Adopt!
by Andrew Breitbart
Life: Imagine the Potential is the second release of CatholicVote.org’s national new media campaign, “Life: Imagine the Potential.” I’ll excuse them for forgetting me, another adoption success story.
If anyone ever wanted to deconstruct my politics, he or she need look no further than my idyllic upbringing and the choice that one someone made back in the late 1960s.
And happy anniversary to my parents Arlene and Gerry Breitbart who on May 19th celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary.
Thank you for everything.
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48 Comments
Excellent, that is so stinkin' precious. Bless your parents and anyone who makes this wonderful choice in their lives.
Thank YOU!
Really, you were adopted? That's cool. I can't wait till we are able to adopt.
Congrats to the parents on their anniversary. My parents have just celebrated 51 yrs together. I think when you have a good solid upbringing, it is natural to have more conservative view points. I loved the video, I wasn't adopted, but I know so many great people that were, and into great homes. My Step-daughter included.
Dude, I had NO idea you were adopted.
That's so awesome. You are truly blessed.
Happy anniversary to your beautiful parents
As an adoptive parent of two grown daughters, I personally know how wonderful adoption is! Thanks for the great article.
I have two adopted children, 13 and 10. They are the greatest blessings in my life!! I am so glad to hear how grateful you are to have been adopted by two loving parents. I'm writing a book about adoption and will hopefully inspire others to make this awesome choice. My son, Joshua, will be writing a book as well about adoption. We believe his book will have the most impact because it's coming for someone who was impacted by a great choice by his birthmother whom he loves for her choice.
My husband was adopted. His older sister and her husband have adopted two wonderful boys. We will try to have one of our own, and any further cildren we desire will be adopted; I am too old and too sick to do more than try for one of my own. Too many children never have a chance, and I have seen who have that chance take it and run not to think we devalue that choice as a valid choice.
Great video. It's such a simple, positive message yet so effective.
Wow, neat add. I'm an adoptee and am grateful for my biological and adoptive parents. Sometimes when I meet a prochoicer I am tempted to shut up and ignore them-after all they would rather have seen me dead.
I adore my boy who will be seven next month, my beautiful two and a half year old daughter and my wife and I will do what my father was incapable or unwilling to do…be there for his kids/family no matter what. I now know that things can spin out of control and before you know it, you're seperated and sometimes you don't get back together. Everyone hurts, but the only true victims are the kids who had no say in the matter. I try not to judge others in these matters, I just know that I had to do what it took to keep my family intact no matter who was right or wrong. God bless anyone who gives children a home and therefore a chance in this complicated world.
the video has a great message. I think they used a great mix of people.
My wife and I want to adopt quite passionately. (My mom and a cousin were adopted) But the costs can be extremely high. The state adoptions tend to have special needs that a prospective family might be hesitant to take on. I for one know my limitations and realize that we can't take on certain challenges (at least voluntarilly).
For the novice, investigation of the different agencies and every thing involved can be intimidating.
You lucked out, Dude! Congrats to you and your parents!
Clinton was adopted by his step dad, his mom didn't abandon him and he didn't adopt. But John McCain did and he's missing from this video.
My Uncle Al and his second wife were foster parents to something like 12 kids.
Very nice piece. Thanks for writing it.
I have 17 adopted siblings (yeah, you heard me), many of whom are mentally and/or physically disabled. Whenever I heard people express wonder that Sarah Palin didn't abort Trig I wanted to pop them in the nose. Every child has a right to be born. Every one of my siblings taught me how to be a better human being.
LOVED IT! WE HAVE THE MOST WONDERFUL 22YR OLD ADOPTED DAUGHTER . SHE IS GODS GIFT TO US AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED BY HER BEING A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LIVES !
I too have an adopted daughter. A great joy in my life.
Well done. This get right ot the heart of the matter without beating it over people's heads.
I am the father of two incredible children, both adopted. The unspoken question many prospective parents have is "Will this child feel like mine?", as if by genetics, I have created a mystical bond with my own flesh and blood. When it comes to bonding with your aodptive child, my experiece was that holding my son for the first time was life changing. The emotions hit me in the chest like a lightening bolt and left my knees weakened. It also awakened a protective, almost feral animal like instinct, to protect my child. Intellectually, I understood this could happen, the momma bear protecting the cubs instinct, but the intensity of that emotion is incredible. I can not believe that feeling and the bond to my son could have been cold have been any stronger just if I had passed on genes to him.
The adoption process is daunting, but don't let it deter you. The payoff makes the effort seem like nothing.
i have long married parents as well. What a blessing. Congrats to you and them and their kindness in adopting. BTW – You can also add Michael Reagan to the adopted list.
Thank you for sharing this with us Andrew and congratulations to your Mom and Dad on their 44th wedding anniversary.
I wish you and your family the best of health and the all the good which life has to offer.
I'm in the same situation.
If someone asks me why I'm against abortion, I tell them it's because I could easily have been one.
That makes me cry. It was beautiful!
Oh and congrats to your parents! Mine were married 51 years before my Dad died. Its a great example isn't it?
This is an excellent ad. Very positive and uplifting.
Dynamite ad. Just wonder how "choice" advocates will find a way to deem it "offensive".
Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Breitbart for raising such a cool kid!
Happy Anniversary!
I guess adoption is another thing we have in common, Andrew. That and living in the loving arms of long married parents. Mine have since passed, but the warmth will live inside of me forever.
What is your point? Breitbart showed a clip about adopting children. The examples he showed were of every color, politics and religion. Where did he say anything about adoption being the providence (sic.) of conservatives? Are you finding messages that aren't there. What kind of circles do you run in, fool? Or do you just run around in circles? The message was about the value of adoption, not the values of Vince_S.
Andrew, 19 years ago my wife and I discovered we both had fertility issues that could be solved with expensive surgery. We instead chose to adopt, saving the money for college expenses one day.
Back then in our city you could adopt lots of hispanic or black infants, but getting one with your genetic heritage (Irish, Norwegian) was near-impossible. One morning we were contacted by a relative who knew of a woman 7 1/2 months pregnant who was desperate for an abortion–in fact, she had been met outside an abortion clinic. The woman thankfully agreed to reconsider. We corresponded, had dinner together, and a bit over a month later we took home the newborn from the hospital. This September she will be a sophomore in college, using the money we'd set aside years earlier.
I listen to the pro-abortion screamers and just have to sadly shake my head. They just don't get it. I feel as though I'm living in a parallel universe. God help us all.
What are you babbling about? Breitbart wrote an article and showed a video about adoption. The people on the video who were adopted were every race, religion and politics. Even though it was produced by a Catholic organization, it could just as easily have been from the United Atheists. And Breitbart merely thanked his wonderful adoptive parents. What is the "providence of conservatives" about? Where are politics of any kind mentioned at all? His parents may be conservatives, but he did not even hint that only conservatives should adopt. He talked about his idyllic upbringing, and how that formed his own politics, not his idyllic conservative parents. You really do run in different circles. You run around in circles. This was a piece about adoption, not the lifestyle and personal opinions of Vince_S.
(This is a semi duplicate post. The original disappeared.)
And now the original showed up.
Thank God for all of the wonderful people who have adopted children – including your parents, Andrew. Thank you for sharing.
The only difference with me is that my dad is still around and as fantastic as ever. I can't imagine having two more loving, caring, supportive, and all-around wonderful parents than the ones who adopted me and gave me an incredible life.
Happy Anniversary to your wonderful parents, Andrew. They done right by ya and deserve all praise!
As a mother who released a child for adoption, and who wonders everyday what her life is like, what she looks like, is she healthy and happy, does she feel part of her family…..thanks to all of you adoptees and adoptors for giving me hope.
I too belong on this list of people who have been given an amazing gift, that of a loving family. My thanks and love to my parents and I applaud all of those who have been touched by this experience. Thank God I was born before 1972 so that I was given a chance to have what I got: a great life.
Add me to the list.
My mom was a foster mother for a local CPS and she told me once she was watching a movie and a foster child was excited over seeing his father on TV. Mom thought his father just looked like the actor until a few days later when the actor came to the house to pick him up. For years I thought she was BS'ing me until I read the actor's bio on the IMDB and discovered he does have a son at the right age and he was getting a divorce at that time, which must have been nastier than publicized.
I won't say who this very famous actor was out of respect for his privacy but trust me when I say everybody here will know who he is and it's someone you won't expect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpbag-KSoYI
Another reason to celebrate the adoption option.
I think adoptive parents are special even beyond biological parents who do their best to raise their children. I knew of a woman who was adopted and in her 30s went searching for her "real" parents. I wonder how her adoptive parents felt.
Of course the real parents are those who had gone through all the heartbreak and sacrifice to raise this child that they chose. Then too I have to think that any woman who through unknown circumstances chooses to give her child a chance and a life, knowing that she will probably never again see that child, is special. That is a lifelong sacrifice. It is to me the ultimate gift a person can make. Lifelong loss and sacrifice.
One had to wonder what we have done to our future society by all the individuals who could have been here to make contribution and change.
While I am reading some of the responses I am remembering one of BH's own contributors, Robert Avrech, and his moving movie Behind These Walls. It is based on a true story of a nun who convinces a woman's prison warden to allow a few selected inmates to train service dogs.
In it the nun, wonderfully played by Laura Dern, had a daughter years ago and rather than be a spoiler will not say the circumstances, but chooses selflessly to give the baby up for adoption.
Years later – perhaps as an act of catharsis, she hires a detective to find her biological daughter. The results of meeting her daughter was unexpected but ultimately heartwarming. To know that the life you allowed is thriving and happy while knowing you would have no contact would in its own right be one of ones greatest gifts and rewards.
My mom was a scared kid in a foreign country. . .she could have easily found the money to make that choice, but chose to have my oldest brother. He's 42 now.
*MissQuinn*
Thank you for sharing this Andrew. Simply beautiful! Congrats to your parents, and to you. Sounds as though you were all blessed.
Surely you have seen the earlier ad using the One himself for a pro-life message. Smart move. Given that it strokes his narcissism he probably didn´t mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CaBR3z85c
Absolute, total, complete, 100 on the 1-10 scale, what a revelation, almost makes ya want to weep…..Sure makes the case for a life, one well lived…
The 19th is our anniversary, too. 36 years. Congrats to them.
I'm partially adopted- I was raised by my dad and his second wife, who adopted my sister and myself when she married him. We were quite young at the time and she was the only mom we knew.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRpqKKPjuNI&fe...
Hi Andrew,
This is your cousin, Patty, in the St. Louis area.
You and your sister were truly a blessing to the family. Please tell Uncle Gerry and Aunt Arlene a belated anniversary from all of us here in the midwest.
Tell Tracy and family we said HI too.
The video was great.
If you have time to call us, your mom and dad have our phone #.
Check this out…
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