DEAR ABBY: I am writing about the letter from Marva Boehm Mason concerning adopted children. I agree with her 100 percent. When you're adopted, you know you were wanted. I often hear people refer to children as "adopted." It's an unnecessary label.
Some birth children wish they had the love and attention that some adopted children get. Mrs. Mason's parents were kind and loving, and let her know that she was special.
Some natural-born children find out that they were "accidents" -- that their parents weren't ready for them. They are constantly reminded that they are an intrusion into their parents' lives.
Television and print media are guilty of using the term "adopted," referring to a certain actor's children as "so-and-so's ADOPTED children." They are his or her children, period! It is cruel for society to create distinctions between children. It is because of labels like these that adoptees go in search of their "real" parents, instead of realizing that the people who loved them, fed them, nurtured them and made them productive members of society are their "real" parents.
The individuals who gave them up are the ones who lose. For whatever reason, they were denied the pleasure of seeing a delightful child grow into a fine adult.
May God bless all those who open their hearts to adopt babies and give them a loving home. -- MARILYN BOZEMAN, CHICAGO
DEAR MARILYN: And God bless those mothers who placed their babies for adoption in order to give them a better home than they (the birth mothers) could provide.