How can Michael Dorris';The Broken Cord'; become a true hero? Aside, from adopting a child facing with FAS?

How can Michael Dorris be considered as a hero, aside from adopting a child facing with such disorder(Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)?


But you wern't Dorris, how could you be considered a hero of adopting a child with such disorder?


HELP PLS.How can Michael Dorris';The Broken Cord'; become a true hero? Aside, from adopting a child facing with FAS?
It was not that Dorris was an adoptive parent--In fact the first Single Man and Native American Adoptive Parent that many consider his story to be heroic.





It was that Dorris was able to recognize that sometimes the Best Decisions have nothing to do with the Feelings of the Parent. He is considered to have been a man that Rather then Force a person to BE what He Wanted them to Be--accepted the fact that he has no power over his son's feelings--or life...and made just about the most difficult choice ANY parent should be faced to make.How can Michael Dorris';The Broken Cord'; become a true hero? Aside, from adopting a child facing with FAS?
Are you wanting to know why he could be considered a hero? Your question as is is a little off.





Since he has passed away I would say there is nothing he can do to make himself a true hero now. I also wouldn't consider what he did heroic. From reading his brief bio he adopted multiple kids with FAS but I wouldn't say that makes him a hero. His book did help encourage congress to create some legislation warning about the dangers of fetal alcohol syndrome. Hopefully that helped reduce the number of cases that present. Not sure if I would say heroic but a wonderful thing. He also was the first single male adopter in the US which again I wouldn't consider heroic but a milestone in our history.





If you are asking how anyone adopting an FAS child can be considered a hero I personally don't think they are. I would consider them to be very strong and dedicated individuals though.
You don't adopt to be a hero, but adopting a child with FAS will make you want to do your damn best to keep it from happening to more children.





It starts with educating people about the effects of alcohol. Many women don't know they are pregnant, and are not aware the drinking during the FIRST 2.5-8 weeks can cause the MOST damage. We need to get kids diagnosed and treated rather than Label them as ADHD giving them medication that either sedate them or numb them.





We need to change how the mothers of these children are treated. They too need treatment not ridicule. Poor treatment of these mothers is why so many kids suffer and why there are multiple kids from a family with FAS.





Look at page 10 it give a clearer picture of the effect of alcohol. The facial features associated with FAS can arise from 1 drinking binge on day 19-20 of pregnancy.





http://www.healthobservatory.org/library鈥?/a>
Have you ever met anyone with FAS/FAE or worked someone who has it? It's really quite hard to raise such a child, it's very hard to work with them, they struggle and will struggle their whole life. It's just the same as adopting someone with trisomy 21 or severe autism, except maybe worse. Start researching the disorder, it's so absolutely preventable and yet we keep pickling our embryos and feti with alcohol.
I don't consider him a hero. I do admire him for the work he did to make people more aware of the effects of alcohol during pregnancy.





The true hero's are the children that overcome the damages that were caused by alcohol.





Why does your question sound like a homework assignment?
I just read up about him on and a few reviews of the book and it seems like he wrote a book about FAS that offers a lot of info that wasn't known at the time but maybe wasn't such a good adoptive parent. He was accused of abusing his other adopted children, possibly lying about his Native American heritage, suggested jailing pregnant NA women to keep them from drinking (while I agree with trying to keep pregnant women from drinking, violating their civil rights isn't the answer either), and eventually committed suicide before the allegations of abuse could be investigated.





A hero for bringing FAS to the spotlight, but not so much for his children who said they were abused. Committing suicide right as sexual abuse allegations are about to surface speaks volumes to me.





Interesting article here: http://www.salon.com/april97/dorris97042鈥?/a>





A quote from him that jumped out at me: ';I intended nothing but good, though I expected to be rewarded with gratitude and love';





ETA: HappyMomAnna -- I'll be sure to check out the links. My cousin's wife drank during both of her pregnancies and my uncle and aunt had custody of them and I saw first hand the devastating effects of FAS. When my aunt died, my uncle had such a difficult time as a single father to 2 children with FAS. My aunt was the one who did all the research so I'll definitely share this with my uncle.





ETA2: HappyMomAnna -- is there an online version of the booklet/pamphlet you're talking about?
i wasn't aware adoption was about making someone a hero? i do however think my friend parenting a child with alcohol is a stronger mom then i could ever be.


at least the adoptive parents can honestly look at the child and want to help them.


people wonder what is wrong with the kids today and i would bet there are hundreds of alcohol damaged children still living with the mother who did this to them, and begging for help for a child she just doesn't know why acts the was they do.





pffft=denial