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Loading ...Bill would repeal Fla. anti-gay adoption law
01.08.2009 2:27pm EST
(Tallahassee, Florida) A Florida state senator has introduced legislation to repeal the state ban on adoptions by gays and lesbians.
Sen. Nan Rich (D) filed two bills - one would allow gays to adopt, the other would leave it to judges to determine where to place children where both parents are dead. But lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say neither has a chance of passing in the new legislature.Florida law allows gays to serve as foster parents but not adopt. The law is considered the most repressive of its kind in the country.
The group behind a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage that was approved by voters in November has vowed to fight the legislation.
“I have no doubt that people who are homosexual, just like people with other issues, can be loving, caring parents. But the issue is what is best for the child,” Florida Family Policy Council President John Stemberger told The News-Press.
“This has nothing to do with gay marriage,” Rich told the paper. “This has to do with the best interests of children.”
Her legislation comes on the heels of a court ruling that ruled the adoption ban is illegal. No matter which way the appeals court rules it is expected the case will end up in the Florida Supreme Court.
In November, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman ruled there is “no rational basis” for prohibiting gays from adopting children.
The case involved 47-year-old Martin Gill to adopt two young brothers he has cared for as foster children since 2004.
The boys had been placed with Gill after he was approached for help by a state child abuse investigator.
The placement was supposed to be temporary, but three years later, the boys and Gill had become a family, and Gill wanted to ensure the children will not be removed at some point from his care.
Gill and lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union asked Lederman to overturn the ban on gay adoption and award him permanent custody.
An attorney appointed by Lederman to represent the children said in a report to the court that the children refer Gill and his partner as “dad” and that Gill should be granted the adoption.
The Florida Attorney General’s office has appealed the ruling.
There is absolutely no sane reason on the face of this earth why Gay men and Lesbians cannot be as good and loving parents as their heterosexual counterparts. In fact, in some cases, they may and prove to be much better parents because they recognize the struggles they have endured as a child themselves because they were different, and could be more accepting and supportive of a foster or adopted child who may also have issues with their sexual identity. Too, I believe Gay men and Lesbians on the whole are a lot better educated, have chosen careers in fields that pay higher wages therefore providing a better quality of life for the adopted or forster child.
Stemberger’s comment that “stopping gay adoption is about the interest of children, is an outright lie and deceptive. Nowhere are there statistics to back up his phony assertions and everywhere are there medical studies backing gay foster and gay adoption as being totally positive. It is imperative that we get the word out that it is Stemberger who is harming children by depriving them of a positive upbringing. AMA, APA etc. all attest to this. Denying gay adoption is also unconstitutional.
As a parent of an adopted child, I always ask the question, Are these people who do not want us to adopt willing to adopt extra children from the foster system? While I am sure a token few will.
What about the rest of the kids that need homes? Especially special needs kids ?
In a perfect fairy tale world all kids would grow up with their birth mom and dad. In the real world some kids are lucky to get one loving parent. My kid has two, they just happen to be two dads. The worst thing for the kids in the article would be to be removed from a loving home. Maybe the most threatening thing for the narrow minded is that we can raise open minded well ajusted kids that do not need their brand of guilt.
Tom in Long Beach
dr. bob brogna Said: “Nowhere are there statistics to back up his phony assertions and everywhere are there medical studies backing gay foster and gay adoption as being totally positive.”
Rarely, if ever, is prejudice and hatred backed by research and fact. The simple fact is that their bigotry is more important than the welfare of children who are wards of the state.
Of course there are statistics to back up the ignorance of the religious right. I’m sure those statistics can be found either on or by link Dobson’s site and others of his ilk.
Anyone one can create statistics. I do my self 27.6% of the time . . . at least when there is 30% chance of snow. And most anyone can make statistics say anything they want - especially when they have a dog in the fight.
But when those who have no axe to grind look at the statistics they consistently say there is no difference between gay and straight parenting in how it relates to the outcome for the child. Such foolish and evil laws come from fear produced hatred 97.8% of the time.
Neil
I think it’s time to move Gay Days away from Disney World and away from Florida.
JOHN STEMBERGER, FLORIDA FAMILY POLICY COUNCIL, needs to be reminded of ONE thing: I was not - I REPEAT, NOT - “in the child’s BEST interest for him/her to remain with his/her HETEROSEXUAL PARENTS in the FIRST DAMN PLACE! Typical MORON BREEDER statement!
Neil Said: “Of course there are statistics to back up the ignorance of the religious right. I’m sure those statistics can be found either on or by link Dobson’s site and others of his ilk.
Anyone one can create statistics. I do my self 27.6% of the time . . .”
Statistics, such as you use, indicate probability and nothing more. Probabilities are not cold hard facts. A fact is either true or it is not true 100% of the time. Anything other than that is an educated guess with a probability of being correct and accurate… or not.
I actually find these prohibitive adoption/foster-care laws to be more offensive than the anti-gay-marriage efforts. The Arkansas law that was just passed this fall was particularly odious. I *hate* the “the gays are bad for kids” false stereotype. Blech!
SUCH BULL !! WHY DOESN T THE FAMILY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RAISE ALL THESE KIDS AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR US IN FLORIDA.DO IT FOR THE CHILDREN !!