Do Better

"We always teased my sister that she was adopted, and she would run out of the room crying!"  

Wayne, Laila and I  met a guy who was telling us he had 4 brothers then years went by and his mom had a little girl. He said they always teased her that she was adopted.  

We sat there appalled.  

Laila looked at him like dude do you know what you just said? 

I piped up, “Laila is adopted and we all love it. “ It got uncomfortable.  

He backpedaled, “Well we didn’t mean it in that way. “ 

What other way was there to mean it?   

It’s like the classic OFFICE tv episode when Michael Scott who is trying to be sensitive says, “We don't call special needs people retarded. We call our friends retarded when they act like retards.”  

SO. NOT. RIGHT.

Why do we tease people about being adopted like it’s a bad thing?   

It’s like using the slur, “That’s so gay” when referring to something dumb.    

It’s not right. 

We can all be better on all of these fronts.   

It’s national adoption month and  I want all to remember that adopted people are chosen people.   

Being adopted or gay or having special needs are all good things and we need to stop the belittling, teasing, "I'm just joking," and putting others down for their circumstances or their birth.

Maybe I'm more sensitive to this because I have an adopted daughter, I have gay sons, and I have a special needs Sis-in-law, but we should all be more sensitive and loving to all of God's children. 

Okay. I’m off my soapbox.