http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080825/ap_on_.../gay_foster_ban

Ban on unmarried adoptions cleared for Ark. ballot

By ANDREW DeMILLO, Associated Press Writer 40 minutes ago

A proposal aimed at effectively banning gays and lesbians from becoming foster or adoptive parents was cleared Monday to appear on this fall's ballot in Arkansas.

The measure would prohibit unmarried couples living together from fostering or adopting children, and Arkansas doesn't allow gays to marry or recognize gay marriages conducted elsewhere.

Secretary of State Charlie Daniels certified the proposed initiated act for the Nov. 4 ballot after verifying that the Arkansas Family Council Action Committee had submitted 85,389 valid signatures of registered voters. Supporters needed to turn in at least 61,974 valid signatures.

"Arkansas needs to affirm the importance of married mothers and fathers," Family Council President Jerry Cox said. "We need to publicly affirm the gold standard of rearing children whenever we can. The state standard should be as close to that gold standard of married mom and dad homes as possible."

The Family Council campaign is a response to a 2006 Arkansas Supreme Court decision striking down a state policy that specifically banned gays and lesbians from becoming foster parents.

The ballot measure would take the place of a state policy that currently bars unmarried couples living together from serving as foster parents.

The measure faces the threat of a lawsuit from groups who say that it unfairly discriminates against unmarried couples and limits the number of foster and adoptive homes available for children.

Arkansas Families First is campaigning against the measure and has said it plans to file a lawsuit to keep it from appearing on the November ballot. Debbie Willhite, a lead consultant for the group, said last week the group has found numerous signatures that should have been rejected by the state as invalid and that the group also plans to challenge the constitutionality of the measure.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel opposes the proposed initiated act but said last week that he was confident it could survive a legal challenge.

Cox said the Family Council will rely on support from the same network of churches that helped it pass a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in 2004.

The Family Council's campaign had a debt of nearly $2,800 as of July 31. By comparison, Arkansas Families First reported more than $45,000 in the bank for its efforts to fight the measure.

Meanwhile, child molesters and spousal abusers, round up as many as you can!

This is stupid.

Meanwhile, child molesters and spousal abusers, round up as many as you can!

This is stupid.

Exactly. This kind of bigoted, unfair treatment of those different from what they consider the "norm" needs to stop. Being gay doesn't mean you molest children or would inflict your "lifestyle" as they like to call it on the children. I'm so fecking sick of this crap....I can't believe for us to be such a country that promotes tolerance, acceptance and freedom for all, we have these morons infringing on the rights of PEOPLE who want to adopt children.

Feck all 85,389 people who signed that petition.

The foster care system is a mess, and you have people who are willing to provide safe, stable homes and LOVE these children, yet some are trying to prevent them because they're gay? As if being gay is some kind of terrible crime.

What gets me is that this is in a Red State where most peeps are ProLife. It seems like they only care about the fetus and could care less about the kid. These folks have stated they think it's better for a kid to be in state care other than be raised by LGBT foster parents or adopted by single or LGBT parents.

Another very sad thing i seen on the PBS newshour is that babies born to poor parents are dying in thridworld type numbers right in the the Good Ol USA because or lack of medical care.

I'm prolife myself but i have always said where is the church and the PROLIFE peeps once the baby is born. Once the Mother decides to keep the baby she's on her own.

Prolifers should be the biggest backers of LGBT adoption out there.

Simple solution to my fellow homosexuals: don't move to Arkansas.

Problem solved.

Simple solution to my fellow homosexuals: don't move to Arkansas.

Problem solved.

Agreed, Shawn. As far as I'm concerned, there are two Americas: the Coasts, and the Middle. I know which one I belong in, and I wish nothing but joy and peace and happiness to the folks in the other one... just don't ask me to move there.

Agreed, Shawn. As far as I'm concerned, there are two Americas: the Coasts, and the Middle. I know which one I belong in, and I wish nothing but joy and peace and happiness to the folks in the other one... just don't ask me to move there.

You crack me up!

Meanwhile, child molesters and spousal abusers, round up as many as you can!

This is stupid.

This really peeve's me off.

There are staight people out there in the world that should never ever be parents while a gay couple that would make great parent's are not allowed to adopt of even find a surogate or be artifically inseminated.

And as you said child molester's and spousal abuser's can adopt, foster or even have kids naturally.

I think there was a law passed here in my state that has given equal rights to gay couple's.

Edited August 28, 200817 yr by SnCCorinthos4ever

Agreed, Shawn. As far as I'm concerned, there are two Americas: the Coasts, and the Middle. I know which one I belong in, and I wish nothing but joy and peace and happiness to the folks in the other one... just don't ask me to move there.

Really, it's more complicated than that. I mean, you can find bigotry in California, for example. It's more like Urban versus Rural. And, if you pull the Red/Blue maps down to the county level, or anything lower than just the state level, it's remarkable how much Blue is found around water, everywhere! I don't know what that means but it's not just East Coast & West Coast are Blue, while the rest is Red. I do know it's one huge way in which our national voting results are not representative of what real people are voting.

I've come to believe that in places where people live much closer together, they tend to be more liberal, such as urban areas like NYC and LA. In places where people live futher apart, they tend to be more conservative. It's kinda weird.

I've come to believe that in places where people live much closer together, they tend to be more liberal, such as urban areas like NYC and LA. In places where people live futher apart, they tend to be more conservative. It's kinda weird.

I never thought about it that way, Michael - but you're right. Forced to live in close quarters makes you get over your prejudices real fast.

And Donna, I know I oversimplified it. I probably shouldn't have... I just made a blanket statement because I was too lazy to launch into a tirade about the varying levels of bigotry in all states. I know you're right when it comes to laying down specifics - I just made a general statement about the red/blue, liberal/conservative mess happening in the country right now.

And Donna, I know I oversimplified it. I probably shouldn't have... I just made a blanket statement because I was too lazy to launch into a tirade about the varying levels of bigotry in all states. I know you're right when it comes to laying down specifics - I just made a general statement about the red/blue, liberal/conservative mess happening in the country right now.

That's okay, you made it funny.

What gets me is that this is in a Red State where most peeps are ProLife. It seems like they only care about the fetus and could care less about the kid. These folks have stated they think it's better for a kid to be in state care other than be raised by LGBT foster parents or adopted by single or LGBT parents.

Another very sad thing i seen on the PBS newshour is that babies born to poor parents are dying in thridworld type numbers right in the the Good Ol USA because or lack of medical care.

I'm prolife myself but i have always said where is the church and the PROLIFE peeps once the baby is born. Once the Mother decides to keep the baby she's on her own.

Prolifers should be the biggest backers of LGBT adoption out there.

Adoptions here in Florida by LGBT have been outlawed since the 70s thanks, in part, to Anita Bryant.

The "ProLife" stance obviously only pertains to pregnant women. You're right. Once the kid is born they don't seem to care. And they certainly don't care about people on death row. Don't get me wrong, but statistically there are innocent men and women on death row that deserve a second look at their case. But do they ever give them that opportunity? No. Again, this "culture of life" is a bunch of hogwash.

I didn't sign it.

Meanwhile, child molesters and spousal abusers, round up as many as you can!

This has nothing to do with it. There are good and bad straight couples just as there are good and bad gay people.