US supreme court case considering indian adoption

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_INDIAN_CHILD_WELFARE_DISPUTE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-20-09-57-36

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court could reshape longstanding federal law on the adoption of Native American children, depending on how the justices rule in the case of a South Carolina family fighting for custody of their adopted daughter.

That law is at the center of the appeal by Matt and Melanie Capobianco, a Charleston-area couple who adopted a baby girl several years ago. But the girl's biological father - a member of the Cherokee Nation whom she had never met - later went to court seeking custody, arguing that the girl's mother gave her up without his consent.

A South Carolina court agreed with Dusten Brown, who took the girl named Veronica back to Oklahoma in 2011. The Capobiancos challenged that decision in the state Supreme Court, saying they had bonded with Veronica and arguing that removing her was detrimental to her development.

But justices sided with Brown last summer, saying that, while the Capobiancos were "ideal parents," federal law requires that custodial preference be given to the child's Native American parent.

[Confusious]

1. Well, that's going to fuck her up for life. Nt

[unionthug777]

2. hmmmmmmmmmmmmm............

a can of worms for me. i am native american, was adopted by white folks, there are many positives and negatives with me.....on one hand: i didn't get to grow up "native" learning my culture, language, ways of life, spearing, netting,..................on the other: both my parents were teachers and taught me the "proper" way to speak...." john and i went................." the two most important words ( i think ) " please" and " thank you "..............opening doors for women......being respectful of your elders and other people in positions of authority.......of course some times they had to beat it into me....but i learned.....slowly i learned my culture...have gone spearing and netting.....so i guess i don't have too much to complain about.....but i do wish i grew up native.....and yes, there's still time. that is all i have to say.

[jwirr]

3. Had a young cousin who went through much of the same experience. On the other hand I am white

and have Native grand children and great grand children and you cannot begin to understand who scared this law makes the white family of a Native child. We have just been through a custody court battle because of parental drug use and did not even have a voice in the room. Now 3 months later the social workers have called us in because mom just up and disappeared leaving the children behind. NOW they want to hear our side of the issue.

Family should come into the picture for the sake of the children no matter what ethnic race they are.