STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

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Special Treat ??“ Karin Janin

Sept 28, 2005? 

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? Carol.... Last night I came to realize how and why my orphan connection site has so few stories.?  it's because of an attitude here in the states.?  So I've written an article which is of major importance. Please place this one quickly ... not months away.?  ? It's so important for people to understand what's really going on in the States and how this can be changed regarding orphans.

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POLITICALLY INCORRECT?

Karin Janin

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Last night I met a lovely young woman who is working towards her social work certification and wanting to work with foster children.?  I was quite excited and proceeded to tell her about my site ??“ The Orphan Connection ??” and what it stood for.

She looked at me at said, ???Isn??™t that politically incorrect????

I? stared back? at her in? amazement? over what she was saying, and asked her what she meant.? 

She innocently? replied that? the word ???orphan??? is politically incorrect.

I remained calm, all the while feeling shock waves running through my body.?  I then proceeded to tell her that? ???an orphan is an orphan and you can??™t cover up that fact by using the words foster children.???? 

Foster children implies that these orphans? have been? placed in loving, healthy foster homes (which in many cases are not so healthy, nor loving) and the issue of being orphaned is swept under the carpet.?  I know? from personal experience? that this term? implies shame!

This morning I woke up feeling even more outraged about this attitude.?  It seems to be okay to read about Angelina Jolie??™s trips to Africa and? Southeast Asia? or wherever, as she lovingly assists and adopts ORPHANS, but here in the U.S. we do not use the word orphan because it??™s ???politically incorrect.???

AMAZING!

How many orphans do we have in America??  It??™s hard to find out exact numbers because it??™s ???politically incorrect??? to even say ORPHAN.

This reminds me of our country's recent revelation when the veil was lifted? to the? truth? that EXTREME poverty was being experienced right here? in the States .?  The world was shocked and so was I.?  We were forced into being honest and to stop sweeping this crisis ???under the rug.????  We go around helping other impoverished countries when it??™s happening in our backyard.? 

We??™ve managed to? whisk away? the crisis of so many orphans in this country by simply calling orphans ???foster children.????  ? 

An orphan is an orphan.?  There is NO shame in being an orphan ??”? so why cover it up?

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I was puzzled about the lack of interest in American Orphans until? Roger Kiser, a strong advocate against child abuse of orphans and the author of ???Orphan Boy,??? sent this note to me:

???I battle the orphan/orphanage issue everyday. It is hard to get others interested. They feel that orphans/orphanages are such a small section of our society that they need not be helped or mentioned. When one does get the media involved they question YOUR intention(s) but not those of those in charge of the orphanage. That is why bad policies never change."

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The Politically Correct thing to say and do? should? really be? to honor orphans here in the U.S., to give them a place in our hearts and to understand that our society has, and will probably always have, orphans.? 

Let??™s get REAL and do the politically? CONSCIOUS thing!

An orphan is an orphan and they are wonderful children who need our love.? 

One more note along these lines. ? ? Our founding fathers were orphaned from the Mother country and, therefore,?  we were founded by orphans NOT foster people. ? So what??™s wrong with the word orphan??  Why add shame when in fact, we are gifts to the world.

Finally, let's all take the time to honor orphans here at home as well as abroad.? 

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Do the Politically Correct?  CONSCIOUS Thing??¦

Hug an orphan...

Understand an orphan...

Help them have pride in being an orphan!

ORPHANS??¦Let??™s start talking by joining

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orphanconnect

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Karin Janin

coachkarin@mac.com

http://www.orphanconnect.com

Author, Creative Life Coach, etc.

Born in Germany and raised in an orphanage the 1st 4 years of her life.?  She was luckily transported (story in Time magazine) at age 4 to be adopted by a Venezuelan family.?  That did not work out.?  She was eventually adopted into an American family that lived in Caracas, Venezuela. Read her story in The Orphan Connection: http://www.orphanconnect.com and honor an orphan.