Aren't you proud as an American to be a classless society?
But like all people, we learn to separate, to judge, to make decisions about who is like us and not. Whether we want to admit it or not. We can slice and dice in different ways: ethnicity, gender, finances, religion, speech, education. We see some as "less than," and others as being or having more.
When Bob Hope died at the age of 100, CNN's obituary said this:
"During the run of the show, Hope met nightclub singer Dolores Reade. They married on February 19, 1934, and eventually adopted four children: Linda (born in July 1939), Anthony (July 1940), Kelly (July 1946) and Nora (August 1946)."
CNN, BBC, The New Yor Times, Wikipedia all state that he and Dolores adopted 4 children, sometimes even listing the name of the orphanage! They don't say he is survived by 4 children, or had 4 children, but adopted 4 children. What is the point? The oldest of his children, Linda, was by then 64 years old. Bob Hope died at 100, and his eldest child was probably a grandmother herself. Yet she still could not be considered just his daughter, but had to be qualified as his adopted daughter. Or maybe it was important to announce to everyone that Bob and Dolores were infertile? Are they better people because they adopted? or did they simply want children like you and me and him and her?
Do you think of adopted children as not "real" children? Do you think that a birthed child and his adopted sibling aren't "real" brother and sister? Have you ever said of adoptive parents, that they don't have any children "of their own?" Is blood thicker than water?
"For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. . ." - Ephesians 1: 4,5
". . .we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Romans 8: 23, 24A
Is my son my son? or is he a second-class citizen?
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2 comments:
I've been lucky enough to meet Linda Hope a handful of times. The nicest lady, with nothing but love for her dad (thats the word she uses "dad") and his legacy.
When I first read the obit I did not catch it but then you pointed it out and it all became clear. I guess I did not really read into it but now that I think about it This really makes me mad. My nephew and niece are exactly that the same as thier little sister that after 7 years of trying finally came. I hate that they feel different but I think that they do :(
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