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Wed 20 Apr, 2005 05:01 pm
Apr 20, 1:54 PM EDT
Texas House Bill Bars Gay Foster Parents
By NATALIE GOTT
Associated Press Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Texas could become the only state to bar gays from becoming foster parents under legislation passed Wednesday by the House.
The ban is part of a bill to revamp the state's Child Protective Services agency. It passed 135-6 with two abstentions and now heads to the Senate.
"It is our responsibility to make sure that we protect our most vulnerable children, and I don't think we are doing that if we allow a foster parent that is homosexual or bisexual," said Republican Rep. Robert Talton, who introduced the amendment.
If the bill becomes law, Texas would be the only state to prohibit homosexuals and bisexuals from becoming foster parents, according to the American Civil Liberties Union Lesbian and Gay Rights project.
Arkansas had barred gays from becoming foster parents, but a judge said the law was unconstitutional in December.
Under the Texas bill, anyone who applies to be a foster parent or a foster parent whose performance is being evaluated must say whether he or she is homosexual or bisexual. Anyone who answers yes would be barred from serving as a foster parent. If the person is already a foster parent, the child would be removed from the home.
Eva Thibaudeau, a social worker, said she and her partner of eight years have adopted four children and have served as foster parents to 75.
"I am just so hurt and surprised, especially now (when) we are facing an ongoing crisis of not having enough resources to take care of foster children," she said.
First Bush, than Delay and now this. Is there something funny in Texas drinking water? That bit of sarcasm aside. What do you think of this legislation?
I think it's idiotic legislation.
I was born in Texas and lived in Texas off and on. I visit Texas because most of my family lives there. I love Texas. Really.
I know many Texans will agree with me about this being idiotic legislation.
I'm no longer a Texan. I'm not gay. I'm not a foster parent.
However, my personal circumstance of raising a child that was abandoned by his parents makes me very sympathetic to foster parents.
Some people do it for the money. Some people do it to make a difference in the life of a child. Some people do it for both.
One thing they all have in common is that they stood up and stepped forward instead of yammering away about "she should have kept her legs closed" and "it's not my problem" and "will you pray with me over the cells frozen in fertility clinics?" and "people who have abortions are murderers" and so on and so forth ad infinitum.
Foster care is a band-aide on a gut wound but it's better than nothing.
Anyone who is willing to step up deserves our thanks and our respect.
Unless they're gay, of course.
You forgot to specify that, Boom. You accidentally said "Anyone."
Excuse me!
Oh yes, no homosexuals.
And for that matter - no heterosexuals becuase if it weren't for heterosexuals we wouldn't have any kids needing foster care.
Asexuals only need apply.
Hermaphrodites..... maybe..... maybe not.
Creationist hermaphrodites will be considered in a pinch.
Do you think Mexico would accept the return of Texas? :wink:
No.
No, I don't think they would.
<sigh>
Maybe if we threw in Louisianna.
I'm waiting for someone to come along and defend this nonsense so I can smack them upside the head.
It would really do me some good. I've been in a funk and not too talkative lately. I need a good fist-fight to help me get my game on.
I should have lurked til I could pounce but I couldn't resist. This is the kind of stupidity that really gets me growling.
and if a child is currently residing with gay foster parents, no matter how long they've had them, they're to be removed from the home.
Good idea. Children need that kind of stability.
Stupid f**ks.
Florida will be right behind I predict.
I only have a slight issue with this, and that would be to limit gay and single people to a last ditch effort for foster parents. Let the kids go into a normal home with a man and a woman. It gives them the best chance of living in a normal home.
I truly hope California will become an independent country
one of these days. I've had it with the bilbe belt states.
Baldimo wrote:I only have a slight issue with this, and that would be to limit gay and single people to a last ditch effort for foster parents. Let the kids go into a normal home with a man and a woman. It gives them the best chance of living in a normal home.
there's no such thing as a "normal" home. Normal is a subjective term.
baldimo
How many times have you read stories about children in "normal foster homes" who have been abused and mistreated. On the other hand have you ever read or seen a report of abuse by a gay couple.
Believe me:
Every foster parent is a last ditch effort.
Every. Single. One. Of. Them.
For every kid that needs a foster parent there is like .25 people willing to take them in.
For us to turn away anyone willing to take on this incredibly hard task is insanity.
Exactly! Children need love and nurturing - whoever provides it is secondary. In todays world there are not
"normal families", especially for children in the "system"
who wander from foster home to foster home and waiting
to be adopted.
au1929 wrote:baldimo
How many times have you read stories about children in "normal foster homes" who have been abused and mistreated. On the other hand have you ever read or seen a report of abuse by a gay couple.
Are you saying that hetrosexual homes are just as normal as homosexual homes?
Baldimo wrote:Are you saying that hetrosexual homes are just as normal as homosexual homes?
Of course homosexual homes are as normal as heterosexual homes. Just two people who love each other living together, and willing to parent a child.
I read about more abuse in "normal" intact, bio-families than I do in foster families.
And that makes sense because there are more bio-families than foster families.
I don't think anyone is saying that any classification that you might want to drop someone into automatically makes them "good" or "bad".
There are bad people who are homosexual just as there are bad people who are heterosexual.
But foster care is a desperate situation. Did you know that a recent study by the Casey Family Programs shows that kids exiting foster care have twice the incidence of post-tramatic stress syndrome of soldiers returning from combat!?
Not only that but the homeless rates, the mental illness rates, the drug addiction rates - all of the horrible things you could wish on a child - are much, much higher than in the general population.
Anyone who can establish the criteria needed to provide foster parenting should be considered despite race, religion, sexual orientation, dwarfism, giantism, amputeeism, whateverism.
Honest to God I cannot begin to understand why anyone would want to take out their own personal hang-ups on these kids by denying them a home with someone who cares.
Especially people who don't care enough to open their own doors. I would really like to know the number of Texas legislators who serve as foster parents.
I don't know that i'd go so far as to say that heterosexual homes are just as normal as homosexual homes, Baldimo, that's an awfully radical concept.
Hehe set...
Go boomer go!
Baldimo wrote:au1929 wrote:baldimo
How many times have you read stories about children in "normal foster homes" who have been abused and mistreated. On the other hand have you ever read or seen a report of abuse by a gay couple.
Are you saying that hetrosexual homes are just as normal as homosexual homes?
Actually, in many cases, better than normal. Two women can do a better job providing care to foster kids than most married couples can.
nimh wrote:Baldimo wrote:Are you saying that hetrosexual homes are just as normal as homosexual homes?
Of course homosexual homes are as normal as heterosexual homes. Just two people who love each other living together, and willing to parent a child.
What is normal about homosexual realationships?
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