The state law we didn't pay much attention to: Arkansas and adoption


Prop 8 may be getting all the attention, but the Arkansas law that bans "unmarried couples" from being foster parents or adopting is probably even more tragic

And one story explains why: Martin Gill's story
On December 11, 2004, a child protection investigator asked Gill if he’d take in two half-brothers temporarily. They needed, the investigator told him, they deserved a decent Christmas. Although he and his partner were planning on moving out of state, Martin is something of a softie. A decent Christmas didn’t seem too much to ask. He said yes.
So that night, two small boys, one 4 years old and one 4 months old, came to Martin Gill’s home. The 4-year-old had on a dirty adult T-shirt and sneakers so small he wore them like flip-flops. Both boys were sick. The older boy’s medicine was unopened and expired, the baby’s barely touched.
The 4-year-old did not speak, and seemed mostly unresponsive. The only thing he cared about was changing, feeding, and taking care of his baby brother. Gill and his partner quickly realized that this 4-year-old was the baby’s primary caretaker.
Four years later a Florida court has finally struck down as unconstitutional a Florida law that says gay couples cannot adopt. So Martin Gill and his partner are adopting these two boys, to whom they have delivered the kind of life any child should be entitled to: Shelter, food, school, family, friends, constancy and unconditional love.

Who on earth thinks reducing the number of loving home available to innocent children is a good thing? Well, just check out the first commenter on the blog linked above. Reading Martin's story may make you cry. The hateful comment surely will.

Hat tip: ShortWoman

Related side note:
Lest you think I'm moving on from my anguish over California's Prop 8, guess again. First let me do a quick plug for EqualityCamp, a January 3rd barcamp-style meeting designed to mobilize a movement. Second, let e assure you that when I saw the ads for Santa Barbara County's tourism board running on my blogs I checked the stats. Santa Barbara County voted "No" on Prop 8. If they had not, I would not be running ads encouraging people to visit the County. I would exercise my right as a member of the BlogHer publishing network to opt out of ads for any industry, company, organization or, in this case, county, that doesn't share my personal ethos.

Posted: Sun - November 30, 2008 at 12:33 PM       EmailFeedback

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