Russian Bloggers React to the American Adoption Ban

No one will be hurt, except for the Russian orphans.

I just wonder: who will dare to go to [orphanages and visit] the disabled children, the legless ones, with dry arm or with a cleft lip, the visually impaired – those children who believe that the day will come and they will be taken away by new mom and dad? Who will go and say to them: kids, it’s canceled!

I think that the good way to respond to this mess is to boycott Putin’s Olympics.

Well, the law which Duma called after the tragically killed Dima Yakovlev, and which in Internet was tagged “the law of scoundrels” was adopted in the second reading with 401 votes “for” and 4 votes “against.”

I was struck by one thing in all this. Dima Yakovlev died on July 8, 2008. Four years passed from that date. In July 2012 Russia formally ratified an agreement with the United States on cooperation in the field of adoption. It was a serious document, details of which were worked out for over a year.

But few months later the situation changes dramatically and Duma bans the adoptions. What happened? They say there is a problem: our children are taken, tortured and killed. But listen, was the situation different six months ago (in July 2012), when you signed an agreement? Apparently, it is not about Dima Yakovlev or other adopted Russian children. It’s about Magnitsky bill stepping on someone’s toes.

I don’t understand why, when the law is received, those people whose interests are directly influenced by that law are regarded in the last place? Why nobody thinks of children?

If Americans are banned to adopt from Russia – the majority of our children without mother and father won’t have a chance for a brighter future.

The orphaned boys and girls will not have a loving family, big house and good education.

The unfortunate sick kids will not have good medical support and potent drugs. They will never become equal citizens of the country, [instead they will be] condemned to suffering and struggle for their entire life. And they will not have any hope of recovery.

We have people who are considered second-class citizens, at whom we are afraid to look without lowering eyes, vulnerable and poor people, who all their life fight for a place under the sun. And somewhere out there, outside of our country, these people often don’t even need to think about their flaws, and others don’t point at them fingers. They just live their life and believe that they are like anybody else. And actually they are.

I believe that we should prohibit, or better to say “not allow” any foreigners adopt Russian children. ANY, not just American.

Our population diminishes disastrously.
So what the …………….., do we give our children to all sorts of crappy countries? Our little blondes and blue-eyed …

The argument of liberals: their life will be better there.
But, to hell, we have decent oil and gas revenues, just fat-ass Gazprom can for its dollars directly subsidize five-star orphanages.

Do not send our children abroad. Here is my suggestion. In general. No one. In my opinion it is obvious. Only morons can continue discussions on this topic.

The fact that there are so many orphans in Russia is our national shame and tragedy. The behavior which is now demonstrated by our officials is not just unworthy of the great nation, it is unworthy of any civilized country. Making from children hostages to avenge for the personal grievances [ed: of officials hurt by Magnitsky bill] is cannibalism and meanness. I can only hope that this law will not be accepted after all. Eventually, if the common sense does not prevail, then at least the conscience should.

Americans, Shmamericans … I don’t care about them! And about the resentments of our officials as well! Think about children! Children, who are ours, but unfortunately unwanted by us. They are not guilty of anything. They are not the state resource. They have no nationality. They all, without exception, have the right to live with dignity and happiness.

I know only two organizations in the world which are ready to destroy their OWN children to scare the enemies – it is Hamas and United Russia [ed: the ruling party in Russia].

Our government is launching a very foolish law. It’s foolish, because on the one hand, it certainly will solve the problem of children abuse in the United States (since Americans no longer will be able to adopt our children), but it will not solve the issue of possible abuse in other countries. And it definitely will hurt those children who have had at least some minimal hope for adoption.

This fuss looks especially frustrating, because it is not reaction to the murder of Dima Yakovlev, but reaction to the frozen accounts of some members of Russian officialdom. That is, if MPs would be outraged by murder or beating of another adopted child and accepted such law, it somehow could be understood. But when they are outraged by the “Magnitsky bill” – it looks very disgusting. However, we are all used to it.

Reaction to the “law of Dima Yakovlev” prohibiting adoptions by Americans, demonstrated one paradoxical thing: people of all political stripes believe that living in Russia is punishment. It’s actually an amazing sight when all political factions of Russia were suddenly distracted from their fuss for “freedom”, “power” and “workers’ rights” and in one voice said: “We’ve got some f**king shame here. At least, don’t touch children, let them live like people in America!”

Such a national moment of truth with a rare solidarity between the “nightingale” of the regime Maxim Kononenko and the ultra-liberal activists, between the nationalists and the communists, the democrats and the supporters of dictatorship. The whole country, from the capital to the inhabitants of remote provinces suddenly stopped pretending and admitted that, indeed, leaving the orphans to live in Russia – is the pure torture.

To the absurd and unjust step of Americans, the Russian legislators also responded unreasonably – in the style of “you are yourself fool” reply based on emotions and not the rational calculations. From the state government one would expect sober approach and not hysteria.

We should hit the vulnerable points of the U.S. – its economic interests and finance, rather than speculating on the infamous sale of Russian orphans. The ban on adoptions of orphans abroad should be put on its own and long time ago – to stop the vicious practice of selling the live goods, reminiscent of the slave trade.