Is a boy from a Malawi orphanage better off with Madonna?

What happened

A court in Malawi has approved the adoption of David Banda, a native of the country, by pop star Madonna and her husband, film director Guy Ritchie. The adoption proceedings began in October 2006, when Madonna first met David at an orphanage—his mother died of an AIDs-related illness and his father couldn't care for him. Critics have accused Malawi's government of skirting adoption laws concerning non-residents and pandering to celebrities. (BBC News)

What the commentators said

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Congratulations to Madona and her new son, said celebrity blogger Perez Hilton. Yes, the adoption has been very controversial, but in the end, even Johane Banda—the boy's father—wanted Madonna to have custody. Also, Malawi's AIDS epidemic has left over 1 million children without parents—Madonna is providing much-needed care for this child.

Who says this is what's best for the child? said the conservative blog Vanishing American. "Adopting a child from a Third World country is the thing to do in certain sets," but "children in cross-racial adoptions tend to have identity issues." Madonna has proven herself as a "quintessential liberal" who believes that "the other races are incapable of taking care of themselves," so they need "constant infusions of money and other aid from us in order to survive."

Have a heart, said Gina Serpe in E! Online. "The Ritchies have been caring for David, who turns 3 in November, in their London home since October 2006." The court had to "humor" a humanitarian group screaming about how this adoption is against the law and "opens the door to less well-intentioned foreigners to adopt" from the African nation, but this child has "finally, at long last," been given the right to stay with his new family.