Posted by Dave on 11/07/08 at 11:42:57 am
Categories: Religious Right, LGBTQ, Campaign 2008

One of the things from Tuesday that has not been discussed in great lengths is the Arkansas ballot initiative "that would make it illegal for any individual cohabiting outside of a valid marriage to adopt or provide foster care to minors." This initiative was aimed at blocking same-sex couples from adopting children or acting as foster parents, but went a step further and will keep any non-married cohabiting couple from adoption/foster care.

Unfortunately the Religious Right is completely unable to see beyond their hatred and bigotry towards LGBTQ individuals, and instead have placed their hate above the needs of children. Arkansas currently has 3,700 kids in the foster care system, but only 1,000 eligible parents. Even worse, many of this children will grow to adulthood without ever being placed in a home, and these children (now adults) are disproportionately people of color:

In the last five years, 1,000 children [in Arkansas] have grown to adulthood without ever being placed in a permanent home. A disproportionate number are black children.

It gets even worse (PDF):

Representing just one-fifth of the child population of Arkansas, African-American kids accounted for one-third of the child population who aged out of the foster care system.

What this means is that children of color were more likely to age out o the program without a permanent family than their white counterparts.

So what is the Religious Right's response? Instead of mobilizing people of faith to adopt, or encouraging ALL people to adopt and provide foster care to these children, they have pushed through an initiative that limits the number of available and eligible parents to provide such care.

Does that sound like family values to you?

At some point our world, and more specifically, leaders of people of faith, will see that their focus on issues like gay marriage and gay adoption have done much more harm than good for families and children.

Oh how I long for that day.

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