NORMAL LIFE: Are Black Kids Today's Must-Have Accessory?

If the title of this blog entry got your attention, then I have succeeded in replicating Madonna's recent behaviour; once again, she's courting controversy and getting what she always wants. Madonna has been shopping, this time for an child in the African country of Malawi (country profile here). Following in the footsteps of Angelina Jolie, Madge has adopted a child to even out the colours in her already multi-coloured family: she has a daughter who is of hispanic origin and a son with current husband, Guy Ritchie.

Within Malawi, the adoption has caused shockwaves for international adoption is apparently illegal. Another thing that shocked me was that the child's own father and grandmother were more than willing to give the child away. After a trip to South Africa - admittedly not the 'real' Africa - two years ago, I saw first hand just how different - and somewhat primitive - native Africans are. In the Western World, to literally give away your child is seen as the ultimate disservice to a child who just wants to be loved. Given that the father is 32 years old and not a teen father, I think his behaviour is somewhat unfathomable.

Having said this, we cannot even begin to imagine what it must be a like for a country with an alleged one million orphans. Madonna actually felt a need to respond to the ever increasing public criticism by claiming that "it was my wish to open up our home and help one child escape an extreme life of hardship, poverty and in many cases death, as well as expand our family". For sure, nannies and butlers will be raising that child, and David Banda (the child's current name) will merely serve to boost Madonna's own low self-esteem. If anything, Madonna's tactis are quite clever for David will surely keep Madonna in the public eye for another 20 years or so as the trials and tribulations of his teenage years keep an ever-hungry press-pack digging for more and more dirt.

Madonna was inspired by her trip to Malawi and "hopes that it helps bring attention to how much more the world needs to do to help the children of Africa". Tell me, has her trip to Africa changed your view of Africa? At the risk of sounding politically incorrect, doesn't Africa seem like a lost cause? Imagine the millions, if not billions in currency, that have been pumped into the African continent and what measurable progress has there been?

Another concern I have about this is that she was allowed to adopt David from a country that apparently hasn't even legalised international adoption. Furthermore, she bough him back to Britain where he will be granted British citizenship. As if the UK doesn't have enough problems with immigration without popstars smuggling African babies into the country under the guise of adoption! Give me strength! Britain only has so much capacity and if nothing is done to stem the population, the UK is going to face tought times. Read more about Britain's ecological debt here.

Madonna's intentions are admirable, but she should leave the work to the people who really care and stop trying to be a good-two-shoes when it's so obvious she's just trying to keep herself in the papers. You're getting old, you'll soon be over the hill, get used to it!