a public defender

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While CT celebrates becoming the first state to voluntarily legalize civil unions, TX is considering a bill that would "ban homsexuals and bisexuals from being foster parents".

"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 the author of the amendment added late Tuesday, Republican Rep. Robert Talton of Pasadena.

TXpublicdefender at Injustice Anyhwere has continuing coverage.

Seriously, how stupid is this? We tell gay people that they can’t have loving families because they "sodomize" each other and pay no regard to how they actually are as parents/people? It is my understanding that to become a foster parent, one must go through quite a scrutinizing process. So if two people clear those hurdles, are loving parents, aren’t arrested for child abuse and most importantly, provide an orphan a caring home, who the hell cares whether those people are of the same gender.

Would you rather leave those kids homeless? That’s what this legislation seems to say. Disgusting.

UPDATE: Ok, the more I read about this, the more infuriated I get - I probably shouldn’t blog anymore about this, but when have I known to follow the path of wisdom.

So, read this bit from the Dallas News:

The measure would ban people who declare themselves, or are later found to be, gay, lesbian or bisexual from serving as foster parents.
Supporters say children should not be raised in what they consider an immoral environment that could confuse a youth’s sexual identity. The sponsor, Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, called homosexuality "learned behavior."

There is SO MUCH wrong with that I just don’t know where to start. But let’s take the first sentence - "later found to be gay lesbian or bisexual". What is there going to be? An inquiry into every single foster home? Are they going to send decoys? So this measure basically affects those who are out. Think of the wasted resources in trying to find out which foster families are gay or lesbian or worse - bisexual! Ugh.

More:

CPS says it does not keep track of how many children are in gay, lesbian or bisexual foster homes. Susan McKay, who worked for the agency for 27 years before retiring in 2002, estimated that 10 percent to 15 percent of Texas foster parents are gay. The Austin-based Lesbian/Gay Rights
Lobby of Texas estimates 1,100 to 3,000 foster children are living with gay parents.

Excellent. So they are going to take somewhere between 1100 and 3000 (think about that - THREE THOUSAND) kids out of these homes and put them…. where? Oh, and you do know how these kids end up in foster homes in the first place right? Yep. That’s right. This is such an unnecessary diversion from the real issue - the care of the children. Let’s stop letting our stupid prejudices get in the way and cut through this bullshit and focus on what’s important.