Outraged at "Humor"

Marriage Equality--- how about Adoption and Race and Family Equality?!
So I hop onto MSNBC's Facebook page after seeing an OUTRAGEOUS fb post I was hoping was wrong.
Here is the first Post on their fb page at 5pm 12/31/13

What a year! As 2013 draws to a close, 10 additional states have opened the door to marriage equality.

A look back on a banner year for LGBT rights:http://onmsnbc.co/Py3r5U

Whether I agree or disagree with this topic seems insignificant.  Remember just 2 weeks ago this guys reality tv career was nearly ruined by having an opinion on that above life style.  He wasn't making fun of the lifestyle.  He was stating his biblical stance--- not far from what you'd here many pastors say really, so why it was such a "shock", I don't know.

I have yet to watch a single episode of this show, but disagree with him getting in trouble for stating his opinion.
I am not shocked to hear Christians with Christian based beliefs nor am I shocked to hear non-Christians with non Christian beliefs and I'm also not shocked to hear there is a huge mix of people in the middle, each with and entitled to their own beliefs.  Hopefully all can say and think their beliefs in a non-confrontational non hate-filled way, after all I am very much a fan of having my own set of opinions and beliefs, and am ok with you having different ones too.
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And all that to create a platform... MSNBC believes in Equality for MARRIAGE--- but is TOTALLY ok with bashing a family with an adopted child:
Insert this picture of Presidential Canidate 2012 Mitt Romney with his wife and their 22 grandchildren

MSNBC, specifically the Melissa Harris-Perry Show (gag sorry sis you are forced to share a first name with this woman) thought there was humor in playing a sesame street song "Which of these things is not like the others".

One of the panelists, actress Pia Glenn, started singing "one of these things is not like the others," while Harris-Perry laughed. “And that little baby, front and center, would be the one,” Glenn said.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!  

They went on to kid about baby Kiernan who was adopted by Romney's son and daughter in law-- things such as Baby Kiernan and baby North West wedding, jokes about this displaying the republican party's diversity, 

"Can you imagine Mitt Romney and Kanye West as in-laws?” Harris-Perry said.

“I think this picture is great,” said comedian Dean Obeidallah. “It really sums up the diversity of the Republican Party, the RNC. At the convention, they find the one black person.”

Let me be clear- whether this baby was adopted, whether Romney's son married a Kenyan and the baby was multi-race-- neither option make me any less outraged.

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I asked my 9 year old what was different in the photo above.  His first answer was "they almost all have on the same checkered shirt".  I tried to probe him further and he said " the girl in the back is the only one wearing a white shirt."  He is right.  I love even at 9 years old the innocence and truth in his answer!

Here is my family--- or as much of it as we have successfully gotten into one picture.

Wriston Family Summer 2011, before my oldest brother and his wife were stationed in Guam.  We have not gotten to see them since the day after this picture was taken 2.5 years ago now.  We are certainly missing many family members out of this photo, but we traveled from Virginia to Georgia to get this taken, so not everyone could get off work, or make travel plans.

I again asked Anthony what was different in this photo ... as opposed to the Romney family photo he answered "Everyone has on a different shirt"

Wriston Family Summer 2013-- as previously mentioned my oldest brother and his wife aren't in the USA so obviously not in the photo--- oh you just wait for family photo 2014... I;m hopeful for a more accurate and full family photo.

Anthony's answer for what is different in this photo is "My belt is the only one showing"  Again he is correct, and somewhat funny too without being offensive, racist, anti-adoption or any other combination of wording and feelings.

I am the MOST proud individual in the most diverse and full family I could have ever imagined.  I am one of 26 siblings.  I share my parents with 25 others.  I have siblings who are Indian, Caucasian, African american.  I have redheads, blondies, curly hair and straight, tall and short, heavier builds and thinner..  I have a foster sister who has a wife and I don't care about them any differently, I love each and every member.  My family is unique.  My family is created on love and acceptance and commitment to one another.  Some of my foster siblings I haven't seen in over 15 years, but once that bond is formed there is no turning back, I certainly will always consider them my family.  We now stretch across the USA Nevada, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia and even into Guam.  Life isn't always kind or easy to these kids who have grown up in often multiple families and have faced numerous hardships, so why add in national mockery to adoption to just make it even less pleasant!  Sure times have changed over the decades and the races over all are more accepted and it isn't a giant shock to see different races in one family now, but that is only one small piece of the puzzle for many of the kids in blended families.

To say I was offended by the MSNBC statements isn't enough.  This is the mockery of so many families although only one is pictured.  So many families are built and formed using adoption both abroad and in the US or fostering.  This displayed a non-acceptance of us all, of that entire community.  It also showed the continued non-acceptance of multi-race families and families that are made stronger off of differences.  If they don't look like the "typical" American family from 10 or 20 years ago 

who looked picture perfect and shared similar features it is like there is something odd or funny or deserving to be made a mockery of.  Welcome to America land of the free and diverse and changing and growing and transforming and still amazing American family.  You don't have to look like your parents.  You may have two moms or dad or just one mom or one dad and that's it, you may have an adopted sibling or you may have a parent from (or heritage from) a different country.  Welcome to the new american family- multi race, biracial, blended, step, unique family.  

WELCOME TO THE NEW AMERICAN FAMILY, LIKE IT OR NOT.  Accept the beliefs these families have or not, still accept these families for who they are without the mockery and hate.  It is NOT funny.

And with that, Happy New Years Eve and may you remember Equality of all people, in all families, Even if it isn't in your belief system, leave the judging to God.  And perhaps Melissa Harris-Perry you should make a new years resolution too.... think before you talk on national tv, don't pass the blame around ("I didn't produce this show"), and choose a better panel next time!  This wasn't the best way to build a fan base.

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And if you have made it this far, how about you enjoy the feel good story about this family of 22.  Ten happy minutes, you won't regret!  This is my vision of a truly happy American family.

July 2011 happiness....

If you watched that then you have to watch this,

Nov 2013 update

Rick and Rona's growing family of 22

This is a not quite complete family photo, since their oldest ones are now adults away at college and/or living on their own.