Quote:
Originally Posted by
Magick Man 
I understand, but there are also international implications, since her bio-mother is an MIA citizen from another country illegally in the USA, last we knew. Personally, I don't think we'd lose her, due to the extenuating circumstances, but the thought of going through legal problems like that makes me squirm. Soon we'll be able to start the official adoption process, however, and that makes me more comfortable since it gives us greater protections.
Adoption by and large is a screwy thing - on one hand we (being the US) want to recognize adoptive parents as legally equivalent to biological parents, but on the other hand, we don't - there's always that "otherness" to it. Not only in terms of social conventions, but in legal conventions as well (and I think this mostly stems from the social conventions, to be quite honest; while a lot of the justice system is able to act in a blind manner, DCS and D&N is extremely emotional (and the courts actively seem to encourage this IME)).
I don't think a challenge to ICWA has implications for anything unrelated to tribal sovereignty except for a recognition of father's rights (which have been so demonized in the last few years by radical feminists) - I kind of laugh when the adoptive parents say "unwed biological fathers are not recognized under federal law" - sure they aren't, and that's why you're appealing this to the supreme court to get "your" child back...we won't even touch common-law as a potential problem either.
The really scary part though, is that even we say biological parents have more right to their children than adoptive parents (and especially more than foster parents), the reality is that the courts can more or less at will remove a child and totally muck people's lives up on a whim. I know you're thinking - no there's laws that say they can't - but again, the extremely high-level emotional play that's encouraged in family court seems to disagree with that, and it usually does become a popularity contest and mudpit wrassle. It's just a disgusting entity to be involved with, and I'm beyond glad that I no longer have to work with that side of the justice system.
Not trying to shock you into a coma or anything, I just really can't stand family court and the way it's conducted. I mean no, our justice system isn't perfect, but by and large there's nowhere else on this planet I'd rather be tried than an American court; UNLESS we're talking family court.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
proton007
Agree on that, but I feel they tend to dumb down the show too much with the other two characters. Let the driver talk! Ultimately it feels like watching a comedy show with jokes that bomb left right and center. I only watch it when the other Top Gear is not around.
Aye.
Top Gear is one of the few shows on BBC that I can actually enjoy watching, and it's certainly entertaining - I think because it's not just a bunch of PR regurgitation about whatever "hip" new car is out, and because they do more than just review expensive cars over and over. There's an element of what makes Mythbusters or Pawn Stars interesting in there as well - which is what makes it entertaining.
