LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Aug. 25, 2008
Ban On Unmarried Adoptions On Ark. Ballot
Measure Would Effectively Prohibit Gays, Lesbians From Becoming Foster Or Adoptive Parents
-
(CBS/AP)
-
Interactive Same-Sex Marriage Debate State-by-state coverage, opinions, history, photos and a look at the amendment process.
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.
Quote
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 that the group has found signatures that should have been rejected by the state as invalid and that the group also plans to challenge the constitutionality of the measure.We're going to work very hard to defeat this because it is just bad policy for children.
Debbie Willhite, a lead consultant for Arkansas Families First"We're going to work very hard to defeat this because it is just bad policy for children," Willhite said.
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.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 132 Comments
- Not at all, feel free to LICK ''''EM!
Posted by haoli25 at 06:21 PM : Aug 25, 2008
Congratulations. I guess the doctor was able to find them under a microscope after all. - Reply to this comment
- stacie: if orientation is a choice, when did you choose yours?
- Reply to this comment
- Good answer. Stand firm in your stand for Jesus and the truth. Those who do, will persever and be blessed.
Posted by jankebenz
Stand firm for Zeus. For he is the great and merciful one.
Superstitious little Christian. lol.
btw, I read the whole Bible a few weeks ago. Ironic that they preach not lying when they clearly are. - Reply to this comment
- Someone else has been brainwashed..........
Posted by hbevis
You have a microscopic Christian brain. - Reply to this comment
- I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
- Reply to this comment
- People can say what they wish, but some of this ****
business is a learned thing by people that can''''t cope with the world any other way...Posted by hbevis..... Sounds a lot like religion. - Reply to this comment
- Honestabe8, yes I do think orientation is a choice. Just like having *** outside of marriage is a choice. Many people have come out of the gay movement and have admitted that it is a choice that they made. Michael Glatze is one of them. The Bible also says it is possible.
Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. AND THAT IS WHAT SOME OF YOU WERE. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." - I Corinthians 6:9-11
With God, anything is possible. - Reply to this comment
- I personally am not surprised at anything that comes out of Arkansas. Backward state. Backward thinking. I suspect most intellegent and productive g a y folks wouldn''''t be caught dead there, so I doubt this law will have much impact.
Posted by kansas1946 at 08:29 PM : Aug 26, 2008
Nothing but more and more liberal talk from liberal Queer and Lesbian people and or sympathetics people. - Reply to this comment
- staciern: do you feel that orientation is a choice?
- Reply to this comment
- Posted by kansas1946 So, now you are speaking for him?
I don''''t have to speak for Him, He''''s already done that in his word. I will however, defend that word when I think it is being trampled on by gay activists and immoral people who support the gay lifestyle. I have a voice and a vote and I will use both when called upon to do so.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by staciern at 08:13 PM : Aug 26, 2008
+ report abuse
*********************************
I think you need to read the posts a little more carefully. I am not the one who posted the "So now are you speaking for him" comment.
I personally am not surprised at anything that comes out of Arkansas. Backward state. Backward thinking. I suspect most intellegent and productive g a y folks wouldn''t be caught dead there, so I doubt this law will have much impact. - Reply to this comment
- People can say what they wish, but some of this ****
business is a learned thing by people that can''t cope with the world any other way. - Reply to this comment
- I think Jesus would be thrilled if some of these kids in the "system" could be placed in a loving home, regardless of the s e xual orientation of the parents.
Posted by kansas1946
So, now you are speaking for him?
Posted by minnick8 at 07:11 PM : Aug 26, 2008
Still more brainwashing by the ultra liberal''s - Reply to this comment
- I don''''t have to speak for Him, He''''s already done that in his word. I will however, defend that word when I think it is being trampled on by gay activists and immoral people who support the gay lifestyle. I have a voice and a vote and I will use both when called upon to do so.
Posted by staciern at 08:13 PM : Aug 26, 2008
Good answer. Stand firm in your stand for Jesus and the truth. Those who do, will persever and be blessed. - Reply to this comment
- choose to live by the New Testament.
----------------------------------
----------------------------------------
------
Posted by rixmix98 at 04:14 PM : Aug 26, 2008
**********************************
***
As should any Christian. That is the whole point of being a Christian. Christ came with a better message and I am sure he would be horrified that some of the folks on this board profess to speak for him. I think Jesus would be thrilled if some of these kids in the "system" could be placed in a loving home, regardless of the s e xual orientation of the parents.
Posted by kansas1946 at 06:22 PM : Aug 26, 2008
Someone else has been brainwashed.......... - Reply to this comment
- Posted by kansas1946 So, now you are speaking for him?
I don''t have to speak for Him, He''s already done that in his word. I will however, defend that word when I think it is being trampled on by gay activists and immoral people who support the gay lifestyle. I have a voice and a vote and I will use both when called upon to do so. - Reply to this comment
- Well jankebenz and staciern....believe what you want and live your life the way you think is best. I believe what I want...and I believe God doesn''''t cast decent people into the fires of hell only because they love someone of the same gender.
Posted by GrammaWhamma at 07:00 PM : Aug 26, 2008
Gramma, If you believe in God,and that the bible is his word, then read the scriptures, its very clear in its instuctions for our living as a christian. Don,t be fooled by the ways of the world for they have been deceived. Your eternal life is at stake
Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body%u2026 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be!%u2026 Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body%u2026 For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
%u2014I Corinthians 6:13-20
Do not be deceived; God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
%u2014Galatians 6:7 - Reply to this comment
- The Father wills that man and woman marry and reproduce. He is very clear on this issue.
Posted by staciern at 07:19 PM : Aug 26, 2008
So now you are saying spinsters and bachelors are doomed to hell also??? OMG!!! What next?!? - Reply to this comment
- That about sums up both. Next insane argument?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by staciern at 06:34 PM : Aug 26, 2008
*****************************************
Insane arguement????? You guys kill me. LOL - Reply to this comment
- So, now you are speaking for him?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by minnick8 at 07:11 PM : Aug 26, 2008
+ report abuse
**************************************************
LOL. You guys kill me.. - Reply to this comment
- What do you base your convictions on? The Bible or other religious manifests? How did you come to your opinion? There has to be a standard for living and it has to be penned in order for people to believe and follow it. "Just because" does not hold any water with anyone. Fortunately God requires that we follow His ways and not our own, otherwise it''s just a big free for all.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the WILL of my Father which is in heaven.
The Father wills that man and woman marry and reproduce. He is very clear on this issue. - Reply to this comment
