LilMtnCbn
05-19-2004, 06:30 AM
http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=49&fArticleId=2082005
Family faces scorn and ugliness because adopted daughter is black
May 19, 2004
By Terri-Liza Fortein
Barbara and Louis Olivier are the parents of an energetic eight-year-old who
thinks fairies are cool and loves her teddy, Volvo.
But the couple have been scrutinised, frowned upon and even threatened for
showering their girl with love and affection, just because their family is a
little different.
While Barbara, 42, and Louis, 41, are white, their adopted pride and joy,
Tandia, is black.
Tandia was adopted at birth because Barbara is unable to have children.
She suffers from a rare blood disease that kills the foetus and although the
couple managed to have one child together, having another was almost
impossible.
Barbara said: "We wanted to have another child and we decided to take the
adoption route, but we knew it was not going to be easy."
Louis says when his family are out in public people constantly whisper, point
and stare because Tandia is black.
"A few years ago we were in a shopping mall and this guy just looked at us,
shook his head and told his wife, 'These people are disgusting, they should be
shot for doing this', just because we have a black child," he said.
Last week the Durbanville residents stopped at a traffic light near their home.
Louis said: "A fellow motorist stared at us.
He tapped the woman he was with on the shoulder, pointed at us, shook his head
in disapproval, and continued to stare, making us feel so uncomfortable."
Barbara said: "When people do that kind of thing it really hurts because I love
my daughter so much. It's hard to believe some people can look down on her and
see her as something bad just because of the colour of her skin.
"She's so friendly and greets everyone. Sometimes people are racist and don't
respond well. She just comes to me and says, 'Mommy why is that man so cross?'
- She doesn't realise they are being nasty because she is black."
Louis, a car salesman, and Barbara, his secretary, say although they have had
their share of problems, they would never do anything differently.
"Tandia has done so much for us and adopting her was the best decision we could
have made," Barbara said.
Louis said: "I just want people to realise that it is unacceptable to still
have these kind of attitudes towards people who are different.
"If they continue at this rate we will never be completely integrated and we
will never reach our goals as a rainbow nation."
-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
Family faces scorn and ugliness because adopted daughter is black
May 19, 2004
By Terri-Liza Fortein
Barbara and Louis Olivier are the parents of an energetic eight-year-old who
thinks fairies are cool and loves her teddy, Volvo.
But the couple have been scrutinised, frowned upon and even threatened for
showering their girl with love and affection, just because their family is a
little different.
While Barbara, 42, and Louis, 41, are white, their adopted pride and joy,
Tandia, is black.
Tandia was adopted at birth because Barbara is unable to have children.
She suffers from a rare blood disease that kills the foetus and although the
couple managed to have one child together, having another was almost
impossible.
Barbara said: "We wanted to have another child and we decided to take the
adoption route, but we knew it was not going to be easy."
Louis says when his family are out in public people constantly whisper, point
and stare because Tandia is black.
"A few years ago we were in a shopping mall and this guy just looked at us,
shook his head and told his wife, 'These people are disgusting, they should be
shot for doing this', just because we have a black child," he said.
Last week the Durbanville residents stopped at a traffic light near their home.
Louis said: "A fellow motorist stared at us.
He tapped the woman he was with on the shoulder, pointed at us, shook his head
in disapproval, and continued to stare, making us feel so uncomfortable."
Barbara said: "When people do that kind of thing it really hurts because I love
my daughter so much. It's hard to believe some people can look down on her and
see her as something bad just because of the colour of her skin.
"She's so friendly and greets everyone. Sometimes people are racist and don't
respond well. She just comes to me and says, 'Mommy why is that man so cross?'
- She doesn't realise they are being nasty because she is black."
Louis, a car salesman, and Barbara, his secretary, say although they have had
their share of problems, they would never do anything differently.
"Tandia has done so much for us and adopting her was the best decision we could
have made," Barbara said.
Louis said: "I just want people to realise that it is unacceptable to still
have these kind of attitudes towards people who are different.
"If they continue at this rate we will never be completely integrated and we
will never reach our goals as a rainbow nation."
-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown
