Arkansas Blog

OFF TOPIC, but

The moron must be close to Cammack Village because I am seeing more police cars and several Little Rock Tour buses in the area. I am assuming Little Rock Tours is shuttling people to the big event.

I can't beleive that as progressive a pastor as Bishop Arnold is and his members that they would be in support of such a proposal. I am disappointed to say the least. So it'be better to have a child in an abusive home as long as the parents are male and female? That's stupid. Just as stupid is notion that many kids will be denied the chance to be adopted because of the morons supporting this measure. We haven't come far at all in the country, have we?

ARK. BLOG: An associate pastor delivered the message, I was told by a church member.

I think St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Mississippi is the staging area. There are lots of Little Rock Tours busses in their parking lot along with lots of cars. Sign on the street says "event parking" and points to the parking lot.

I thought those folks had better sense.

hey, get down there and sign the petition! Get your friends to join you. I signed but I realized when I returned home that I had put the wrong address on it. Just sayin.....

Just drove the length of Cantrell and LR has dragged out every marked police vehicle available. SUV's and pickups. Didn't see the metermaid.

Not that I would suggest it but right now would be the best time to rob a bank in Southwest LR. They would get to it later.

Word is that the moron will be arriving around 415pm. I have my sign ready.

ARK. BLOG: Hope somebody takes a picture for posterity. And for the blog, too.

If an Associate Pastor delievered the sermon, even more reason for an outcry. Bishop Arnold should have immediatley let his church know that those views are not reflective of him or reflective of the feelings of the entire membership.

I guess the folks in Arkansas may realize how messed up the foster care world is. If these cats are having a tough time getting the signatures, I wonder if the thing can even pass. I don't know that I'd trumpet my struggles if I were in Cox's group--not that I ever would be of course.

You all ready for this? Brace yourselves but here goes.....

"Petitioners were out in force in churches Sunday. Some pastors, such as at Little Rock's predominantly black and powerful St. Mark's Baptist, urged people in the audience to sign up. "

===================================================================
Any black American that supports denying equal rights to other Americans should be put back into slavery.
===================================================================

Every time I read these nationwide articles about denying adoptions to gays and lesbians on religious grounds, I just become sadder.

This discrimination has nothing to do with benefiting children or giving them foundations for better lives, and everything to do with legislating ignorance, superstition, fear and hate into state and federal Constitutions.

I felt my first cringe at the mention of the word "Christian" many, many years ago, living my adult life in America's two largest cities. Even then, it was about opposition to women's right to choose and equality for same-sex people. So much hate. So much venom. So constant.

So, inevitably my association became "Christian" = hateful bigot.

Despite many Christian friends over decades who are loving and demonstrate it through concrete actions, today I cringe even MORE at the word, "Christian."

That's sad too.

I long, long ago left religion behind - through lots of fascinated study and research, I might add, rather than by whim. Information about religions took years to find and read, then. Today, you can watch one or two videos on YouTube or visit a few websites and know everything I know.

But most people won't even do THAT!

"I'm a Christian. [Cringe.] I can't read that, I can't watch that." I've had lifelong friends say exactly that, when we enter these discussions.

Sad, because . . .

Though they are intelligent and accomplished in every other area of their lives, and even think themselves liberal, when it comes to dictating women's reproductive choices and restricting same-sex Americans' love-lives and civil rights, my "Christian" friends may as well be the Taliban. [Cringe.]

Sad to know that 90% of my same-age lifelong friends, since I returned here, are politically concerned mainly about overturning Roe v. Wade and blocking same-sex marriage.

War? The Economy? Eviscerating the Bill of Rights? Geneva Convention? Fascist flag-wearing Bible-toting takeover of America?

Not so much.

Opposition to Roe v. Wade and same-sex equality is religion based. "Christians" are dominant. They're determined to vote their religious dogma into state and federal Constitutions on these two issues. But history shows they won't stop there, should they succeed.

90% of my same-age lifelong friends back here in Arkansas, and yes I love them and am happy to be back with them, are Christian theocrats, in other words.

Cringe.

More happily, my large group of friends who're half my age or less, including some who say they're Christian but who don't go to church at all except for special holidays and family events, couldn't care less about limiting women's medical decisions or prohibiting same-sex marriage and adoption. They're so far beyond all that, they just laugh. "If they pass it, we'll change it," they say, referring to the older generation of the Christian Taliban.

And they're right.

Demographics are with Democracy and the Republic and the Constitution.

It won't surprise me if California voters in November pass a Constitutional Amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

It won't surprise me if it's appealed.

It won't surprise me when the vote is overturned on Constitutional grounds by California's Supreme Court and, finally, by SCOTUS.

Maybe, once our country's founders' wise and considered decision to separate Church from State and create a religiously-neutral government is maintained on these issues, and America's Taliban is contained, I'll stop cringing . . . sadly . . . every time I hear the word, "Christian."

Yet, finally, I'm stuck with the question: "If all my Christian friends are so pro-America, pro-freedom, pro-Democracy, why aren't THEY the ones not choosing abortions or same sex marriages for themselves instead of trying to legislate their religious beliefs on everybody else?

"Where are all the 'loving' Christian leaders across the land speaking out against the Christian theocratic onslaught on America through which we're living and ostensibly voting?"

Meanwhile, you've got a virtually "unadoptable" kid in Little Rock - a minority baby (or worse, older than a baby, a kid) with an incurable disease or fetal drug syndrome whom nobody wants, in Arkansas.

A gay male couple wants to adopt this child and give it a loving home for as long as they can help it live. Security, fun, friends, parks, rides, food, pets, love.

The Christian Taliban would rather that kid sit in a cage at the pound than be adopted by a same-sex couple.

They'll argue against every legitimate scientific study showing NO difference between children raised by same-sex and opposite-sex parents (except for society's religious bigotry and harassment of such children - who prove to be amazingly strong and resilient against bullying).

I guess I've lived too long and too well to do anything more than cringe at the word, "Christian."

To deny a child a loving adoptive home because of religious dogma is, to me, about as low (and revealing) as "Christianity" and Religion can go.

And yes, that makes me sad.

If you want to be involved in a public effort (unlike the stealth campaign that is underway and being led by the self appointed leaders of this community) then check out the Center for Artistic Revolution (http://www.artisticrevolution.org/content/index.php). CAR actively working on having conversations in the communities around this and many other worthy issues. While the self appointed leaders are twiddling their thumbs and holding the glbt people of this state hostage CAR is working in a very positive manner toward helping people understand that the children of Arkansas will be the ones most harmed by this initiative.

Way to go self appointed leaders - with friends like you we don't really need the AFC. Good luck on your stealth campaign...it really is working isn't it.

Norma bates, cry all you want but kids do not deserve to be place with homos no matter how much you belly ache and cry about it. Why you care is weird since you are one of them.
Kids must never ever come to know homos exist.
Stop your lying about kids would be better off in a homo atmosphere. No kids needs to be punished that much.
As a kid I'd rather be dead than to be put in a homos home. Homos are not normal people so stop pushing your lies about what you think kids need.

He's back!

Tread carefully chasv
NormaBates has brother ya know
Next time you close the shower doors
keep you eyes open
wide
shotgun loaded
leather gloves
lights on.

Chasv,

The current laws make it nearly impossible for gay couples to adopt. Most gays and a small number of lesbians have considerable emotional baggage and mental problems that they would be screened out of the process as being unsuitable to host a child. At most 4-5% of gay men and 40-50% of lesbian couples would make the cut. Most gays are so narcissistic and selfish that the social workers would easily spot them for what they are. It's not that gays really want to adopt or foster ochildren. They just don't want to be told that they can't. It's unfortunate that the children are the ones to suffer and be used as political pawns.

Thanks, Severus, for stating your opinions, which are shared by many, I'm afraid.

Not that any of your opinions are factual, of course, as anybody with even a passing acquaintance with the medical, psychological and sociological literature of the past thirty years knows.

Yours is one of the ugliest and stupidest comments I've read in years. The tragedy is that your ugliness and stupidity apparently reflect the majority in this country.

They don't call us "Ugly Americans" for nothing, obviously.

elwood, never! I am being very, very, very light.
Severus, kids need a mom and dad and the worst there is is much much better than being in a homos' home.
This discussion should never be discussed.

NormaBates,

Even in the states that allow gay marriage or civil unions, what percentage of gays and lesbians actually marry or get civil unions? If they live in those states, and they can't even make a legal commitment to their partners, what makes you think they can make a long term commitment to a child?

******************************************
Chasv,

Sadly many of the foster children will never benefit from having a home with both a man and woman. Many foster children have unstable homes. I don't have a current census, but what I've seen in the past is that a majority are African American and many have siblings with different fathers. There are a considerable number who were born to drug addicts and who will have long term medical needs. It's highly likely that these children are being cared for in group homes/orphanages in which there are at least a small number of gay/lesbian care givers.
While most gays and lesbians would make terrible parents, there are likely a very small number that could look beyond their own desires and look out for the best interests of the child.

Curiously, a married couple cannot be foster parents until they've been married for at least 2 years. One can only hope that the DHS social workers do a good job of overseeing the foster child program to ensure that non-qualified parents are not given children. It's better to be in a loving group home than in an unstable environment.

I think you're right.. My mom died when I was 2 and dad didn't remarry till I was 12 and that means I raise myself with the Lord guiding me and my three sis and two bros.
I had 2 half brothers and 2 half sisters and one step sister which I don't know where she is now.. been trying to locate her.
A child has the needs of being fed and clothed and God will do the rest... No homos needed to do that.
We, the USA, are/is on its last leg. American is going to hell in a hand basket just like every democracy that's ever been. About two hundred years is all we will have as a free people.. we are passed that, dictatorship is the next government we'll have.