Ban on adoption by gays considered

[kweerwolf]

A panel of Kansas lawmakers next month will take up the question of whether gay men and lesbians should be banned from adopting children.

The request comes from Rep. Steve Huebert, a Valley Center Republican, who said he believes the state should work to put children in “homes with a mother and father.”

“I just believe, through personal experience and by being a father … that two parents are better than one, that a mother and a father bring two perspectives that you just can’t have with a homosexual couple,” Huebert said.

<snip>

Talk of banning gay and lesbian adoptions surfaced before the state approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in April. Bruce Ney, chairman of Kansans for Fairness, said conservatives want to build on the success of the marriage amendment, but that a ban on adoptions by gay men and lesbians may go too far for most Kansans.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/12168526.htm

More blather from reactionary Repugnant-cans in Kansas ... the state where knuckle-draggers are still debating "EVIL-u-shun."

[distantearlywarning]

1. Two parents better than one?

Then why don't they concentrate some of their efforts on helping single mothers out?

I thank God every single day that I don't live in Kansas...

[MuseRider]

2. We are aware

and we are working on it.

[donco6]

3. So, has there been a problem?

That's where law should start, shouldn't it? Someone determines that there's a problem with something - people are stealing from other people, or people are abusing their spouses, or people are polluting - whatever. And legislators get together and pass a law that levies fines or penalties or set up a watchdog group.

But as far as I know, there have been no complaints about any gay parents anywhere. Children aren't appearing in droves to testify before subcommittees, detailing their horrifying experience at the hands of their gay parent. (If I'm mistaken, please let me know).

So on what basis is there a need for this law? Well, at the risk of being flamed - it's fundamentalist Christianity, yet again. This "two parents better than one" smokescreen doesn't stand up to the smell test - why isn't the law directed at ALL single parents? No, it's someone who heard his fundie pastor give a sermon on how gays are evil, and now we will be prohibited from adopting.

It's all very depressing, really.

[kweerwolf]

5. From an earlier article on the Repug who's proposing this bill ...

Here's the reason given for bringing this up now:

Huebert said he requested the study on behalf of a constituent who was concerned that a lesbian couple might be allowed to adopt her granddaughter, who was in foster care.

“My constituent had some issues with that,” Huebert said.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/jul/14/legislator_questions_adoption_gays/

Unfortunately, Kansas isn't alone in this. Here in Missouri there are rumblings that the issue may come up in the next legislative session, thanks to "Skippy" Blunt and his Repugnant-can circle-jerk buddies in the legislature.

[donco6]

7. So, that grandma wouldn't mind if the adoptive parents

were prideful or greedy or slothful or any of the other deadly sins, but if they're lesbian - PASS A LAW!

PS. and being gay isn't even listed, is hardly mentioned in the stupid Bible, but it's the worst thing that can happen. :sarcasm:

:grr:

[MuseRider]

8. Hey neighbor!

Do you all have a state wide group? We are forming one now. How are you all organized?

[kweerwolf]

10. Hi back at ya, neighbor

Missouri LGBT groups get organized? ... Well, sort of.

As for statewide groups, we have Privacy Rights Organization of Missouri (PROMO). Because it started in St. Louis, there's not a lot of trust for it over here on the western side of the state (and the local office really hasn't distinguished itself at doing much but promoting itself).

There is a move underway to form a statewide LGBT caucus under National Stonewall Democrats similar to what Kansas has, but it too is meeting with the feudal competing fiefdoms that make up LGBT politics in Missouri.

Here in Kansas City we were able to overcome some of that sentiment to get the city to pass a domestic partner policy last year and just last month got the county to pass a similar package for employees. Now after that accomplishment the sniping between groups is still there.

I'm beginning to think what Will Rogers said about Democrats applies just as well to LGBT groups: "Tell 'em to form a firing squad and they stand in a circle."

Still, with challenges like an adoption ban, I'm hopeful that differences can be set aside long enough to keep the focus on the goal.

[MuseRider]

11. LOL

The Stonewall Democrats have a rep working with our steering committee. He is a good guy and he knows what he is doing. I really like him.

Our groups had the same issues and it had been made worse during the marriage amendment fight that we lost. It has been remarkable to see how these various personalities have in turn spoken out and then come to a consensus. All it takes is a great moderator (ours is from the Mainstream Coalition in KC) and a strong commitment, it has been astonishing and it is working well.

[OneBlueSky]

4. so a kid is better off in an institution . . .

or bounced around between foster homes than with a loving gay parent or couple? . . . these people are short-sighted and just plain stupid . . . are they even aware that gays often take kids that nobody else wants (e.g. AIDS babies, older teens, disabled kids, etc.)? . . . just plain stupid . . .

[getmeouttahere]

6. Once again, Kansas leads the way....

in taking us back to the 50's...the 1850's! Who will follow?

[ladeuxiemevoiture]

9. This makes me so angry.

It's not about actually putting those children in hetero homes. It's about punishing gays, and the collateral damage here is that it takes away from children more opportunities for adoption where no demonstrable harm is seen. I'm so sick of this crap.

[kbm8795]

12. This isn't taking us back at all. . .

Actually, the argument should be made that, in cases where one parent divorces and cannot be in the home, or one parent (or both) dies, then the child must be removed from the extended family also, in order to ensure he/she is available to be placed in an appropriate home with a mother/father combination.

Of course this is nothing more than another anti-gay posture. .. but it seems to me that gays in Kansas should demand this travesty be further amended to prevent any family from having or adopting children without being able to provide a two-parent household. This law should not be able to stand before the state constitution, though I realize a wingnut federal court would likely uphold this embarassment.

Another approach might be that, if this law passes, every gay/lesbian Kansas resident should sue the state for tax relief, claiming that they are no longer allowed to participate in certain parts of the culture.

And gay Kansans also need to point out that this proposal would severely limit heterosexual family members from making decisions about where to place their own child if something happens to them. For example, if your niece/nephew lost his/her parents, and the parents wishes were that their children be raised by you, the gay sibling, then the state could/would refuse to allow you custody or adoption rights of those children.

If you want to fight this, get creative. . .and throw so many abhorrent arguments that these Republicans are exposed for the Nazi bigots they have always been.

And you Kansans come back to this board if this starts to roll in the legislature, and you take up a collection for ads and billboards that point out just how far the wingnuts will go to remove rights from ALL people in that state.

[kbm8795]

13. I meant to say that. . .

historically, if parents died, single grandparents, siblings, etc. always had priority for custody in order to keep the children in their families.

Make the Repubs DEAL with this . . .and MAKE them justify how it is SO important to remove children from gay homes that they can overlook removing them from ALL homes.

[ladeuxiemevoiture]

14. Good points.

eom