Drives to ban gay adoption heat up in 16 states (2006 fundie issue

[wakeme2008]

From today's USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-02-20-gay-adoption_x.htm

Women attend a rally in St. Louis. Republicans are hoping gay adoption will draw voters to polls the way gay marriage did in 2004, say analysts.



AP file photo
Drives to ban gay adoption heat up in 16 states
By Andrea Stone, USA TODAY
Efforts to ban gays and lesbians from adopting children are emerging across the USA as a second front in the culture wars that began during the 2004 elections over same-sex marriage.

Steps to pass laws or secure November ballot initiatives are underway in at least 16 states, adoption, gay rights and conservative groups say. Some — such as Ohio, Georgia and Kentucky — approved constitutional amendments in 2004 banning gay marriage.

..more at link....

[Beausoir]

1. Filthy scum. How many of them have adopted? ZERO.

How DARE these filthy GOP animals attempt to doom more children to a life of foster care when there are loving families out there just waiting.

This is hell.

[BlueIris]

52. Best. Post. Ever.

That was my first reaction, too. These assholes have NO SHAME. And no humanity.

[saigon68]

60. These sheep have a God and evil SHEPHERDS POSING AS PASTORS

Who are leading them down the path of hate and in some cases violence.

[beyurslf]

2. And after this, we should make sure gays can't teach or work in day cares

or go to parks where there are children. Then, we should register and chip them so we can track where they are at all times. Then we should round them up and make them live all in the same area and wear ID badges....

The slippery slope always starts slowly.

[Beausoir]

5. I believe you are correct..that's where we are headed.

Can't anyone stop these monsters?

[skipos]

11. We can stop them by getting our dem majorities back in 06 and

getting a dem president in 08.

[Puglover]

37. You know who will stop these "monsters"?

Some with the balls to step up and call them just that. Monsters.

[xchrom]

40. sounds like the new pope's program, no?

[shadowknows69]

61. Not to mention

We have to take away all the children that are currently in gay families and find them "real" parents.

[LostinVA]

78. That absolutely will happen if this continues to snowball

[Zenlitened]

72. Nazis had the Jews. Fundamentalist Christians have gays.

The comparision is direct, and entirely apt.

[Tight_rope]

76. And then we need to burn those "Heterosexuals" who had "GAY" kids

that away we can start to eliminate this bad species of humans. :sarcasm:

I'm so sick of these people who think that Homosexuals raising children will cause the children to be gay. I know 2 gay male partners that have been together for over 15 years and adopted a little baby girl 2 days after she was born. The baby's mother was a crackhead. They give this child more love and comfort then my straight partners ever gave me. One partner works and the other stays home and takes care of the little girl.
Today that little girl is now 4 years old and growing more beautiful everyday.

BTW: They live in "HOUSTON, TX and the baby was adopted in Chicago, OH)

I think more homosexuals should raise children. We have way to many fucked up Heterosexual relationships to be discriminating.

[babylonsister]

3. Why this is even an issue blows my mind. These

people are making the determination that gay people would be unfit, so these kids are 'allowed' to wallow away their youth in orphanages?
And there are no other issues that might be worthy of action?:crazy:

[wakeme2008]

6. Fundie hot button

RNC see this as a GOTV issue just like Gay Marriage.

[AlinPA]

29. GOP issues: God, Guns and Gays. Then, to be sure, the Flag.

[MadMaddie]

8. When they have a willing President...

giving them our tax money....and promoting the hate from the Oval office....they feel empowered.

Someone needs to ask the * Cabal why they are attacking fellow tax paying Americans.

The truth is these white Repugs would prefer to go to Asia, Russia or some other country before they would adopt a black child, an older white child, mentally challanged etc.

These sick people would rather the childeren suffer moving from foster home to foster until they are 18, many times suffering from physical and mental abuse because our foster care system is so pathetic. (There are some good foster parents but very few)

[beyurslf]

15. Actually, there are many outstanding foster parents. Many more who are

very good. Most of them do a job that a majority of people would never consider doing. And a very small minority who are terrible. It's the terrible ones who make the news though.

[MadMaddie]

19. Thanks for pointing that out....

We should hear about more positive foster parent stories.

[proud2BlibKansan]

50. What orphanages?

These kids now hop from foster home to foster home.

[arwalden]

4. Not Very "Christian" Of Them... What Disgusting Creatures They Are!

[Teaser]

7. Urge to get violent rising...

I honestly don't know how I haven't delivered more beatdowns in the last few years. There are so many promising targets.

[BlueIris]

54. There really are, aren't there?

And I'm not a violent person. But when I see shit like the comments from the "American 'Pro-Family' Union" about how these initiatives are just the next logical step, I want to bring the smackdown. Hard. ACK. Bigotry KILLS.

[beyurslf]

9. I work in foster care with kids waiting to be adopted. I have seen them

wait for YEARS and YEARS to be adopted and many of them are never adopted. They "age-out" of the "system" that they grew up in.
Most of these so-called "christians" who want to help would never even think of adopting a child. If they did, they would want a baby, preferably white, with no major problems or diseases or issues. I want to slap them and tell them those babies aren't up for adoption--they are going home with their parents.
The agency that recruits for adoptive parents here, does not even accept recruitment papers from any one who is not looking to adopt a child over 5 years old. This isn't to say there are not young children waiting to be adopted. Instead, it says that a child under 5 has a good shot at being adopted. But once you start school and you are in foster care, there is a good chance you will not get adopted.

I want every slimebag that votes for this to come do my work and tell the child who could have been adopted that he or she is better waiting since the prospective parent was queer. These people deserve a special place in hell, imho.

[MadMaddie]

16. Thats just it...they dont' care...

They would rather cut funding to agencies like yours because they are not impacted by them.

They are selfish, hateful people. It's not about the kids, the kids are just the tool for them to try to spread their hate to deny gays rights.

We need to start calling them out, shaming them, embarrasing them and call them what they are bigots.

There is a special place in hell for them.

[TexasLawyer]

23. WOW-- Send this post as a LTTE

to USA Today. People need to know this, or at least be reminded of this.

[koopie57]

26. These adults who had to live their lives in foster care

do you think if organized they would be willing to counter demonstrate against these "christains". I bet it would be mind opening to see them all in one place.

[JudyM]

43. I agree - this should be an LTTE - people don't understand, instead

focusing on the vision of evil perverted people adopting kids - the vision bing trumpeted by the fundies. More people speaking on as you can would be the absolutely strongest counterargument. It's just not as strong to come at it from a defensive "but gays are as good as straights at parenting" because people don't buy it.

[noonwitch]

74. I work in the same field and have seen the same things happen

In Michigan, single adults and married couples are allowed to adopt. If a gay person adopts a child, he or she is the only legal parent. The partner has no legal standing.

There are two guys who sometimes go to my church who each adopted a daughter and made a family that way. Those girls are happy, healthy, properly dressed and fed, attend good schools-what more can a kid want out of life? They are greatly loved.

The only time I think that sexual orientation does play a role is in cases in which the child has been sexually abused by a member of the same sex. In those cases, it could be difficult for the child to relate to a gay adult of the same gender as a parent, but it would still be a case-by-case decision. Or, with an older child, there may be some acting out that could lead to problems for the potential adopted parent and the agency.

[wtmusic]

10. 100% manipulation

I bet half of these people wouldn't even care one way or another, but allow themselves to be whipped into a frenzy by the GOP.

If Dean has any foresight he'll act now to nip it in the bud. Call the GOP out on this.

[Maven]

18. That would require Dems to have some BALLS

It would require them to do as Paul Hackett did: do unequivocally say that gays and lesbians deserve equal rights on all fronts and anyone who thinks otherwise is un-American.

But they're not going to do that. They're going to come back with some weak, meaningless "we support tolerance and this is an unnecessary measure" bullshit.

[SmokingJacket]

12. Maybe they should do some research and spend time with gay families.

I know a gay couple who adopted the baby of a drug addicted homeless mother and gave the child the kind of stable, loving homelife she would never have had if she hadn't been adopted.

And I know another couple who adopted an entire family of "hard to place" siblings -- they're all doing fantastically.

And how about that wonderful straight couple from Ohio who adopted all those kids and put them in cages???? I suppose if would be preferable for the kids I know to go to those folks, because at least they're not gay!!!!

Keeping kids from good homes because the potential parents prefer one kind of sex partner over the other is beyond stupid -- it's wrong.

[Arkansas Granny]

48. You have brought up two excellent examples. A loving parent

is a loving parent, regardless of sexual orientation, and children thrive in a loving environment. To deny a child the opportunity to grow up in a loving household just because you don't approve of the lifestyle of the parents is a cruel act.

[Lochloosa]

13. This is the tactic that I believe handed * the election in '04

They worked to get the gay ballot inititive in the battleground states in order to mobilize the fundie vote. Looking at the statistics, it worked.

Every state that had the gay ballot went to the repugs.

This has nothing to do with children, it's about power.

[wakeme2008]

14. BUT IMHO this will not be the same for this

issue as MARRIAGE. Adopting aids babys for example most ppl would support.

[beyurslf]

17. I think you (mis)underestimate people's hatred of queers in this country.

I have heard people at work say they don't think gays should be able to adopt. Or that they prefer the kids on the caseload not go to the gay foster home. And we work with the kids in the system!

[wakeme2008]

24. Not always the case

This is a case from 2004 in St. Pete

A search http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/results.html?QryTxt=Curtis+Watson+foster will list a lot of articles on this one case.

but from http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/690049121.html?MAC=b67b01a00129500e85e2aeb63d56138c&did=690049121&FMT=FT&FMTS=FT&date=Sep+9%2C+2004&author=CURTIS+KRUEGER&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&printformat=&desc=Gay+dads+get+daughters+plus+praise+from+judge

Cut...

Two young girls from Florida's foster care system should be allowed to live permanently with the two gay men they call "Dad and Daddy," Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Irene Sullivan ruled Wednesday.

Denying a motion that could have moved the girls away, Sullivan said the state owes the two men "a debt of gratitude" for the way they took in two troubled foster children, now ages 6 and 7, and transformed their lives.

"I'm going to personally thank Dad and Daddy here, for in their way, stopping the cycle of abuse," Sullivan said. She even suggested the state use the men to train other foster parents.

.more at article...

[Misunderestimator]

28. They don't get to adopt them though... and just to keep them as foster

children was a battle. Sadly, these exceptions, as limited as they are, are extremely rare. So many articles on ONE case. Where are all the others?

[Misunderestimator]

31. If the fundies could manage to allow gay people to only adopt AIDS babies

they probably would. God forbid though that some healthy "normal" baby slip through and be adopted by some evil gay person.

This is NO different than marriage. This is yet one more way to ensure that gay citizens remain second class citizens. Those who object to gay people adopting are the same ones objecting to gay people marrying. What do you think the difference is?

[sarcasmo]

22. Winning the elections through Fear. Those so called Christians are

afraid Gays can adopt and marry. All Fundies will rot in their so called HELL.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

46. Actually, I think Oregon was the exception in our favor.

[fujiyama]

57. MI as well

And possibly OH...

But they were very effective and made these states very close. I was stunned how close MI was.

The sad thing is even OR passed it (though they had the largest % voting against it). Second in the % opposing was MI actually...but it still passed by well over 60%.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

59. Really?

I didn't know it was even on the ballot in Michigan.

[fujiyama]

63. Yep, it was on the ballot here

It was 59/41. Not too bad (compared to MS and some other states where 80+% voted for it), thanks largely to Washtenaw County, home of UM-Ann Arbor.

Here's a list of the different states and their ballot measures. Interestingly enough, Utah 'only' had 66% voting for the measure, which is not nearly as high as I would have thought.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/ballot.measures/

[Starbucks Anarchist]

64. I would have thought Detroit would have carried it for us.

[fujiyama]

66. Keep in mind though

that Detroit is over 80% African American and there is quite a bit of opposition in the black community toward gay marriage.

I know atleast one myself that absolutely disliked Bush (and likely voted straight Dem includign for Kerry), but when it came time to proposal two (or whatever # it was), he said "F%ck those f@ggots, I don't want them marrying".

[Starbucks Anarchist]

67. True, African-Americans tend to be socially conservative.

I recall when Al Sharpton was on the campaign trail. He was addressing a mostly AA crowd, and they loved his anti-Bush tirades.

But when it came to the Q&A, one man seemed hesitatnt and said he'd rather ask Sharpton in private, but then asked the question, anyway. He seemed very concerned when he asked Sharpton about gay marriage, but fortunately, Sharpton voiced his support for it in his own unique way.

In fact, I recall during the convention, he said the government shouldn't be worried about "who's sleeping in the bedroom, but whether or not they're eating in the kitchen."

[dsc]

82. Not true

Michigan and Oregon both had those measures and Bush lost them both.

[rodeodance]

20. "Now that we've defined what marriage is,"--next front is the children

......Steps to pass laws or secure November ballot initiatives are underway in at least 16 states, adoption, gay rights and conservative groups say. Some — such as Ohio, Georgia and Kentucky — approved constitutional amendments in 2004 banning gay marriage. (Related story: Both sides cite concern for children)

"Now that we've defined what marriage is, we need to take that further and say children deserve to be in that relationship," says Greg Quinlan of Ohio's Pro-Family Network, a conservative Christian group.

Florida has banned all gays and lesbians from adopting since 1977, although they can be foster parents. State court challenges and a campaign by entertainer Rosie O'Donnell to overturn the law have failed. A pending bill would allow judges to grant exceptions.

Mississippi bans adoption by gay couples, but gay singles can adopt. Utah prohibits all unmarried couples from adoption........

[Occulus]

21. How much will it take?

How far will these people go to dehumanize me and those like me? Furthermore, how far am I going to have to go in response to them?

When do I get to say, "Enough!"? When do I get to say, "it's my turn to take from you?" When am I forced to say, "that's one step too far", and what sort of response is "acceptable"? I don't get to have children, a family, anything of the kind, if these people get their way, and if they criminalize homosexual behavior (and the SCOTUS could do it, they would "find" a rationale, trust me on that), I don't get to be. Period.

Am I eventually going to have to answer my door with a loaded gun in my hand? Is that what they want? They want me to just go away. The problem is, even if you force every gay person into the closet, we'll still be around.

How often does a dog need to be kicked before an observer will NOT fault the dog for savaging the legs of the kicker?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

45. I'm sorry that some straight people are ignorant assholes.

:hug:

I'm thinking it's time to show up to some of their Sunday "services" (aka rethuglican political rallies) with picket signs in hand. I'd proudly stand next to you.

[customerserviceguy]

75. The fundies might have a bit of a problem here

They were able to scare "straight" America with the idea that gay marriage would somehow mysteriously dilute straight marriage, and enough sheep were sufficiently bewildered to go along with that idea, but adoption is something different. Most married couples do NOT adopt children, and most are probably at least a bit admiring of those who do choose to take on the challenges of a hard-to-place child. Letting gay people adopt is one of the ways of assuaging their guilt over not participating personally in making sure these kids get provided for.

Besides, gay marriage has a very short history in this country, whereas adoptions by gay couples have been going on for decades. There are success stories that can be highlighted, and fears of using adoption to "recruit" can be easily dispelled. It's well known and understood that just about every gay person came from a heterosexual family.

In answer to your question about what you have to do, I think there's only one possible response: Every gay person in America needs to come out, loud, strong, and proud, to EVERYBODY in their lives, it would be fitting if there were a day picked to do just that. Most of the fundies think they don't know any gay people (except for the ones in denial who stand up at their churches and say how jeezus saved 'em) but if they had a cataclysmic event that not only told their sorry asses not only how many gay people were in their lives, but how it was perfectly OK with so very many straight people in their lives, they might just crawl back into their hate holes on this one.

[TexasLawyer]

25. Here are some children in Texas

who are waiting for adoption. 32 pages of children over 13. I invite all these Christian do-gooders to step up to the plate and adopt them.





Rosa


LaRhonda

and many, many, many, many more...


http://tare.dfps.state.tx.us/search/SearchResults.jsp

[TexasLawyer]

27. For Texas children available for adoption under age 6

there are only 5 pages. Most of the younger children are available only as part of a larger family group, which makes them much more difficult to place.



Kalani - Sep 2001
Chaney - Apr 1999
Chadoe - Apr 1998
Chevell - Jun 1995
Chevas - Sep 1996

Also, many appear to have health issues:


Jared

I'm sorry, but anyone who steps into the breech to adopt ANY of these children and give them a decent home is a HERO!

[wakeme2008]

33. And 7 pages under females 7-12

and there are very few whites mainly black and hispanic.

[mondo joe]

30. How can they look so HAPPY about fucking up the lives of other

people who have never caused them any harm?

I don't like to think I'm easily disturbed or shocked, but this gets me every time.

[Maven]

32. Because they're parasites.

That is what we need to call them from now on, because that is what they are. Parasites.

[Kber]

34. I HATE these people

According to our current will, should my husband and I both die, his sister and her partner would get custody of our two children. We thought long and hard over who was best to take over this responsibility. My sister in law and I share common values, an irreverent sense of humor, stable and long term partnerships with people we love and very similar parenting philosophies.

Is someone who doesn't know me, my family or my kids going to step in and overturn our last wishes bacause she's gay? These uptight homophobes need to get the F*CK out of my bedroom and stay the hell away from my kids!

[Tyler Durden]

35. Time for the "Log Cabin" idiots to WAKE THE FUCK UP.

I've always thought of them like Jews in Nazi Germany, investing in IG Farben (made some of the "ovens") just because their stock was doing great.

[maddezmom]

36. revolting

please call your reps today and let them know how you feel. :mad:

[TexasLawyer]

38. My husband and I were discriminated against

when we tried to adopt. We were turned away by MANY private adoption agencies because we were a "mixed marriage"-- Jewish and Catholic. The one Jewish agency didn't turn us away-- just several "Christian" ones.

So this is an issue that resonates big time with me.

[Skittles]

56. OMG!!!!!

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[2Design]

39. why is this not protected by the hate crimes bills? n/t

this is pure hatred

[xchrom]

41. tapeworm christians feeding off the goodness of some

and turning it into hate.

i hate fundie, moralistic christians with every fiber of my being.

they are dangerous -- and think how many millions there are out there.

there is nothing to commend conservatives -- nothing.

[theHandpuppet]

42. A lot of straight folks don't understand the scope of these proposed laws

Think about it! Quite a few gay folks I know already have children in the family -- some adopted by one partner or the other, some their own biological children. Should the biological parent die, the surviving spouse would not be able to adopt her or his own children!!! Same if the adoptive parent would die. This means that children would be ripped from the only families they have ever known to be scattered among relatives or even placed in the foster care system. Surviving spouses could even be denied visitation.

This is HATE, pure and simple. Hatred for gays, hatred for loving families, hatred for children. Just BLIND HATRED and the very antithesis of the teachings of Jesus Christ who, BTW, never mentioned gays in his teachings. But he DID reserve quite a few admonitions for religious hypocrites. I wonder when the last time these professional haters read the Sermon on the Mount from the book of Matthew and how they reconcile Christ's words with their own hypocrisy. His judgment will be on THEIR heads, not on those who opened their hearts and homes to children looking only for love.

[BiggJawn]

73. Sermon on the Mount? Is that in Leviticus?

If not, I doubt more than a handful of "Mainstream Christians" would know what you're talking about.

They seem to be real long on Law and Judgement and pretty short in the Grace department.

[karlrschneider]

44. The poll (click on link about halfway down) is somewhat encouraging

...

[6000eliot]

47. The question is; will the idiots fall for this crap again?

[HuffleClaw]

49. truly appalling and NOT remotely 'christian'

funny how its republicans and their fundy minions who always like to DENY folks rights. and of course its an election year ploy to boot.

[ruggerson]

51. I'm telling you

the Human Rights Campaign, which is fucking worthless, needs to start running nationwide commercials with a little six year old girl talking directly into the camera and saying that she's scared of the bad people who want to take her away from her mommies.

Hit these fuckers hard. WHat is wrong with our side that we don't know how to fight back?

[BlueIris]

53. Could somebody point me to a list of the 16 states?

I'm trying to make a blog entry.

Also, could those of you more plugged into the national GLBT lib movement give me links to the organizations with the best info about this? (All I have are links to my favorite local GLBT rights and support groups and they haven't updates about this yet.) Thanks. I have no idea why Google hasn't gotten me any usable info on this crisis yet. Jesus.

[BlueManDude]

55. what's with the freaking monkey?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

58. Nice picture.

Ever notice all the anti-gay, anti-choice people are people nobody would want to have sex with in the first place?

[Nomen Tuum]

62. Are the pink triangles next?

My grandmother lived through Crystal Night, her greatest fear was the Christians going out of control again. Sadly, they've found another target.

[Maeve]

65. It has already hit a major bump in Ohio--House Speaker opposes it

John Husted(R) was adopted and says as long as there are kids in need of families he won't advance ANYTHING that limits the pool of available parents.

[LostinVA]

69. Good for him -- seriously

I always say that the whole "gays are evil" agenda would seriously dry up if people not only came out, but that they FAMILIES did as well. Have that little old lady at your church talk about her grandson and his partner, etc. It is much harder to demonize a real person, versus some kind of visceral bogeyman.

Yeah, the queer haters will still be around (as well as the racists, etc.), but I guarantee the movement would lose alot of it's fizzle, funding, and national-level support.

[Betty]

68. When they're done taking every possible right away from gays

I wonder who their next victims will be. Keep finding fake "threats" to family values to draw these idiots to the polls to vote against their own interests. This is truly fascism at work.

[saigon68]

71. These christian fundies will go after

the Jews next

Like pat robertson did

[MARALE]

70. I think it is time for gluttony prejudices

Gluttony is in the bible as a sin. One sin is not worse than another.

If they say that being fat is genetic, we say we don't believe that and that it is a choice. We don't want fat people with their sloth-en ways raising our children. I could go on and on.

Of course I am being sarcastic and am on the hefty side myself, but I think we need to fight fire with fire sometimes just to point out the stupidness of what they say.

[VegasWolf]

77. Gee! I wonder if the Amerikan public will be STUPID enough to fall for

this gay-bashing bullshit again at the expense of their jobs, livelihood, collapse of the dollar, etc. My guess, probably.

[DuaneBidoux]

79. They're just giving preference to Lesbian couples!

They can still find a sperm donor and be inseminated to have their own child.

[BlueIris]

80. WTF?

[columbusdem]

81. Hyprocrisy

This is the party of "less government and more freeedom"? Please.

[dsc]

83. I am not going to lie

as a gay teacher I am terrified. Frankly I doubt these would be voted down in any of the states listed and gay teachers could well be next.

[iamthebandfanman]

84. oh look !

she has a Shrubby on her hand
;)