Federal judge strikes down Okla. gay adoption law

[ruggerson]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/052006dntexoklaadopt.22ebd4c.html

08:06 PM CDT on Friday, May 19, 2006
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal judge on Friday struck down a two-year-old state law that prohibited state officials from recognizing same sex adoptions from other states or countries.

In a 31-page decision, U.S. District Judge Robin Cauthron ruled that the measure violated the U.S. Constitution's due process requirements because it attempted to break up families without considering the fitness of the parents or the best interests of the children.

Instead, Cauthron wrote, the state statute "attempts that break up only because the ... adults are of the same sex. Such an act cannot survive..."

The decision was attacked by supporters of the law, which was passed by the Legislature with bipartisan support in 2004.

(more)

[Prophet 451]

1. Activist judges! Activist judges!

Sorry, just thought I'd be the first to say it.

[ruggerson]

2. At least you didn't say it in Spanish n/t

[MercutioATC]

6. ¡jueces del activista!

¡jueces del activista!

...you asked for it...

:)

[saigon68]

11. Juge qui sont des activistes

Incroyable

[Erika]

3. Those wishing to punish gays rather than to protect families

took a big hit. Oklahoma needs to join this century.

[napi21]

4. Are Ok judges elected or appointed?

You know where I'm heading with this, huh? Is this a Clinton appointee?????

[karlrschneider]

7. Federal Judges are appointed.

...

[Toucano]

8. Of course it's a federal court, so it's an appointment.

Poppy Bush appointed her.

[napi21]

13. Thanks. That what i was looking for. Someow I knew if Clinton had

appointed her, her decision would have been all HIS fault!

[Peter Frank]

5. It's good to see that checks & balances work on the state level...

At least for the time being.

[xchrom]

9. does this mean fundies will move out of the state?

you know, cause god is going to strike oklahoma with a big ol' tornado -- or make them live next door to a mexican.

[rodeodance]

10. and the law had 'bipartisan support' when passed in 2004. Scary!

.....The decision was attacked by supporters of the law, which was passed by the Legislature with bipartisan support in 2004.

[wellstone dem]

12. This is an issue that needs to be fought by single adoptive parents as

well as anyone who cares about kids. GLBT and Single parents often adopt kids from the foster care system. (It would be interesting to see how much the proportion is higher than for other adoptions.) This is because of the bias in favor of straight couples. In opposing adoption by gay couples, the argument is always the need for a man and a woman as parents. Single parents are similarly threatened by this argument.

I am the single mom of a young woman who had been in foster care for more than 4 years when I adopted her at age 9. She is now 18. Things she has said while with me:

"Living with you isn't interesting, living with you is safe."
At age 12--"My childhood wasn't the best years of my life, now is the best years of my life."
"I need to thank you. You helped me realize I could stand up for myself. Thank you for not hitting me when I disagreed with you." (My response to that was, "Well, it would be ok if you disagreed with me a little less."


She had been abused and neglected by her hetrosexual parents and the caretakers with whom they left her.

My daughter is a strong and independent young woman. When I adopted her she didn't ne a mom and a dad; she didn't need straight parents; she didn't need gay parents; she didn't need a single parent. She needed me. Someone who would love her, care for her, discipline her appropriately, laugh with her, be proud of her, teach her, and once again, most of all, love her. Someone who would be her real mom.

Kids in foster care need loving caring parents. We owe it to them to fight to give them these parents regardless of marital status of gender prefernce.

[ldf]

14. your daughter

is a VERY lucky young lady.

:toast: and :hug: to you!

[bobbieinok]

15. and Inhofe wanted English as the official language of US????

thank God for some still existing federal sanity to protect us against the state's bigotry