Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbySeptember 9th, 2008
The Miami Herald is reporting that a Florida judge has found the state’s ban on adoption by gay persons to be unconstitutional:
A Monroe Circuit Court judge has ruled Florida’s 31-year-old gay adoption ban ”unconstitutional” in an order that allows an openly gay Key West foster parent to adopt a teenage boy he has raised since 2001.
Declaring the adoption to be in the boy’s ”best interest,” Circuit Judge David J. Audlin Jr. said the Florida law forbidding gay people from adopting children is contrary to the state Constitution because it singles out a group for punishment.
Based on previous decisions, the decision may not withstand appeal.
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Richard W. Fitch
September 9th, 2008
Sounds like another high court has come forward “to legislate” constitutional integrity. Kudos to Judge Audlin! Just one question: who is “Rosie”? [?O’Donnell?]
Emily K
September 10th, 2008
a JUDGE of the COURT is JUDGING whether something is LAWFUL based on the highest LAWS in the nation? SHOCKING!!!
Timothy Kincaid
September 10th, 2008
Richard,
Yes, Rosie O’Donnell who has been an advocate for changing this law. And Anita refers to Anita Bryant who was largely responsible for getting the ban in place.
Priya Lynn
September 10th, 2008
Timothy, what makes you think the decision won’t withstand an appeal?
Richard W. Fitch
September 10th, 2008
Tim – Thanks for the clarification. Oh, Yes!! I remember Anita very well. Back in the mid- late-70’s, I was married and very closeted; but I did my own private protest by boycotting anything from FL oranges and having bananas for breakfast instead, which seems like a fitting replacement. If you haven’t seen the video “For the Bible Tells Me So”, one of the opening scenes is a news conference with Anita getting a pie in the face from a protester. Her reaction is just priceless – a must see. Likewise, I highly recommend the video as a whole. It tells the story of five families dealing with a gay or lesbian child. Bishop Gene Robinson is the primary focus, but the others are also well done. In addition there are comments from academic and religious scholars, including Bishop Desmond Tutu.
L. Junius Brutus
September 10th, 2008
Richard, that pie-in-the-face scene was absolutely priceless. Especially how she and her crazy husband tried to pretend that they weren’t upset and that they were going to ‘pray’ for the individuals who did it – right before her husband went over and threw the remaining pie into the face of one of them.
It was also priceless because of the honesty of the news reporting. ‘Anti-gay crusade’.
Priya Lynn
September 11th, 2008
Well, how about it Timothy, do you have any particular reasons for believing this decision won’t stand appeal or is that just your “gut feeling”?
Timothy Kincaid
September 11th, 2008
Priya Lynn,
It is my opinion that this decision is likely to face appeal. Twice before such decisions were reversed. Therefore, this decision should not be considered a final victory as it may not withstand appeal.
If you disagree you are free to say so.
But kindly avoid demaning “how about it” unless what I’m expressing somehow disagrees with the attached article.
Priya Lynn
September 11th, 2008
Timothy, I hadn’t read the accompanying article before. According to it it is not true that “twice before such decisions were reversed”. It says the first time such a decision was made it was neither published nor appealed.
Priya Lynn
September 11th, 2008
And Timothy, I said “how about it” because you ignored my first question about this.
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