Dear Ann Landers,
bout that white Iowa couple who were adopt-ing the baby boy of an interracial union, they may be God's own, as you say, but I question their judgment. Americans are still a race-conscious people. These parents would do well to consider the problems the child will face. Will he be looked down on by both blacks and whites? What will the attitude of the neighbors be? Are they well enough integrated so that he will have ac-cess to both black and white friends? Parents who want to adopt "any child" should realize that children aren't poodles. There's more to it than providing "a good home." A child must grow into adulthood prepared to live in the real world. -Mrs. E. in McComb, Miss.

Dear Mrs. E.,
The questions you raise are provocative, and there are no easy answers. Since that letter appeared, I have been bombarded with expressions of love, hate, praise, condemnation and concern. Name it, and I've had it. Here are some samples of what the mail has been like lately: From Ohio: God bless that couple with the courage to adopt an in-terracial child. The folks down South won't be so happy about this pre-diction, but within 150 years, America will be predominantly brown. Indiana: You suggested a 21-gun salute for that Iowa couple. I sug-gest you save the salute for the kid, if he survives. It's a rough world out there, and whether you like it or not, Archie Bunker is the new Amer-ican hero, and people love him. Edmonton, Alberta: I am a 12-year-old girl. I just read a book about a couple who took 12 children of mixed parentage into their home, and they are as happy as can be. Anyone who thinks brown skin or differ-ent-shaped eyes make a person inferior needs educating. Washington, D.C.: How much experience with interracial children have you had, Ann Landers? We adopted a Vietnamese child five years ago, and she has put us through hell. The girl has been in a mental hos-pital for over a year and is still very sick. Our own children are normal and healthy, and we rue the day we opened our hearts and our home to this foreign girl. Minnesota: Four years ago, we adopted a Korean boy. He has brought us a world of joy and happiness and has taught our two sons kindness and unselfishness, and we thank God daily for him. Alabama: You Northerners have a lot to say about brotherly love and racial equality. God made people different colors for a reason. Birds of a feather belong together. If your granddaughter marries a black, you deserve it. Hartford, Conn.: A spokesman for the Greater Hartford Associa-tion of Black Social Workers says, "Black children should be placed with black families. White families cannot provide the experience that will enable a black child to survive in what is a 'racist society.' Children face enormous burdens during their growing-up years even under nor-mal conditions. This special situation is an added burden to the child and the parents." I read this in The Hartford Courant two days after your column appeared. It sounds reasonable to me. So, dear readers, there you have it. In my opinion, the overall results of what happens to biracial, and black and brown-skinned children who are adopted by white families will not be known for at least 15 years. I'm betting there will be many triumphs and many disasters. Those who try it need unusual courage, emotional stability and an in-finite capacity to love. If they succeed, the rewards are tremendous. For more information, contact: National Council for Adoption 1930 17th St. NW Washington, DC 20009 (800) 333-NCFA I Love Pels, but an Iguana in the Bathtub? Some of the funniest, saddesty oddest and most touching letters I've received have been about people and their pets. Take a look at these creative critters: