Why We Don't Heart Huckabee

Mike Huckabee is in the news this week after a recent interview he did with the College of New Jersey’s magazine, The Perspective. I sort of expected most of what came spewing out of his mouth to be bigoted nonsense about how same sex marriage is immoral and gays don't look good in camo... what I was not expecting was this little gem:

“I think this is not about trying to create statements for people who want to change the basic fundamental definitions of family. Always, we should act in the best interest of the children, not in the seeming interest of the adults. Children are not puppies. This is not a time to see if we can experiment and find out, how does this work?”

Take your time... it took me hours to get over the shock.

Several states, thankfully, allow gay adoption. There is no evidence to suggest that gay people make better or worse parents than heterosexuals. In 2004, 70 percent of the 73.2 million children under age 18 lived with two parents, 26 percent lived with one parent, and the remaining 4 percent lived with no parent. For that 4%, that EQUALS 2.9 MILLION homeless children.

Thousands of children are fostered everyday and it seems like every month, I hear a story about a foster child being neglected, abused or killed by their foster parents. There are so many children in need; it is inevitable that many fall through the cracks in the system and are placed with people who may look good on paper when in actuality, they are the worst choice imaginable.

I will cite here what I'm sure is on everybody's mind- The recent case of the little Russian boy who was adopted by a family in Tennessee and was SENT BACK to Russia! You want to talk about "experimentation" and how "children are not puppies"... let's talk about this family in Tennessee! You can't just send a kid back- like you would a dog to a pound!

I'd also like to bring to light a story which has stayed with me for some time and never fails to make me cry when I think of it. Sarah Angelina Chavez was just 2 years old when she was killed by her foster parents after being removed from the care of her previous foster parents, lesbian couple Corri Planck and Dianne Hardy-Garcia. The little girl was specifically removed from the Planck/Garcia home because her birth mother was "uncomfortable" with the fact that they were gay. If you ask me, that birth mother lost her right to have any opinion on the matter the first time she abused her daughter. The system failed this little girl and put her in the "care" of abusive family members, ignoring stern warnings from Planck and Hardy-Garcia that Sarah had been hurt there in the past- possibly even sexually abused. Little Sarah suffered internal bleeding from being kicked in the stomach and died within hours of the attack.

Personally- I do not think it is a straight thing versus a gay thing. But I think what we can learn from the story above is that there are evil people out there and there are kind people- and it doesn't matter who they sleep with. Love is love and that is what these children need more than anything.

So- Mike Huckabee- I want to ask you... when do you plan on adopting one of these orphans?
And more to the point- if you care so much about these children being placed into good homes- why not spend less time gay bashing and more time fighting for better standards and background checks at existing foster care facilities all over the country.

(And by the way, while we are on this topic- I'd like to point out that President Obama has declared April 2010 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. In his presidential proclamation, he calls upon Americans to observe this month with programs and activities that help prevent child abuse and provide for children’s physical, emotional and developmental needs. Find out more about preventing child abuse and neglect)

-Vignette-Noelle Lammott, Fish out of Water Blog Commentator -

"To find out more information about LGBTQ rights, gay marriage, religion and homosexuality, The Bible's stance on gay relationships or the politics around gay mariage please feel free to contact us or book a screening of FISH OUT OF WATER. Please note that a study guide can be downloaded from the "Book A Screening" page atwww.fishoutofwaterfilm.com"