Texas Bill Would Ban Gay Foster Parents

[wicket]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=11&u=/ap/20050420/ap_on_re_us/gays_foster_parents

The state House tentatively approved legislation that would prohibit homosexuals and bisexuals from becoming foster parents.

Legislators voted 81-58 Tuesday to approve the ban in an amendment tacked on to a bill that would revamp the state's Child Protective Services agency. The full bill was tentatively approved 126-16. Final approval was expected Wednesday.

"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 Rep. Robert Talton, a Republican, who introduced the amendment.

The state Senate has passed its own version of Child Protective Services reform that does not include the ban on gay foster parents.

[bushisanidiot]

1. "compassionate" conservatism, eh? I'm a lesbian mom of 2 honor roll

students. one in high school, one in junior high. i dare any freeper to try to convince anyone who knows me personally that i'm not a VERY good mother.

what i do behind closed doors with my partner is no one's damned business. not the government's, not my kids', not any damned freeper's.. NO ONE'S.

SO STOP TRYING TO GET INTO MY BEDROOM FREEPFUCKS!

[wicket]

2. they don't care about children

They are trying to reduce the amount of caring families that can care for children in need. This is such a hateful bill.

On another note- congrats on your childrens successes, that's great! :thumbsup:

[despairing optimist]

36. Considering all the screwed-up children with straight parents

I'd say that the homophobes behind this legislation had better step away from their glass houses before they throw stones. I wonder how well they raise their own kids, poor things.

I'm biased, but I bet gay people make better parents by and large because of the crap they had to endure growing up in straight households. They also feel that the onus is on them to prove how nurturing and supportive they can be toward children, just to gain acceptance in a world stacked against them.

When such laws are proposed, lawmakers should be obliged to prove they are necessary to correct some injustice that gay parents do to their children. Of course they can't. It's lawmaking designed to codify gay bashing.

I hope it's not asking too much of Texans to see through this pandering as the insult to their intelligence that it is.

[genieroze]

45. SO STOP TRYING TO GET INTO MY BEDROOM FREEPFUCKS!

Maybe they are jealous nobody wants to go into their bedroom. Did ya ever take a good look at some of these people. Even when they are physically attractive they open their yaps and become repulsive.

[renaissanceguy]

3. They are a bunch of whackos

and karma will get them. Unfortunately, we will have to go a bit more downhill before we can go up, I'm afraid.


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/472476

[onenote]

4. and what about gay mothers who give birth or gay fathers

who have a child with a surrogate. Do the fine folks of Texas advocate taking those children away from their biological parents.

What a bunch of sick fucks.

onenote

[efhmc]

18. They have no control over that type of adoption, yet.

[Roland99]

5. But if you're a wife-abusing redneck, it's ok.

Fucking bastards!



Oh Rapture, when cometh thou??

[powergirl]

6. Culture of life - Talton states that gayness is "learned behavior"

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/042005dntexnucps.2a8b5f58.html

Mr. Talton convinced his colleagues that all current and prospective foster parents be required to declare their sexuality. Those who declare themselves – or are later found to be – gay, lesbian or bisexual would be disqualified.

"It is learned behavior," Mr. Talton said of homosexuality.


I am so embarrassed by this! I live here in the Reddest of the Red States in the Reddest of the Red Counties - Collin County Texas (Plano to be exact - north of Dallas)

It appears the state senate version of the bill does not contain this amendment. This is so stupid. I hate being surrounded by all of these morons. My husband and children feel like we're members of the French Resistance. We have to make sure that whoever we talk to about politics is "ok." AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH:banghead:

[renaissanceguy]

7. I was surprised to learn the other day that half of

Democrats are morons, supporting the Federal Marriage Amendment. http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/04/041905amendPoll.htm


http://www.cafepress.com/liberalissues/472476

[CO Liberal]

9. No, Being an ASSHOLE is Learned Behavior

And Talton learned well, from what I see.

[Ishoutandscream]

37. Oh My God. I simply can't defend my state any longer

Lord knows I try - always saying, "Oh, it's not so bad down here. There are just a few extremists that make all of us look bad." I can't keep saying that anymore. I'm so fucking ashamed of my home state.

[CO Liberal]

8. So, According to These Assholes....

...when presented with the choice of gay foster parents or no foster parents at all, they'd go for no foster parents at all.

My kids were raised by my lesbian ex-wife and several of her partners, and they turned out fine.

[callous taoboy]

10. This is the crap these troglodyte Mepublicans work on, meanwhile

the $1000 health insurance stipend for teachers didn't even make it to a vote because it was sponsored by a Democrat.

[rainbow4321]

21. And 7 TX Dems walked OUT while that vote was being done..

so the amendment FAILED by FIVE fucking votes....TX dems sucking up to repuke Craddick who was against it...even a dozen or so Repukes voted FOR this amendment. The DINO's are called Craddick Democrats, BTW. They then came back in and said "oh, yeah, we would have voted for it"...and their comments were written down in some book but it doesn't CHANGE the vote outcome.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/3135596


Seven Democratic state representatives, three from Houston, found reasons to be absent recently when the House voted on a key Democratic budget amendment.

The measure would have passed had they voted for it, and some of their party-mates claim at least some of them walked to gain favor with Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick, who opposed the amendment.

The amendment by Rep. Jose Menendez of San Antonio would have restored a $1,000 health stipend to teachers and other school employees that was cut in 2003. It failed by five votes.

<snip>

But party stalwarts are watching Turner and the other Democrats on the leadership team, referring to them as Craddick Democrats for being more loyal to the speaker than some

[bunkerbuster1]

29. F*ckity f*cking F*CK!

that's disgusting.

Shameful.

[callous taoboy]

40. Those 7 will get nasty-grams from myself and many of

my colleagues. Thanks for the info.

[Ishoutandscream]

38. Yep, you're right.

I keep telling my fellow employees (I'm in education) that it's the REPUBLICANS who were responsible for taking away 500 of our 1,000 dollar stipend two years ago. And what do they do - THEY KEEP VOTING FOR THEM!!!!!

[AnneD]

11. This is so sad.....

I work in an elementary school in an area known for having a large gay population. My gay parents are good, if not better than some of my 'normal' parents. Many are very involved in their childrens activities. Many of the kids were adopted and I can't speak highly enough for the parents.
I have had to deal with (testify before) this 'Tom DeLay' redistricted Legislation. There are some stand out people, but I have never seen such a collection of angry assholes outside of a proctologist office in my life....If I pray harder, can I get express raptured? Just asking.

[phusion]

12. When will this country fracture?

Religious fundies vs. rational liberals.

When can we secede?

[callous taoboy]

13. Already done:

There has been low-level simmering hostility between myself and my parents since scrotum was selected. It will get worse.

[phusion]

14. I hear that a lot...

Tension between family members and friends.

Wait till the next war...

[athenap]

15. So where's all the money going to come from...

...to pay for the child services sex police to pop into the foster home bedrooms at night and make sure that the bed's occupants are the right sex?

Onnce again, they're trying to equate "gay" with "child molester." Isn't there a class-action slander suit that could be brought against these idiots?

[efhmc]

16. I am sure someone has already mentioned this but if sexual molestation

is the concern, then no straight men should EVER be given the care of the children as they are by 99.99% the main cause of sexual abuse.

[TheWraith]

34. That's not true.

It's a popular misconception. Females actually make up a significant percentage (a third to a half) of sex offenders, though they're rarely caught and even more rarely prosecuted. Likewise, there are nontrivial percentages of gay men and women who are also sex offenders. It is not, as it's usually portrayed, exclusively a straight male condition.

[efhmc]

42. Worked with abused children in Houston. That was the case. Do you

have stats to back this up? Most sexual abuse was male ruled and led, even if a female was involved.

[efhmc]

17. Deleted second post. It said it didn't post but it did, twice.

.

[LiberallyInclined]

19. why gay people (or any others) even want to live in Texas is beyond me

i wouldn't live in Florida either, but i can almost understand why some might want to...almost.

[bunkerbuster1]

30. Same reason progressives choose to live in Georgia, or Utah, or

any number of other predominantly Republican parts of the world. Economic opportunities, family ties, and suchlike. There are ALWAYS places where like minded free thinkers can meet even in these backward parts of the world.

And like it or not, Texas, your kids don't think the way you about gay people, and no amount of hateful, homophobic legislation is going to stem the tide. You're going to lose, in time. We'll win.

We always win. Don't ever give up the fight, folks. We always win. You can't keep people ignorant forever.

[wicket]

20. the bill just passed:

:puke:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1506&ncid=703&e=8&u=/afp/20050420/ts_alt_afp/usjusticegays

[powergirl]

22. It hasn't passed the Texas state senate yet

I live here in Texas and am keeping my fingers crossed that this stupid amendment is thrown out during the "committee meeting" between the senate and house versions. The senate does not plan on including the provision - but the wackos are just as bad there too. Well just have to wait.

[Bo]

23. Texas Bans Gays From Being Foster Parents .43,000

Homosexual and Lesbian households affected.

http://www.news24.com/News24World/News/0,,2-10-1426_1693271,00.html

[dhinojosa]

24. got a better link?

that one didn't work

[liveoaktx]

25. It only passed the House, goes to the Senate next-CALL YOUR SENATOR

[Damien]

26. link broken

but is this really a suprise to anyone?

[One_Life_To_Give]

27. Better Off

Great! We know the special needs kids will be far better off in institutions. Than stuck being cared for by those kind of peoples. /Sarcasm

[wakeme2008]

28. working Link

http://tinyurl.com/76ls2

[noonwitch]

31. I guess they are planning on building more orphanages?

As someone who works in the system, I know a boy foster child is far more likely to experience same gender sexual abuse at a "residential treatment facility", by a peer, than he is at the hands of gay foster parents.

A "residential treatment facility" is what we call the agencies that were once orphanages-they now are pretty much centered on either providing temporary shelter to teens, or treatment to teens with serious behavior problems who can't be placed in a foster home until their behavior improves.

Of course, teen girls in foster care are at risk everywhere heterosexual men are found in large numbers. Most of them have been sexually abused and so they act in a very forward manner with men/boys. A lot don't even think it's sexual abuse if a guy in his 20s has consensual sex with them.

[FredScuttle]

32. "I can't even get enough cold gruel to stay nourished in this hellhole"

"But at least my parents aren't homos"

[Politicub]

33. Reason # 1,442,443 why I despise Texas

I'm not surprised at this bill.

Fucking liars -- It's not about the children -- it's only to stoke the flames of hatred and fear about gay and lesbian parents.

[rainbow4321]

41. They're just trying to divert attention from the real problems with CPS/TX

Yeah, you have to register to read but it is a good article on the REAL problems w/ the CPS and TX foster parent system...smokers getting a vented kid, drug abusers as foster parents, etc..

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/041705dnmetcpscontractors.1aa594e6.html

Some contractors have failed to act for nearly a year after learning that foster children were living with people with criminal records or in homes with fire or safety hazards.

One contractor was investigated for sending a 14-month-old girl on a breathing machine – who was born with spina bifida, hydrocephalus and bladder disease – to live with a foster mother who smoked.

<snip>

The same organization placed "very medically fragile" children with a woman who later admitted concealing a recent psychiatric hospitalization. She also was a suspected drug user who, when requested, refused to take a drug test or turn over medical records.

Records show that after some serious violations by foster parents, such as physical punishment, which isn't allowed, the contractors removed the children and cut off the foster parents from future assignments. In other instances, however, problem foster parents were allowed to keep working.

[Politicub]

46. Oh my god

What happened to those kids is horrific!

[xchrom]

35. like republicans seriously care about children.

:eyes:

[Ishoutandscream]

39. Only before they're born

after that, "you're on your own, kid!"

[bikesein]

43. What is the reasoning??

There is none. What a horrible piece of crapislation this is. Exactly how is this going to protect the children? The article says this is going to move more kids into the private companies running the system. Follow the money I guess.

[Mugweed]

44. Meanwhile...

Gay Fosters Drinkers Largely Ignored.