Mail Order Brides

The term Mail Order Bride is one used most often in USA, for those who search for a wife abroad. It is mostly said by someone who never experienced having a bride from another country. I googled this phrase today and got 9,780,000 hits in 0.26 seconds. Makes me think people have a lot to say about the topic. In my personal opinion I find the term offensive and rude. I hardy hear mail order husband. Wouldn't it go both ways if men are also adverising themselves for love from afar?  First of all ordering a wife in the mail is against the law. If this could be done it would be a form of human trafficking. 

I read a little history about the subject. Some say it goes as far back to Jamestown settlers when John Rolfe married Pocahontas. But it actually started in the 1800's when men migrated to USA for all the purposes we learned in history class. As some found there fortunes, the one thing missing was the company of a wife. Very few women lived in the USA in those days. So the men wrote letters to be published in advertisements, newspapers, magazines ect.. The women would write and send photo's. Another way was to offer free trade for a boat load of ladies to be brought over. Tabacco was one trade used.

There is lots of negative publicity of men marrying foriegn women. Most of  it is incorrect and comes from those who never tried it. Or they hear one bad story and assume they are all bad. Ofcourse not every love story has a happy ending, but read the whole book before you judge for each story ends differently. The USCIS once reported that foreign marraiges have a lower divorce rate than the nation as a whole.

No doubt those who venture into this territory should be very careful and wise. Yes there are scammers out there. As some men have been taken advantage of, some women have been abused as well. And what erks me the most is some jerk who tries to tell me how these povety stricken girls just want a way out of there country coz they hav it so bad there. Well how do you know that if you never been there I ask in response? Or, oh it will never work out they just use you for a green card then she's gone.  I ask has that happen to you? Its not that easy to do if you read immigration laws. You should learn and know what your talking bout before you open your mouth. Another is she will just take all your money and divorce you and take all your stuff.  What nonsense. I say, isn't that what American women do here also? So what's your point?

There was once or may still be I'm not sure, a class at John Hopkins University you can take on the subject. The course was called "MAIL ORDER BRIDE: UNDERSTANDING THE PHILIPPINES. I didn't read further because I can't imagine why anyone would want to take such a course in college, and I wasn't interested. Again, mail order is offensive and rude.

One more thing I read is the Philippines passed a law in 1990 called the Republic Act of 6955 or Anti-Mail Order Bride Law. Due to negative stories that appeared in local press and media of Filipinas being mistreated or abused, it became against the law in the Philippines to organize a business that facilitates or arranges marriage between Filipinas and Foreign Men. So if you come across an agency that does such a thing keep away, they just charge large fee's and don't care about any ones well being. Most of them know it's illegal. And once they find out she will never be issued a visa.

So the next time someone asks you about your Mail Order Bride, what will you say?