Gay Advocates Assail McCain Over Adoptions

Republican Criticized For Comments Opposing Gay Adoptions; Later Says It's A State Issue

(AP)  Advocates for gay and lesbian parents are denouncing Sen. John McCain, an adoptive father himself, for opposing adoptions by gays, which prompted his presidential campaign to clarify Tuesday that he does not seek a federal ban on the practice.

Only one state, Florida, outlaws adoptions by gays, which have become commonplace in much of the nation.

The Republican nominee-in-waiting was asked for his views on the subject in an interview published Sunday in The New York Times.

"I think that we've proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no, I don't believe in gay adoption," McCain replied.

McCain then remarked that he and his wife, Cindy, were proud to be adoptive parents of a daughter born in Bangladesh, and he encouraged others to adopt. Asked if those adopting should be a "traditional couple," McCain answered, "Yes."

The responses were condemned by gay and lesbian groups.

"He's completely out of touch," said Kara Suffredini, public policy director for the Family Equality Council. "There's no reason, except for the sake of red meat for his base, to throw up screens in the way of children in foster care getting homes."

Jody Huckaby, executive director of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, said McCain's comments were especially dismaying because more than 100,000 children are in foster care waiting to be adopted.

"Sen. McCain would deny loving homes to children who desperately need them simply because of an outdated prejudice about what a family may look like," Huckaby said.

On Tuesday, as criticism of McCain's comments spread, his campaign elaborated on the candidate's views.

"John McCain could have been clearer in the interview in stating that his position on gay adoption is that it is a state issue. ... He was not endorsing any federal legislation," a campaign statement said.

"Sen. McCain's expressed his personal preference for children to be raised by a mother and a father wherever possible," the statement added. "However, as an adoptive father himself, McCain believes children deserve loving and caring home environments, and he recognizes that there are many abandoned children who have yet to find homes. John McCain believes that in those situations that caring parental figures are better for the child than the alternative."

An estimated 65,000 children have been adopted by gays and lesbians, according to advocacy groups. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association and the National Association of Social Workers, among other groups, have expressed support for gay adoptions.

"It is an insult to these professionals and the children whom they represent to suggest that the door should be closed to people other than a 'traditional' married couple," said Ellen Kahn, who coordinates family-related projects for the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights group.

Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, said McCain "needs to read the research and rethink his comments."

"His implication is that every adopted child should have a mother and father," Pertman added. "That may be the ideal, but if we stick to it, we would have far fewer homes for kids. Single people - gay and straight - represent a significant number of adoptive parents."

States have widely varying laws regarding adoption by same-sex couples, but only Florida has a law explicitly banning gays and lesbians from adopting as individuals.

Conservative activists in Arkansas have been working to get a similar ban on the ballot in November, but have struggled to generate public support. Earlier this month, they turned in a petition with 65,899 signatures - only slightly more than the required number and well under the initial goal of 100,000 signatures.

Recent national polls suggest that support for the concept of gay adoption is growing. A 2006 poll by the Pew Research Center found a near-even split on the issue; a 2007 poll by CNN and Opinion Research Corp. said 57 percent of respondents felt gays should have the right to adopt, while 40 percent said they shouldn't.

A gay adoptive father in Atlanta, Ken Manford, said he and his partner have felt strong support and acceptance from neighbors and acquaintances since they adopted a son from Guatemala nearly seven years ago.

"If Sen. McCain came and sat down with us, I'd tell him we've proven that both parents are important in our family," Manford said. "It doesn't matter that both those parents are men."

McCain's Democratic rival, Barack Obama, supports adoption rights for gays and lesbians.

[whiskyrocker]

I don''t believe it to be right for these kid''s to be adopted by ****---se*%uals.(Period)

[snapper4298]

Gay adoption is about furthering the advancement of gay rights.

Children without parents are amongst the most vulnerable in our society and should not be used as political pawns.

[mcshame]

What if a Lesbian gets pregnant? Does McCain support taking the baby away from the mother?

[nssherlock1]

One look at Rosie O''Donnell and that doesn''t seem like the best of ideas.

[snapper4298]

McShame

We''re discussing adoption.

This has nothing to do with helping children, it is about the gay lobby furthering its own agenda.

Vulnerable young children, without parents, are being used in a repugnant social experiment.

[mcshame]

Posted by snapper4298 at 06:42 PM : Jul 15, 2008
--------

It what way? there aren''t enough people taking kids out of Foster Homes now. Why exclude ***? Because YOU don''t like ***?

[hypnotoad72]

This time, I do care. The child, assuming supporters of this nightmare can even understand the concept of selflessness, has feelings and PEERS too. Everyone gets picked on, et cetera, to an extent, but those with higher IQs, PDDs, and other maladies are treated far worse as default. Children of couples, divorced because the male diddled with another male, often get treated horribly - never mind the divorce. Now think of a child, raised by two homosexual parents - the concept of which is automatically alien to 90% or more of the population. It''s not going to be pretty. At all.

The moment you acquire a child is the moment the life is about the child, its well being, and to give it a future. Not your own lives, especially if politics becomes involved. And I say that EQUALLY for anybody who raises children; regardless of what they fiddle with under some bedsheets or otherwise. You''re there for the CHILD(ren). Period. And that seems to be the aspect ignored by almost everybody.

[mystand]

Good for Sen. McCain, even if his remarks were far too politically correct for me. Maybe we should put the whole issue of gay rights to a national vote. Is there any question as to what the outcome would be? The issue would no longer be an issue - ever! I am sick and tired of minority interest groups trying to forcing unwanted changes on the majority. What happened to Democracy, or is there a new politically correct definition?

[sgtrds10-4]

For the party that claims to be so pro-family the GOP sure seems to do everything it can to prevent families from forming. There are many gay couples around here that have adopted children and they all seem to be happy and well-adjusted. certainly much more so then they''d be in an orphanage or in foster care.

[randynason]

So, McCain feels that it''s NOT OK for a homosexual couple who love and respect each other to adopt a child from another country who might otherwise not have any sort of hope for a family at all. On the other hand, it IS OK for a "traditional family" of a man and a woman to adopt, even if the man had deserted his wife who had stood by him while he was a POW, in favor of a woman that he was infatuated with and eighteen years his junior? I''m just trying to wrap this ill-concieved logic around my brain, so it is crystal clear.

[newz4i]

Ah, that designer maxify55 talks about.

How many children born in American lived their entire lives as slaves because of how the Designer''s words were read?

Not a proud design to live by, I''d say.

[donbl1]

Who cares?

Politically, they are aligned with the Democrats so why is this a story?

[rudy654-2009]

1-Man+ 1-Woman raising 1-child to adulthood with values is the design. If you''''ve got a better idea, talk to the Designer. Don''''t make up moral standards as you go along. It''''s all written down for you, but, of course, you knew that already. You''''re smarter than the Designer. How foolish of me to suggest such a thought to a people so much more gifted than the Designer, Himself.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by maxify55 at 07:01 PM

So let''s take all the kids away from single parent homes and put them all in good Christian homes, where there is no divorce. Mother is always home baking bread and taking care of the house. While father is busy plowing the fields and growing the wheat for another year. That is the design.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by SgtRDS10-4 at 07:00 PM

It makes points with the terroristic fundamentalist Christians, who, if they had their way, would do away with the Constitution and force everyone to live the good Christian life they always have. Yes, they would make Bible reading and prayer a must in every school and take out any reference to anything remotely scientific in text books. Keeping people in ignorance is a must with these folks.

[kansas1946]

1-Man+ 1-Woman raising 1-child to adulthood with values is the design. If you''''''''ve got a better idea, talk to the Designer. Don''''''''t make up moral standards as you go along. It''''''''s all written down for you, but, of course, you knew that already. You''''''''re smarter than the Designer. How foolish of me to suggest such a thought to a people so much more gifted than the Designer, Himself.

************************************************

Whoever this designer is that your talking about is "your" designer, not mine. My designer wants every child to have a loving home. My designer would want the government to support the foster care system and childrens programs with money, not just wave signs about the poor babies. My designer wants everyone to get along and not push their beliefs on other through legislation. My designer believes in kindness, compassion, and civility above all.
My designer believes in "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as long as that pursuit doesn''t harm others. I love my designer.

[kansas1946]

Good for Sen. McCain, even if his remarks were far too politically correct for me. Maybe we should put the whole issue of gay rights to a national vote. Is there any question as to what the outcome would be? The issue would no longer be an issue - ever! I am sick and tired of minority interest groups trying to forcing unwanted changes on the majority. What happened to Democracy, or is there a new politically correct definition?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by mystand at 06:59 PM : Jul 15, 2008
+ report abuse
**********************************************

The majority can not violate the civil liberties of a minority. That is what our constition is all about.

[newz4i]

MyOpinion1, "... eradicating the disease of homosexuality ... "

How?

Evangelical Christians have tried everything, however they just keep a coming.

[dmhphils]

"Sen. McCain would deny loving homes to children who desperately need them simply because of an outdated prejudice about what a family may look like," Huckaby said.

What a line of BS.

Gay and Lesbian parents are a contradiction in terms, in society, in morality, in nature, in common sense, in science, in biology, in every way. It is a perversion of society that reveals the degeneration of the moral compass of a nation.

Thank God that our NEXT president is taking a stand against it. Bravo McCain!

[nothappyatall]

1-Man+ 1-Woman raising 1-child to adulthood with values is the design. If youve got a better idea, talk to the Designer.

Posted by maxify55

And who might this "designer" be? Martha Stewart?
Marriage is a human invention designed to garner fees and control property, inheritance, taxes and minors, but with an almost predictable built-in 50% failure rate it''s time to try something NEW!

The loads of single parents, widows, divorced people etc raising kids is no different than a g@y person or couple.
According to your argument then I guess we should strip all of those people of kids and allow only MARRIED couples to ever have any. New law: The moment you get a divorce the kids are removed by the state child protective services and placed in a new home.

Husband died in a car wreck last week? sorry, you''ll have to hand over your 3 kids to CPS now so we can place them in a "good" home with 1 man and 1 woman who are MARRIED. Sounds good to me!

[nothappyatall]

Whoever this designer is that your talking about is "your" designer, not mine. My designer wants every child to have a loving home.
My designer believes in kindness, compassion, and civility above all.
My designer believes in "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" as long as that pursuit doesn''''t harm others. I love my designer.

Posted by kansas1946

I think the dude means bajebus our ''saviour'' who ''saved'' us from his own father but temporarily ''died'' in the process!
This is the SAME entities who threaten to destroy this and that, stand by and let all sorts of tragedies happen, even to innocent animals, who ''designed'' a system of life that requires brutal gruesome deaths of innocent creatures to feed others- even if it''s newborn "Bambi" who gets the big chomp by a lion. The SAME entity who creates people knowing most will have brutal deaths and burn in his hel1- all for his amusement.
Yeah, sounds like an entity ID like to worship, NOT!!!
As one who identifies with Pagan/earth/spiritual/nature based beliefs with NO cracky deity threatening us, I''m glad I never bought into all that xtian KRAP- they worship DEATH.

[kansas1946]

Gay and Lesbian parents are a contradiction in terms, in society, in morality, in nature, in common sense, in science, in biology, in every way. It is a perversion of society that reveals the degeneration of the moral compass of a nation.

Thank God that our NEXT president is taking a stand against it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by noseonurface at 08:40 PM : Jul 15, 2008
+ report abuse
***************************************

What are you talking about. I don''t think Obama opposes gay adoptions. Bravo Obama!!

[newz4i]

noseonurface, great words: "... perversion of society ..."

However I think perversion of our society permeates with divorce.

We need new laws to remove children from one parent families and move them in with two parent families.

Voila! No more perversions of society.

Simple - quick - clean.

[kansas1946]

I can''''t imagine the torture these children would endure amongst decent society. I wasn''''t going to vote for McCain but I am now!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by MyOpinion1 at 08:12 PM : Jul 15, 2008
+ report abuse
********************************
Yeah, right. I am sure you were going to vote for Obama, but NOW are voting for McCain because he is on the fence on an issue that doesn''t affect you at all.

[dmhphils]

As one who identifies with Pagan/earth/spiritual/nature based beliefs with NO cracky deity threatening us, I''''m glad I never bought into all that xtian KRAP- they worship DEATH.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by newster1 at 08:51 PM : Jul 15, 2008

You need to crawl somewhere, anywhere, and get a grip on reality......and don''t come out till the light hurts your eyes. Then you might be open to the truth......but as you are.....you''re as blind as a mole.

[longduck69]

What more could a child hope for...being adopted by a gay couple! It would be an amazing life. They are usually rich. They have great style and taste. The child would live a great life. Florida should allow *** to adopt. South Beach would corner the market.

[dmhphils]

A gay adoptive father in Atlanta, Ken Manford, said he and his partner have felt strong support and acceptance from neighbors and acquaintances since they adopted a son from Guatemala nearly seven years ago.

You talk about a confused kid.....growing up in a house with two adoption fathers.....thinking this is supposed to be normal.....while looking at women and wondering what their function and place is in the world. Then someone tells him he had a real mother and that is where he came from and that is where all children come from. Then he wonders what happened to his real mother, and who are these two guys sleeping in the same bed.....what''s going on? How are things really supposed to be? Because inside, he knows something at the core of this "family" is very WRONG and his conscience cannot deny it.

Poor kid!

[hp32970c]

Thank God that our NEXT president is taking a stand against it. Bravo McCain! Posted by noseonurface

You are delusional. McIdiot will never be president.

[dmhphils]

"His implication is that every adopted child should have a mother and father," Pertman added. "That may be the ideal, but if we stick to it, we would have far fewer homes for kids. Single people - gay and straight - represent a significant number of adoptive parents."

"That may be the ideal".....a mother and a father in each family is the ideal. Let''s not lower the standard or the "ideal". That is the real issue....this is the way things are supposed to be and to compromise this ideal is perversion gone to seed.

[truthislife1]

You know, not all of you guys can be right, because if everybody was right there would not be any truth. The human heart will think what it wants, believe what it wants, and will behave as it wants to. It will find pleasure no matter the cost, whether evil or good. Then when all is said and done, all will be judged. It is that simple.

[dmhphils]

You are delusional. McIdiot will never be president.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hp32970c at 09:42 PM : Jul 15, 200

Stop dancing with yourself.....OSAMA only has a 6 point lead, with four months left. People are afraid of some of Obama''s strange ideas.

[blackshaft-2009]

A little child cries? Did you ever spend a night with two sodomites the child says crying. If they have no shame in being a sodomite what do you think this stops them from being indecent to children? Did you ever spend a night with two sodomites. The child cries at night.

There is damnation with Obamanation by the Wright way!

[dmhphils]

"It is an insult to these professionals and the children whom they represent to suggest that the door should be closed to people other than a ''traditional'' married couple," said Ellen Kahn, who coordinates family-related projects for the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights group

BUT, it is an insult to people who hold that this is and outright breach of moral and biological standards that have been the guide to our society for more than 200 years.

This may not be a "Christian" nation, but it was founded by people with Christian values, and that is what you liberals are bumping up against. It isn''t going to just go away. This country has Christian Roots and you cannot yank them up without a real fight.

[blackshaft-2009]

Abomination!

[dmhphils]

"He''s completely out of touch," said Kara Suffredini,

And she is completely out of touch with right and wrong, or what is moral.

[beader59]

I am glad the crazies on these postings know for a fact what life is suppose to be and how you should be a part of it. Gay and lesbian is just a term to describe a segment of our population, just like ignorant, back-water religious zealots are. Let''s see. The "traditional" family is racked with adultery, divorce, spousal and child abuse, murder and the list goes on. What is so gosh *** great about that. How many stories do you see on the news about one gay partner brutally klling their partner and chopping them up and burning the remains. Graphic and extreme, yes, but still a good question. Night after night we see one heterosexual spouse killing another and some woman here or there that has gone missing and shows up dead. How many of these criminals have been homosexual? I digress. *** and lesbians are good people just like heterosexual people are and deserve to have a family, adopted or otherwise. Please don''t use the bible for an arguement either, it means nothing in this discusion, it is a relic of a transcript that can be torn apart and criticized for years. Run your family how you see fit and stay out of mine.

[blackshaft-2009]

Abomination!

Sodomites are a Abomination!

[whiskyrocker]

BlackShaft
-----------
You are correct sir.

[truthislife1]

Sodomy is an abomination. Jesus loves and cares for sodomites.

[hungry1968]

"He''s completely out of touch," said Kara Suffredini, public policy director for the Family Equality Council. "There''s no reason, except for the sake of red meat for his base, to throw up screens in the way of children in foster care getting homes."







John McCain - hated by liberals, conservatives, independents, democrats, republicans, anti-war coalitions, latinos / hispanics, blacks, blue collar workers, g`a`y`s, lesbians, ANYONE worried about the economy, and now foster children.



I wonder who exactly he thinks is going to vote for him?

[hungry1968]

At 10:12 PM BlackShaft said:


Blah, blah, blah, Rev Wright, blah, blah, blah, blah, racism, blah, blah, blah, blah, black guy, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.....





You''''re dismissed as irrelevant - you can go back to posting at Fox News now.

[dmhphils]

Posted by beader59 at 10:07 PM : Jul 15, 2008


There is a right and a wrong whether you like it or believe it or not. Peddle your atheism somewhere else.

[dmhphils]

You''''''''re dismissed as irrelevant - you can go back to posting at Fox News now.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968 at 10:56 PM : Jul 15, 2008

And you are dismissed....as usual.

[dmhphils]

I wonder who exactly he thinks is going to vote for him?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hungry1968 at 10:54 PM : Jul 15, 2008

Hungry.....go back down in your hole. Everyone has already heard everything you could possibly say and we don''t want to hear again, and again.

[informedone1]

How sad that there are still so many ignorant, hateful, self righteous, piece of garbage, vicious bigots in the world. Hopefully one day they will learn that what makes all people the same is so much more important than what makes them different. We all share this one Earth and no one is going anywhere, so we might as well all get along. Choosing to hate people based on the color of their skin, the God they pray to, their handicaps, the gender they chose to love, etc., is just ignorant, destructive, and asinine. If McCain thinks having a mother and father is the most important part of raising healthy, happy, productive children, he really needs to be more tolerant and educated. Children need a loving, caring, supporting, educative home, no matter what gender the parents are. Homosexuals pay the same taxes as every other citizen and deserves the same rights and liberties as every other citizen. Vote for McCain? No way. That''s all we need is another bigoted administration running the country.

[hungry1968]

And you are dismissed....as usual.

Posted by noseonurface at 11:10 PM : Jul 15, 2008





Well THAT is a stinging rebuke if I EVER saw one!!

PLEASE -- take it easy on me next time!!! You''re MUCH too intellectually superior to me - I can''t keep up!!



Fool.

[dmhphils]

Choosing to hate people based on the color of their skin, the God they pray to, their handicaps, the gender they chose to love, etc.,

Posted by informedone1 at 11:17 PM : Jul 15, 2008

I see more hatred coming from liberals like you against those who have the foundation of God''s Word in their lives, than I do from those who are Christians, that you are calling bigots. Your words are bitter and hateful toward those who profess the reality of a morality initiated by God Himself, the Creator.

So drop the masquerade.....you are one of those people you are criticizing.

[dmhphils]

PLEASE -- take it easy on me next time!!! You''''re MUCH too intellectually superior to me - I can''''t keep up!!
Posted by hungry1968 at 11:24 PM : Jul 15, 2008

Hey, if you can''t take the heat.....ya know? But I do accept your surrender.

[hungry1968]

Your words are bitter and hateful toward those who profess the reality of a morality initiated by God Himself, the Creator.

Posted by noseonurface at 11:27 PM : Jul 15, 2008





This from a bigoted, intolerant, a$$hole, that won''t vote for Obama because he''s black or a secret muslim!!


LOL!!!

You christians take the cake!!! Your bigotry and intolerance makes radical Islam look like kids on a playground!!!

[kansas1946]

I see McCain is pulling his usual, stuttering and flip-flopping on this issue. Stutter..stutter...flip-flop...
Well, no I don''t support it..
Well, no, I don''t want to ban it..
Well.....flip...flop...

Straight Talk Express...my a**

[kansas1946]

I see more hatred coming from liberals like you against those who have the foundation of God''''s Word in their lives, than I do from those who are Christians, that you are calling bigots. Your words are bitter and hateful toward those who profess the reality of a morality initiated by God Himself, the Creator.

So drop the masquerade.....you are one of those people you are criticizing.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by noseonurface at 11:27 PM : Jul 15, 2008
*******************************

So, why would you be supporting McCain?