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Russian Ban on U.S. Adoptions Would Hurt Children, Family SaysAnchorage’s Gionet family has five children adopted from RussiaRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - One in four children adopted by Alaska families comes from Russia. But if a new bill, which Russian lawmakers passed Wednesday, gets signed into law, that could all change. The Russian Parliament voted to ban American adoption of Russian children. Russia has roughly 700,000 orphans. The ban has been called political retaliation for a new American law that prevents Russians accused of human rights violations from getting visas. The Gionets found this development to be heartbreaking, because they have invested a large portion of their life into helping Russian orphans. Their family is far from traditional. "Adoption, it comes from not a perfect situation," said mother of 8 Susan Gionet. "A family is broken for some reason." Susan and Paul Gionet couldn’t imagine their lives without their eight children – six of whom are adopted and five of those are Russian. "For us it was… big shock," said Paul Gionet. "We think it is probably a political move that has been happening, but the children are caught in the middle." In the last 15 years the Gionets have been to Russia 37 times to help in various orphanages. They said the conditions are far from optimal. "The conditions are friendly with the orphanage directors and workers," said Paul Gionet. "They give really good care. The conditions of the structures are really poor, mildly on the edge of poverty." Julie was adopted when she was seven. She said life in an orphanage wasn't so bad. "When you don't know anything different, you don't feel like you are deprived of things or that you're missing out on things that you should have, because you don't know you should have them," said 23-year-old Julie Gionet. She is the middle child of three sisters who were all adopted into the Gionet family. She said more children should have the opportunities that her and her sisters have had. "I think it's going to be a disservice to the Russian children," said Julie Gionet, sitting next to her parents, with her curly blonde hair resting on her shoulders. "I think that if anyone wants to love and care for a child they should be able to do that." The Gionets said it all starts with love and opportunity. "We sat each one of them down and we told them 'you are never going to leave us,’" said Paul Gionet. "‘You will always be our family.’" |
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Anonymous said on Saturday, Dec 29 at 6:43 PM
yeah I heard about that "secret" that the Heaths and their best buddies know...the only one who doesn't is the one most crucified and for the amount of money the kid is worth...that is a shame...what a waste of a life so others live better while the birthright child lives in poverty now how is that God's Will Skarah? I heard the kid told Russia all about you dear!!!
110212355money is the root of all evil folks said on Saturday, Dec 29 at 6:34 PM
wow almost 50 years of domestic-terrorism in the name of money with some children? hu and you pass judgement on Russia? Really? hope that poor kid gets paid back with interest...this has got to stop...
110211975Anonymous said on Friday, Dec 28 at 3:58 PM
I heard there was a "golden child" or "ripe tomato" that had a HUGE trust fund Levi hinted in GMA interview...lol...may be the rich kid is from Russia...can anyone say This Means War? lol.....oh boy...don't steal now....oh wait this is Alaska...
110160036TedtheBear said on Thursday, Dec 27 at 8:01 PM
Maybe the Gionet family can start helping American kids and adopt one of them instead taking the cheap route oversea. You can help a young fellow American child with a good home if you put in the same effort as you do flying to foreign lands.
110104552Anonymous said on Thursday, Dec 27 at 4:47 PM
with all the frauds in adoptions when some come with HUGE trust funds good for Russia...now to get the money out of Scarah's prying hands that she took from her half sister is it dear? or just one of those "missed opportunities" you took stole from?
110095066too bad said on Thursday, Dec 27 at 12:53 PM
they are very hard workers
110081116Pink said on Thursday, Dec 27 at 12:16 PM
Get the Party Started..vroom vroom...lol...
110079032Tarah S said on Thursday, Dec 27 at 12:12 PM
See what happens when what happens in Alaska goes VIRAL...lol...hows that working for ya now Skarah? It's creeping into courtrooms...whatcha gonna do next? Now the Kid has Russians watching...smirk...
110078806Yep said on Thursday, Dec 27 at 9:40 AM
Guess we will have to abort less American children to fill the gap.
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