Letter to the Editor: Proposition 8 Argument Doesn’t Reflect Reality
While I do not wish to doubt the sincerity of Paul Sorensen’s claim (Noozhawk, “Commentary: Proposition 8 Ensures Equality For All Children”) that his opposition to same-sex marriage is based wholly on his concern for children, his argument in support of his position is fundamentally flawed.
Children who are up for adoption are already in fatherless and motherless homes. According to the Child Welfare Research Center, there were 78,278 foster children in California as of July 2006. These children are being raised without fathers or mothers, and with no certainty of where they will live from one year to the next.
So, it is not the case, as Sorensen’s argument suggests, that there is an overabundance of heterosexual couples waiting to adopt these children, and that same-sex couples would be “competing” for the right to do so. To the contrary, there are far more foster children than could ever be adopted by willing heterosexual couples. So, for every same-sex couple prevented from adopting, there is at least one more child left to grow up in the foster care system, denied the fundamental right to be raised in a loving, stable environment by two married parents.
If saying no to bigotry against same-sex couples isn’t enough to get you to the polls, please take Sorensen’s advice and think of the children. Vote no on Proposition 8.
David Andreasen
Santa Barbara
» wrote on 10/16/08 @ 12:05 AM
Where are these gay foster parents? We have hundreds of children in our county needing qualified good homes. Many of the negative comments on Paul’s article were attacking him for having 5 kids. It almost appeared as if these people (those against proop 8) are anti-children. Nothing is stopping you from fostering and then adopting. Step it up. I liked the above comment of let’s not call it “marriage” call it a “civil union” which is what it is. This is already what it is called and no rights are being taken away. YES on 8!
» wrote on 10/14/08 @ 01:16 PM
Hi David,
it is your arguement that is fundamentally flawed. If you asked any of those children waiting for adoption what they would like they would probably almost all if not all want a mom and dad. And the children not being adopted it is not because of gays not being able to say the are “married”. It is because are society is so Godless we dont want them. There is nobody stopping gay or single parents from adopting. This nation is a democracy with a majority that does not want “marriage” to apply to 2 men or 2 women. So again it is your premise that is “Flawed”, this is not a mainstream desire. It has been rejected by the majority time and again. That is why the constitution stands years of time. Vote YES on PROP 8!
are not because
» wrote on 10/09/08 @ 07:48 PM
Can you believe the television ads for Prop 8?
Here the conservatives show their reasoning abilities and thought process’:
“This would lead to Churches losing their tax-free status!”
“Same Sex Marriage would be taught in Schools!”
“Like it or not, here we are!” , Proclaims a Gay Activist.
Wow. Talk about lies and fear-mongering.
My sister moved to Massachusetts in order to marry her women friend so that they would share health care benefits and the larger married tax deduction. When she was in the hospital here in California her friend was not allowed visiting privileges because she was not a"family member”. Now they own a nice home together.
The problem I believe is calling this Marriage. It should be called a “Civil Union”. Some Insurance companies have for years used the definition of a “Significant Other”. Semantics, but some people react to this. I thought freedom of belief was what this country was founded on.
Human’s Law: Humans can, will, and do, believe in Anything. “...Without Rhyme or Reason.”
There is no one true religion or philosophy. There are over 15,000 different sects of Christianity alone yet the self-righteousness and smugness of some only demonstrate a singular idea: ‘Only we are right”.
The truth cannot be legislated. Words are not truths, they are ideas.
Get some!
-human