[Continued from HERE.]

I have this thing… no, it’s not a disease (well, at least I think it’s not.) My thing is that I believe that anyone, EVERYONE, should be allowed to complain and rant and get up on soap boxes and poke holes in everything around them … BUT … I believe that somewhere in there, the privilege of the rant requires that some conclusions are drawn and what remains in the transitional ether is the responsibility of at least trying to offer some improvements/solutions/suggestions that could change the situation inspiring the rant.

I am happy to say that my ranting foray into the M Fray has come to a close. The next few blogs are dedicated to assessing impacts, drawing conclusions and offering a few ideas for positive change.

At the end of the day, the very long M Fray day, the most glaring fact that remains with me is that the Life of David is not an appropriate forum for setting precedent, making an example of someone or breaking new legal ground. The media, rubberneckers from every point of view and the NGO “Rights” guys in Malawi have used Mr. Banda’s and David’s LIVES as flogging posts to which all the fears, prejudices and concerns surrounding everything from international adoption to the special treatment of celebrities have been tied.

It has worried me that the process for David’s interim placement with Madonna has gone disturbingly fast in a country where everything normally happens very much in its own time … a place where the word “tomorrow” really means someday. I can only hope that the next eighteen months are used wisely as an automatic slow down. In this period, Mr. Banda, who now understands the entire situation, can reflect on his decision, the human rights and legal gurus can take the time to consider what has been going on legally and why without the bright lights of media frenzy (or move on to more pressing human rights issues that fester all around them) and Malawian officials can do their jobs and monitor Madonna-as-mother. Hopefully, now that everyone knows they are being watched, they will be more careful with their actions and decisions. Or not. Time will tell.

[Next blog: A Malawian perspective and International NGO rubbish.]