6.02.2007

the anna mae he situation

Of all the news stories I've seen over the last few years while running this site, the Anna Mae He custody battle is probably one of the most heartbreaking. All along, it's simply been a situation where nobody really wins, and worst of all, poor Anna Mae has been caught in the middle. Last week, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Paul Stevens turned down what was probably the Bakers' last hope, turning down a bid for an emergency stay of the ruling that Anna Mae must be reunited with her biological parents: Anna Mae Custody Battle Nears End. I'm bothered by this article, because it really seems heavily skewed in favor of the Bakers—the white, wealthy American family who have so many people convinced that they'll ensure Anna Mae a better life. That might even be true. But like I've said from the beginning of all this, I've been astounded and angered by the stubbornness of the Bakers, and their selfish unwillingness to sympathize with Jack and Casey He's situation.

The Bakers have appealed the ruling, but at this point it's considered pretty useless: Anna Mae He's Foster Parents Petition U.S. Supreme Court. Now Anna Mae is eight years old, and will inevitably have to be handed over to her rightful, biological parents... but separated from the only family she's ever known. Who really suffers here? Oh, there's going to be trauma, and it's going to be ugly. Like I said, nobody really wins.

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