Dear Tazi:
I have always known I was adopted - my family celebrates both my birthday and my adoption anniversary - and I have never felt unwanted or curious about my birth parents. I have a wonderful family and know that this is the reason my birth mother put me up for adoption - so I could have a better life than she could give me.
This year in my History class we are tracing our family trees, so naturally I chose to trace my adoptive family's tree - they are my family and I am a part of them. To me, this was an absolute no-brainer; I don't even think of my family as my "adoptive" family, even though I know we are not blood relatives.
It turns out I have some pretty cool ancestors! I have been able to trace my family back to both sides of the War of Northern Aggression/American Civil War and may even have Native American Indian ancestors, too! Personally, I think my family tree is by far the most interesting of all my classmates but that could also be because it is my family tree. My problem is that a few of my classmates have accused me of cheating.
One girl in my class made a big deal of pointing out that I am not "REALLY" related to any of the people in my family tree because I was adopted, and to do a "true" family tree I should have to hunt down my "true roots". A few of her (snobby) friends agreed with her and complained to the teacher, who asked me if I would be interested in finding out about my "real" family. Tazi, I walked out of the room. If I didn't I think I would have punched the guy.
Obviously, I got sent to the Vice-Principal's office for walking out of class but I didn't get in trouble because the Vice-Principal didn't know what to do about the situation. He mumbled something about talking to the teacher and sent me to the Guidance Counselor to "talk things out with a professional". The counselor was really nice and helped me calm down and even made me laugh when she called my History teacher a name I am not supposed to repeat.
I am not exactly sure why I am writing to you about this, but I think it is for a couple of reasons. The first is that I want people to understand that an adopted kid's main family is the family that adopted them; the people who raised them are their "real" family! The second reason is that I am really angry with those snobby girls that accused me of cheating, and with my teacher for asking such a stupid question. Sometimes writing stuff down helps me get my feelings out of my head. The third reason is to ask you what you think. Do you think those girls are right? I know you print a lot of stuff about adoption and even have friends who are adopted, so I want to know.
Snuggles right back at ya, little cat!
Signed,
Tracing My Ancestry...I Think
Dear Tracing My Ancestry...I Think:
You humans are so silly with your distinctions. Cats see all animals as other cats, just bigger or smaller; aggressive or non-aggressive. To a cat, you humans are just really big, non-aggressive cats who are unfortunate enough to have been born without tails.
Your use of the term "War of Northern Aggression" tells me that you hail from the Southern United States, as no self-respecting Yankee would ever refer to the Civil War by that name (just like with the Battle of Bull Run/Manassas, the winner gets the naming rights). Now that I am done digressing I will get to my point...It has been my experience that people from the Deep South and New England blue bloods have one thing in common: they are both very concerned with bloodlines and personal background. It appears that your classmates are insanely jealous that your family bloodline is much more impressive than theirs, which is why they are attempting to discredit you and your ancestry project.
As far as I am concerned, your family's bloodlines are just that - your family's bloodlines. Since you are a member of your family they are your bloodlines, too! If these girls continue to give you a problem, tell them that a family tree is meant to represent the loving ties that bind people together and not just the genetic ties that occur by happenstance. Then, hold your head high and walk away from these girls who appear to have the intellectual depth of a puddle
Snuggles,
Tazi
Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.
I have always known I was adopted - my family celebrates both my birthday and my adoption anniversary - and I have never felt unwanted or curious about my birth parents. I have a wonderful family and know that this is the reason my birth mother put me up for adoption - so I could have a better life than she could give me.
This year in my History class we are tracing our family trees, so naturally I chose to trace my adoptive family's tree - they are my family and I am a part of them. To me, this was an absolute no-brainer; I don't even think of my family as my "adoptive" family, even though I know we are not blood relatives.
It turns out I have some pretty cool ancestors! I have been able to trace my family back to both sides of the War of Northern Aggression/American Civil War and may even have Native American Indian ancestors, too! Personally, I think my family tree is by far the most interesting of all my classmates but that could also be because it is my family tree. My problem is that a few of my classmates have accused me of cheating.
One girl in my class made a big deal of pointing out that I am not "REALLY" related to any of the people in my family tree because I was adopted, and to do a "true" family tree I should have to hunt down my "true roots". A few of her (snobby) friends agreed with her and complained to the teacher, who asked me if I would be interested in finding out about my "real" family. Tazi, I walked out of the room. If I didn't I think I would have punched the guy.
Obviously, I got sent to the Vice-Principal's office for walking out of class but I didn't get in trouble because the Vice-Principal didn't know what to do about the situation. He mumbled something about talking to the teacher and sent me to the Guidance Counselor to "talk things out with a professional". The counselor was really nice and helped me calm down and even made me laugh when she called my History teacher a name I am not supposed to repeat.
I am not exactly sure why I am writing to you about this, but I think it is for a couple of reasons. The first is that I want people to understand that an adopted kid's main family is the family that adopted them; the people who raised them are their "real" family! The second reason is that I am really angry with those snobby girls that accused me of cheating, and with my teacher for asking such a stupid question. Sometimes writing stuff down helps me get my feelings out of my head. The third reason is to ask you what you think. Do you think those girls are right? I know you print a lot of stuff about adoption and even have friends who are adopted, so I want to know.
Snuggles right back at ya, little cat!
Signed,
Tracing My Ancestry...I Think
Dear Tracing My Ancestry...I Think:
You humans are so silly with your distinctions. Cats see all animals as other cats, just bigger or smaller; aggressive or non-aggressive. To a cat, you humans are just really big, non-aggressive cats who are unfortunate enough to have been born without tails.
Your use of the term "War of Northern Aggression" tells me that you hail from the Southern United States, as no self-respecting Yankee would ever refer to the Civil War by that name (just like with the Battle of Bull Run/Manassas, the winner gets the naming rights). Now that I am done digressing I will get to my point...It has been my experience that people from the Deep South and New England blue bloods have one thing in common: they are both very concerned with bloodlines and personal background. It appears that your classmates are insanely jealous that your family bloodline is much more impressive than theirs, which is why they are attempting to discredit you and your ancestry project.
As far as I am concerned, your family's bloodlines are just that - your family's bloodlines. Since you are a member of your family they are your bloodlines, too! If these girls continue to give you a problem, tell them that a family tree is meant to represent the loving ties that bind people together and not just the genetic ties that occur by happenstance. Then, hold your head high and walk away from these girls who appear to have the intellectual depth of a puddle
Snuggles,
Tazi
Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.
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