The Jolie Pitts

The Jolie Pitts

Monday, February 22, 2010

Adoption and Marriage

Should Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt be able to adopt babies if they aren't married to one another?

It is a well known fact that the very nature of adoption entails a long legal process put in place to ensure the adoption of children by secure and loving homes. That parents wanting to adopt go through this process signals their willingness to make the life long commitment to the welfare of their children.

If such legal procedures are necessary for "additions" to the family unit how come they are not a pre-requisite of the family unit itself? Why is it that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are allowed to adopt children despite the fact that they are not bind to one another by any legal contract.

Why bother to ensure legal procedures in one aspect of forming a family but not in another one? What does this say about our notion of a family and where the commitment is directed?

Have we lost all hope in the sanctity of marriage that we don't bother ensure that parents legally commit to one another but do so towards their children?

Are Brad and Angelina less committed to one another than they are to their children? If so what sort of message does this send to the children?