pair of ticket to a Chiefs game .

I did hear that this couple moved thier auction to a different bidding site. Should be a good game this weekend - Go Blue!!!

[oleson1]

I think it kind of stinks that they pulled it. People put stupid stuff on ebay all the time (Remember Britney Spears pregnancy test???) for personal monetary gain, why should it matter that they were going to use the money for their adoption?

The value of ANYTHING is what one person is willing to pay for it. I could auction off my empty water bottle -- it might be worth nothing to me, but the value may be a million dollars to the right bidder. Just my opinion.

BTW, Karen.... You are right, it will be a good game this weekend, but I'm expecting Ohio State to win!

[sakelley]

Karen,
I knew there was a reason I liked you. Go Blue I can't wait for the game to be over. I am so sick of hearing Ohio State this, Ohio State that - sometimes it really sucks living in Ohio.

[Lissa]

Unfortunately there are many people who troll Ebay trying to find adoption fundraisers so they can report them in order to prevent people from adopting. Just sad and pathetic.

[smbcpc]

Are you serious, Lissa? People actually do that? I wonder what motivates them to be so cruel when it comes to adoption (or is it just foreign adoption?). It really is pathetic.

[chinagirl2006]

In the past I've noticed alot of couples sell items that are in their house on eBay to raise money for their adoption (like old stuff from basket parties, candle parties, etc). I haven't been seeing it as much lately. If what Lissa says is correct, that might be why. That's terrible! If someone wants to buy something you have, who cares if its for adoption or not.

[specialk4b]

Originally Posted by Lissa

Unfortunately there are many people who troll Ebay trying to find adoption fundraisers so they can report them in order to prevent people from adopting. Just sad and pathetic.

Lissa, who do they report them to? Forgive me if I'm naive, but is fundraising a problem with agencies or countries?

[Bug-n-Bears-Mommy]

That is funny because there are many people who sell on e-bay and list as "adoption fundraiser". I know because I often look there for different adoption related items. The only time I ever saw anything I thought was HORRIBLE was a woman who was asking paople to buy her infertility story for $15k. She went on and on about how she was infertile and lived in a run down house and was on a limited income and could not afford to raise the money to pay for adoption, but wanted a child. First of all, I thought it was absurd to sell a sob story, and second of all, if she was in that dire of straights, what kind of environment would an adopted child be raised in. It just reeked of a scam to me.

[SofiasMom]

I think the issue for E-bay was a legal issue and has to do with IRS rules and using the word "fundraising" which is associated with charities.

from the CNN website:

"According to its Web site, eBay has specific guidelines for charitable fundraising because the area is subject to many U.S. state and federal laws. "

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by smbcpc

Are you serious, Lissa? People actually do that? I wonder what motivates them to be so cruel when it comes to adoption (or is it just foreign adoption?). It really is pathetic.

YUP, some people actually do that. Not sure how they report them as I am not a big EBAYer. (Is that a word?) But I occassionally lurk on anti-adoption sites and I actually saw where on one of them they had targeted that very auction before it went down.

[oleson1]

Originally Posted by Lissa

But I occassionally lurk on anti-adoption sites

Now I'm the one who feels naive...
There are anti-adoption sites out there???
Unbelievable... I guess some people will find a "cause" in anything...

[smbcpc]

Originally Posted by oleson1

Now I'm the one who feels naive...
There are anti-adoption sites out there???
Unbelievable... I guess some people will find a "cause" in anything...

Unfortunately there are. I just googled "anti adoption" and found quite a few sites with a mission of abolishing adoptions all together. Their reasons vary but in my opinion they are completely distorted and do not make sense. That's scary stuff.