Although some are sold to buyers in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, most of the boys are purchased domestically by families desperate for a male heir

How can they become legal to inherent?

China is not modern like us, they do not have a system in place for the billions of citizens providing birth certificates and the like.

You have to realize that the government does not care about this family because they were breaking the law by having 2 children to begin with.

We in the west have to open our eyes and realize that China is not like us, they are communist, they still execute thousands annually for crimes such as blogging or losing a government company money, yet we continue to try and apply our Western morals to them.

Now realize, China controls us, we just aren't smart enough to figure it out on our own and no way will our government explain the truth.

You have to realize that the government does not care about this family because they were breaking the law by having 2 children to begin with.

After their huge earthquake, families who had lost sons were permitted to have extra children to gain another son.

From what I've been reading and hearing, the way people in China are living now depends on whether they live in an urban centre or rural. The rural people still live with the old ways. In the urban areas they are becoming more westernized in their thinking.

From what I can gather, this problem is fueled by a lack of a social safety net and cultural expectations.

You lost me after

We in the west have to open our eyes and realize that China is not like us, they are communist

Maybe a decade or so ago. Now they are superior capitalists than the States. So, for me, your input is suspect. You do know that with 5% of the world population that you imprison 20% of the world's population - mostly blacks. People in glasshouses ....

I think what Tanyamm was trying to get at, that there is no trial, no witnesses, people just are snatched up and executed, simply because they do not follow the communist line, I mean being executed because you blogged. At least in the US they had a trial, granted because they were poor, probably appeared in court in prison garb, it probably was not a fair trial in the sense of the word "fair." And they have appeals at their disposal. Its kind of difficult to appeal a decision, when there was no trial, you just disappear from family and friends and are then executed.

At least in the US they had a trial

Guantanamo?

From where they started not many decades ago and where they are going, which country is moving forward, after 8 years of Bush? No brainer.

They do not imprison 20% of their population.
You take 10-20 years to execute, often the wrong Black. Tell me when you have execute a white collar criminal/politician whose action caused deaths in large numbers of Americas and others eg Monsanto. Which works as a true deterrent - executing Blacks or corrupt officials who cause huge harm?

Simply, people in glasshouse more often throw stones - through star-spangled glasses! Let there be light! Who remembers now the females' bound feet?! Or the lynching of @iggers. Encourage progress.

What I was saying is that people living in a rural setting are more likely to follow the old rules of only one child. People in the the city are more in tune with western style of living and would be more likely to embrace change. The change being the law being so firm on one child only.

Imagine a world with twice, three times the present number of Chinese!!!

Was the apparent repressive policy of one child right??? Did we ever acknowledge the sacrifice made, with mankind the true beneficiary?!