I Hope This Is Accepted In The Good Manner It Is Written

I remember like it was yesterday when T dropped the news in my living room that she was a lesbian. Yes everyone that was more than a interesting conversation between friends and should have proven to T and I that we would have many rocky, turbulent, and flat out brawls in our friendships future. And she and I have pretty much covered all those bases and a few extras along the way. The great thing is that even though we are both hard headed, opionated (however you spell it) and very set in our views of what the world is like (which normally puts on the opposite side of the fence) she and I are still great friends. I only hope that she knows and feels that regardless of our differences that I would do anything in the world for her!!!!

To say that I understand same sex marriages would be a streatch of the truth, however, it isn't my place to understand it nor is it my place to tell other's they are wrong. The truth of the matter is, people have to find their own happiness and if that happiness is found with the same sex, who am I, much less anyone elses place to say an individual isn't allowed that happiness?

I am not one that keeps up with current events about changes in the laws, consititution or anything else like that so I will not discuss what is or isn't going on and show my ignorance. I will discuss a lone voice in the mix of many what I believe should happen. I hope that I can bring it all together intellegently, but lets face it I'm challenged in that department :biggrin.

So I have chosen to write about parenting!!! Not that I can really say one way or the other about parenting because I having my own issues about it right now, in my own house for the record. But I will give it my best try!!

In my research to find something intelligent to write about I triped across this message board thingy and to be honest I had to check out the man's profile because I felt like I was in the twilight zone with T's ex.

I think out of everything that LBGT families have to endure and fight for the thing I can't wrap my mind around is parenting skills. What has one got to do with the other??? I mean really let's face it has anyone taken a good look into our foster care system??? Has anyone sat back and scratched their heads and worried about the children that have fallen through the cracks and are just begging for unconditional love and positive attention???

Tonight Primetime is airing a program about just this issue and I can't wait to watch it, might prompt me to write something more. However, I remember when Rosie aired a segment on her show about two men in Florida that were allowed to be foster parents to the "not wanted children"; disabled, mixed raced, mentally challanged, etc children. Yet, the day they wanted to adopt these children they were rejected and if memory serves me correctly had several of the children removed from their custody. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?

Hetrosexuals do not hold the market on good parenting. If we did, do we seriously think so many children would be in foster care and feel unloved and unwanted? Do you think we would be watching about parents drowning, sexually abusing, removing limbs, etc from these poor children??? I mean seriously GET A CLUE.

Sexual preference does not bleed into a good or bad parent. Children do not make the choice to come into this world, that choice is made for them. Children, do not choose to be disgarded like a piece of trash, that choice is made for them. Yet, no matter how you look at, our foster care system, they are still are being treated the same way since birth. Because there is this rule and regulation if two and or one adult is other than heterosexual they are denied access to show one or more child/ren love, devotion, security, most importantly security all because of sexual preference.

Personally, there are a large number of heterosexuals that do not deserve the right to be called a parent, much less be allowed to continue to reproduce, yet on the flip side of that coin, I'm sure that there are some LBGT families that shouldn't be able to have access to child/ren either. That meaning, it has nothing to do with sexual preference it has to do with an individual/s. Please how can anyone confuse this issue??? If a bad seed is what one looks for it doesn't matter who or what they are they are out there!!!!! But to not allow the majority of any sex, race or "stereotype" be grouped into what "one believes" could happen then reproduction needs to cease completely!!!!

Something I don't understand is why people feel so threatened about LBGT families!!! I mean seriously, sex is something that is done in private not in front of children or well anyone. At the end of the day that is all that makes them different from me, is their sexual partner!!!

Another food for thought, what about all these people that are so gon- ho on making sure that LBGT families are denied access to be a parent, or access to their children, health benifits, being looked at as equals in relationships?? What happens if these people's children announce they are gay? Are the child/ren then a bad seed that is never acknowledge in their family? Are they accepted as the individual that they are? I mean seriously what happens then? Why not learn to agree to disagree, however, still accept and love their path in life?? Why is that such a hard concept to understand?

Do I agree with same sex relationships? I wouldn't go as far as I agree, but on the flip side of that coin I don't disagree, I just simply don't understand. Yet at the end of the day it isn't my place to understand it, but being a friend to someone who has found happiness in such a relationship and a mother of three boys, I can not sit idel or mute on this topic. Love is not something that is as clear cut as many American's are trying to make it, love is just that!!! I remember what my grandpa said to me when I was very young ~ becareful whom you date because once your heart is with them you can not change your heart!!!

In closing, I may not understand why people love the same sex, but then if they find happiness it only makes America a more accepting and loving place to be proud to call home. Why must people look for the worst in people and make a cause to make them feel unwelcomed and undeserving in life and be forbiden things that are allowed for other's. I mean really let everyone enjoy the hell we call marriage :biggrin!!! And if we really simplify all of the issues at hand ~ convicted criminals are given more rights than tax paying, law abiding individauls that other's are forbiding rights of joint health insurance, joint tax returns, a piece of paper that legally binds them, and for those that don't have child/ren forbiding them that...............this confuses me terribly NO convicted criminal should have more rights than a law abiding citizen EVER!!!!

Being a parent is just as simply stated you are a parent. In a child custody case one's sexual preference should not play a factor in that decision. When will people realize divorce is hard enough, don't further muddy the waters by throwing in sexual life styles. If we opened those flood gates at times we'd all lose our parental rights!!! If one or the other is a proven bad parent then yes remove thier rights, but don't think, much less act, like it is an open and shut case because of sexual preferences!!! Father's and/or Mother's that have been proven that sexual abuse has happened with the said child in child custody case still is given court ordered visitation. But if it is one from the LBGT family, they may be given court order visitation, but very seldom joint custody, inforced visitation, much less sole custody. What is everyone so afraid of? I don't get it!!!

If the people in charge were more concerned in cleaning up our own backyard, we wouldn't be so anxious to go and clean up other's disgressions!!!! And last I checked no one can rightiously live in a glass house because the first stone cast will shatter that said house!!!!

One's morals, beliefs, and/or choices is not for another to state it is right, wrong or indifferent. This is suppose to be a free society and if there is any truth in that fact then by all means stop preaching it and start following what the true meaning of "free society". Not just a select group but all of us!!!! Being gay is not a "fad" nor is it an easy life in today's society. I guess my problem is why make another persons life difficult and reject them rights as a family union when right now in today's society "family union" is really a joke. Who knows if the powers to be accept any and all love maybe then we can find ourselves accepting an individual for their individuality and we could all find our way to healthy communication.

News flash everyone ~ LBGT is NOT contagious, it is not a choice, it is what it is ~ two people in love that want to be able to build a family of acceptance and who knows at the end of the day, maybe it can help solve a very bad stain on all of us, our foster care system. Let these children be loved and accepted for who they are regardless of the parent/s sexual preference the child/ren need love when will one realize they have been rejected enough!!! Being LBGT does not a bad parent make ~ due to adversity they have to fight and battle ~ who knows maybe they make better parent(s) than those that it comes so easily and taken for granted!!!!

Food for thought ~ now remember ~ be gentle with me!!! :biggrin T I hope I didn't embarse you!!!

Jamie