Madonna And Child: Symbol Of Western Imperialism
What does the “Material Girl” do when she is bored of shopping in exclusive boutiques for bling bling and designer clothes?
Well, if you are Madonna you visit an impoverished African county and tour orphanages until you find a telegenic toddler to adopt. The publicity whore accomplished two goals: A diversion from her jaded lifestyle and a great publicity stunt.
Malawi’s High Court issued an interim order allowing Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie to adopt a one-year-old-old orphan.
Madonna may be able to buy mansions, precious stones and luxury automobiles, but she should not be allowed to buy a human being.
The image of a spoiled and decadent peroxide blond touring African orphanages, shopping for a baby is more nauseating than the spectacle of a middle-aged whore french kissing a young girl.
Let me digress to explain that I am not condemning lesbianism; I am expressing my disgust at Madonna for kissing a young bimbo simply for shock value and publicity.
In my opinion, Madonna’s impulsive action is way beyond being “culturally insensitive”, it borders on the criminal. To take a child away from his country and culture to a milieu inhabited by freaks and dilettantes is nothing less than child abuse.
Fortunately, a leading child rights group in Malawi has sought a court injunction to block Madonna’s efforts to adopt the child if the government allows the process to take place.
We can only hope that Madonna’s efforts to adopt the African baby will be frustrated. That hapless child is better off in an African orphanage than in Madonna’s freak-show mansion.
The latest news in the “Madonna and Child” controversy is that the ageing singer has said she will take her adopted child David Banda back to Malawi when he is grown up and allow him to decide where to live.
Yeah right, after Madonna instills in her adopted son her decadent values, I’m sure he will leave behind his luxurious lifestyle and returned to the impoverished country of his birth.
The child’s father told Sky News: “Had they told us that Madonna wanted to adopt my son and make him her own son, we would not have agreed to that.”
If Madonna cares about David so much why doesn’t she just give the child’s father enough money so he can properly raise him?
I write a weekly column for a small town newspaper in Virginia, and I also write for several Web sites. Please leave a comment or send me an email at: rreyes4966@aol.com | More from Robert Paul Reyes
Stumble It!
October 24th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
I’m wondering how an orphan suddenly has a father. Typically orphans don’t have fathers, it’s kinda in the job description.
What I find nauseating is the spectacle of a self described progressive getting all conservative and judgemental about a kiss and using it as an irrelevant digression from a serious topic of discussion for the apparent purpose of denigrating the person under discussion.
October 24th, 2006 at 3:07 pm
“The Kiss” embodies the crass nature of Madonna. And Madonna’s character is crucial to the theme of this esay, because someone of her decadent character shouldn’t be adopting any children.
October 24th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
You’ve been here too long, you’re starting to sound like the worst kind of conservative: all homophobic and judgemental. Even most conservatives don’t care who kisses who these days but vetting potential adoptive parents on the basis of their lifestyle choices is a core conservative value. Welcome to the fold.
October 24th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Dr. Damage you are severely testing my commitment to refrain from profanity. I took great pains to point out that I was not offended by the sight of two women kissing. I have written countless essays in support of gay rights.
I find it disgusting that a straight exploits homosexuality for publicity. That’s what I find reprehensible, not the homosexual nature of the kiss. Only someone who is intellectually-challenged would find anything homophobic about my essay.
“more nauseating than the spectacle of a middle-aged whore french kissing a young girl”
Again, anyone with a modicum of intelligence will see that it’s the age difference that I find yucky. I cringed when the almost 50 year old Madonna kissed the 20-something Britney. If it were a case of true love, I could accept a 50-year old woman in a relationship with a 20-year old woman, but it was a cheap publicity stunt.
October 24th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
I don’t own a single tune by Madonna, but I’m wondering why it is especially heinous to offer to introduce one African boy-infant to the excesses of American consumerism, when that’s been precisely our foreign policy for the past 100 years, only on a mass scale?
The entire developing world (excepting the Muslim countries …. hmmmm?) have been saturated with U.S. pop-raunch culture via movies, music, fashion, trash tabloids, satellite TV, etc.
Historic cultural identities are easily erased by the “free market” penetration of Third World economies and the western idioms, products, and coveted lifestyles which quickly destroy tradition.
If you want to see what happens, take a plane ride to Manaus, Brazil — what used to be the Amazon. They have more discount electronics shops than Manhattan! And it’s a real tourist attraction to see the Amazonian Indians come up on the riverboats just to load up with Honda generators, satellite dishes, DVD players, wide-screen LCD TV’s, and porno movies.
Life in the forest has changed!
Madonna only represents a faster and safer and more lavish version of the cultural pimping and condescending colonization that reflect American’s attitudes about anyplace-not-America-where-people-have-darker-skins-than-us.
“Material Girl?”
You bet.
Prime American Brand.
She’s just “helping and saving” primitives, right?
October 24th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
Madonna as a symbol of Western Imperialism?
Don’t think so……..
First of all, you are confusing the term “imperialism” for another concept entirely.
Malawi is nobody’s colony.
And Madonna likely would have difficulties running her household staff, let alone an “empire”.
It’s true that she has money, though….. and money talks.
That’s not particularly representative of “imperialism”, so much as “capitalism”.
Welcome to “captitalism”, where money means that even brain-dead walking vaginas like Madonna can use her money, overtly and covertly to purchase goods and services.
And while children are technically neither a good or a service, the rights to legally raise one have been bought and sold for quite some time now.
Nobody in their right mind considers such actions to be “imperialism”, though.
October 24th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
Madonna’s adoption of a Third World baby symbolizes the view that the West is superior to the rest of the world.
Yes, Madonna’s lifestyle might be questionable but that black baby is better of living in the West– or so the thinking goes.
If Madonna really cared about Malawi, she would fund several orpahnages. Her adoption of a Malawi child was just a cheap publicity stunt, that did nothing to help the people of Malawi.
Likewise the United States funds some projects in developing countries, but does nothing to help them for the long run. If fact, the World Bank enslaves Third World countries.
DadWithGirls summed it up perfectly, “she’s just ‘helping and saving’ primitives, right?”
I think my title it correct, and I stand by it.
October 24th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
Robbie said:
“To take a child away from his country and culture to a milieu inhabited by freaks and dilettantes is nothing less than child abuse.”
San Francisco?
Manhattan?
DNC Headquarters?
Rob’s house?
Robbie also said:
“I find it disgusting that a straight exploits homosexuality for publicity. That’s what I find reprehensible,”
Very nice. How do you know she’s not BI? Being a little judgemental there aren’t you?
So you wouldn’t condemn Rosie Odonnel, Ellen Degeneres, and Jim McCreepy?
Since we all know that they have exploited it for publicity.
You are a Heterophobe!
THANK YOU!
Robbie said still more:
“Madonna’s adoption of a Third World baby symbolizes the view that the West is superior to the rest of the world.
Yes, Madonna’s lifestyle might be questionable but that black baby is better of living in the West– or so the thinking goes.”
Yes, babies from impoverished third world countries ARE better off somewhere else. Somewhere that lacks people like Rober Mugabe and his ilk.
Let’s see, a baby that is healthy vs a baby that is malnourished, which is better off?
Knucklehead!
(And I mean that in the nicest possible way.)
October 24th, 2006 at 4:48 pm
I can see that subtle aint gonna do it here. (me? subtle? whoda thunk?). Apparently you have some sort of standard for behaviour which you apply before approving someone as a parent. cool. So do I. I’m just wondering exactly what the progressive standard of morality is and from where it springs. Progressives are apparently not offended by so called family oriented entertainment containing apparently nonconsensual breast exposure whereas you are apparently incenced by a kiss initiated by a 20 something with a 50 something in an entertainment advertised as featuring britney spears and madonna. With the judeo christian model of arbitrary morality, at least its written down. Just how, exactly, was madonna supposed to know that by failing to reject britneys advance, that she would be violating some sort of progressive creed?
I’m beginning to conclude that progressives are no different from conservative christians: they’re prepared to foist their morals onto people who don’t share them.
October 24th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
4th-wire — “Madonna as a symbol of Western Imperialism?”
Did I use the word “imperialism?” (No.)
That would be a crass version of my argument.
I believe current events in Iraq have pretty well disposed of any further adventures in the neo-con’s hoped-for future heroics of American Empire.
RPR – “Madonna’s adoption of a Third World baby symbolizes the view that the West is superior to the rest of the world.”
Also, she is seeking to express a moral superiority of the West over the Third World.
Why would any human being wish to live in Africa?
If he/she could live in Manhattan?
Many years ago, in college, I had a great friend who was the Minister of Communications in the government of Ethiopia under Haile Selassie.
After the Marxist coup that deposed the Lion of Judah, my friend, Asrat Desferisu, was lucky to have barely the money to escape and come to America as a graduate student at a Big Ten U.
He told me once —
“The Americans believe that they are, with all their charities and modern medicines and economic plans, making progress and extending the lives of Africans.
What the Americans have actually accomplished, is only to extend the average African’s misery by another thirty years.”
I had no reply worth stating.
October 24th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
Madonna is very outspoken and if she was bisexual, she would doubtless announce it to the world. She has never claimed to be bisexual.
She adopts lesbian themes in her videos simply as a marketing ploy. The whole world, including 99.99% of homosexual-bashing conservatives, enjoy watching beautiful women make love. Madonna is a straight woman using lesbian images to sell her products.
October 24th, 2006 at 4:56 pm
“She adopts lesbian themes in her videos simply as a marketing ploy. The whole world, including 99.99% of homosexual-bashing conservatives, enjoy watching beautiful women make love. Madonna is a straight woman using lesbian images to sell her products. ”
Again: Knucklehead!
She adopts SHOCK themes in her videos.
Remember the black Jesus?
How about being crucified on stage?
Please link us to your commentary condemning Madonna for exploiting Christanity to make a buck.
Thank you Robbie.
October 24th, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Ah well.
The “pop” always wins over the historical.
Madonna is a genius.
October 24th, 2006 at 5:42 pm
“Madonna’s adoption of a Third World baby symbolizes the view that the West is superior to the rest of the world.”
Madonna’s adoption of a Third World baby ACTUALLY symbolizes that she has pretensions to motherhood to compliment her bank account.
As to whether the West is superior to the rest of the world, we don’t need any symbolism from Madonna – simply look at immigration requests.
How many people are breaking down the doors to settle in Malawi, do you believe, versus most Western nations?
“Yes, Madonna’s lifestyle might be questionable but that black baby is better of living in the West– or so the thinking goes.”
LOL…. questionable? She’s practically provides the prototype for “overindulged, overhyped aging female pop star”.
She IS the prototype of “attention-whore”.
As to whether her attempted adoption of a child from Malawi would be better off living in the West is not NEARLY as relevant as the size of her bank account.
Malawi officials can be bought off as easily as any other Third World officials.
And Madonna makes zero pretensions to representing “Western nations”.
“If Madonna really cared about Malawi, she would fund several orpahnages.”
Madonna mostly cares for Madonna, in case you missed that point. As such, she’s not particularly remarkable – just over-hyped.
“Her adoption of a Malawi child was just a cheap publicity stunt, that did nothing to help the people of Malawi.”
Cheap publicity stunt and personal acquisition of a Third World minor, IMO……..
She is an attention-whore.
“Likewise the United States funds some projects in developing countries, but does nothing to help them for the long run.”
Focus there, international genius…. and separate Madonna’s attention-whoring in Malawi from whichever bitches and moans you have about U.S. funding of your pet projects in Third World nations.
The U.S. helps out plenty in Third World nations, often more so than the local citizens of those nations manage to help themselves.
Just because that aid fails to meet your lofty ideals is no reason to tie that issue in to Madonna’s attention-whoring in Malawi.
“If fact, the World Bank enslaves Third World countries.”
And the tie-in between Madonna and the World Bank is………?
If you’re trying to foist some alternative to capitalism as a superior economic model for the world, it’s been tried during the last century, with noteably miserable results.
“I think my title it correct, and I stand by it.”
Well I think that your head is so far up your ass that you’re killing off your brain cells.
October 24th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
4th-wired said –
“Malawi officials can be bought off as easily as any other Third World officials…”
Thank you for making my point; although I did not need to use the term “imperialism” to persuade you.
You seem to be an afficianado of “free market” designs and so no power or advantage would ever come into play, right?
I hear that Malawi’s president loves re-runs of “Desperate Housewives.”
And that his fourteen wives love to shop at Saks 5th Avenue.
These are just rumors, of course.
Similar to those that announce “progress” in Iraq?
October 24th, 2006 at 7:08 pm
“I hear that Malawi’s president loves re-runs of “Desperate Housewives.â€
A stretch and leap there Dad.
Now if only we could get him to watch American Idol and base his foreign policy on Survivor reruns, he’d be ready to run for office as a Liberal Democrat.
October 24th, 2006 at 7:36 pm
“but she should not be allowed to buy a human being.”
agreed.
however adoption is NOT buying a child. i’m sure her money will grease the wheels to make the adoption smooth for her. also, it’s damn near impossible to adopt in the good ol’ US of A. alot of people go to foreign countries to get kids. there are alot of babies in the US that need parents, but there are so many hoops to jump through it’s end up fruitless for people and for what, these kids end up in foster care with no one.
“If Madonna cares about David so much why doesn’t she just give the child’s father enough money so he can properly raise him?”
it’s not her responsability, you know if your this concerned for the father and child, maybe you should send him money every month so he can afford his son. just a thought.
October 25th, 2006 at 12:38 am
“Madonna adopts pet boy”
John has a better explanation.
http://www.kittennews.com
…. would be a more accurate description of it’s actions.
Narcism exposes itself in many ways.
October 25th, 2006 at 2:04 am
The post on kitten news is disgusting. From all accounts Madonna is a fit and loving mother. All other issues aside, accusing her of being a pedophile is just plain wrong.
October 25th, 2006 at 3:26 am
Some cooler minds are needed here. The ‘fitness’and ‘lovingness’ of Madonna is an issue and what I and many others ‘know’ of her is carefully controlled by her publicity department ie: an unknown. We assume she is F&L simply because she is penis-less. As for the paedophile accusation, well Teri’s correct, its plain wrong. Madonna’s a woman, only men can be called paedophiles willy nilly.
I wonder if she would adopt me?
October 25th, 2006 at 4:29 am
“Madonna is a straight woman using lesbian images to sell her products.”
So? there is no dishonor in an honest profit. Where’s the harm?
October 25th, 2006 at 7:41 am
Okay, so Madonna is doing her “Media Whore” thing by adopting a “Black Pet Child”? For me, it’s nothing new under the sun.
Of course, the West is a better place to raise a kid, especialy when the adopting parent is rich. The problem is, can we let a kid goes into an abusive situation just because he’s poor?
So that kid got unrooted from his comunity and his family because Madonna fancied him? And we need to let her do this because she’s a celebrity with a lot of cash? Those are the things that make me feel ill.
October 25th, 2006 at 4:47 pm
“The ‘fitness’and ‘lovingness’ of Madonna is an issue and what I and many others ‘know’ of her is carefully controlled by her publicity department ie: an unknown.”
Wrong. I’ve heard it from many other celebrities, people who know her personally.
“As for the paedophile accusation, well Teri’s correct, its plain wrong. Madonna’s a woman, only men can be called paedophiles willy nilly.”
Wrong again. Pedophiles are both genders, both genders have been false accused, and it’s still very wrong to throw around accusations like that.
October 25th, 2006 at 7:57 pm
“4th-wire — “Madonna as a symbol of Western Imperialism?â€
Did I use the word “imperialism?†(No.)
That would be a crass version of my argument.”
Dadwithgirls, I was not addressing your post, I was addressing the author of the blog.
In fact he was the one using the word “imperialism”….. in the title.
October 25th, 2006 at 8:06 pm
“Thank you for making my point; although I did not need to use the term “imperialism†to persuade you.”
I was neither trying to make your point, nor trying to avoid doing so, dadwithgirls. In fact, I was not even addressing your post at all.
“You seem to be an afficianado of “free market†designs and so no power or advantage would ever come into play, right?”
Who told you that “no power or advantage would ever come into play” with “free market designs”?
Capitalism, power, and advantage are not mutually exclusive concepts.
In fact capitalism practically REQUIRES differential advantage with respect to international economics, particularly on a macro level.
Some guy named Samuelson wrote pretty extensively on the subject for undergrad economics textbooks, as I recall.
“I hear that Malawi’s president loves re-runs of “Desperate Housewives.â€
And that his fourteen wives love to shop at Saks 5th Avenue.
These are just rumors, of course.”
Well aren’t you just the international genius…….. How did the State Department manage to miss YOUR resume?…;-)
“Similar to those that announce “progress†in Iraq?”
Having one of those ADD/ADH moments, or is Madonna’s latest attention-whoring somehow related to Iraq in what passes for your mind?..;-)
October 25th, 2006 at 9:42 pm
Some comments from The Devil’s Advocate.
http://barrybeelzebub.blogspot.com/
October 25th, 2006 at 9:59 pm
4th-wireless….
You appear to be wired in series.
Not parallel.
Flip the switch and see what happens!
October 25th, 2006 at 10:02 pm
“You appear to be wired in series.
Not parallel.
Flip the switch and see what happens!”
DWG, you seem to have been dropped on your noggin a few too many times.
And I’m not even going to guess at the likelihood of any surviving grey cells.
Try to keep up.