John Schlichter is A Bigot And Proud Of It
Submitted by dpotts on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 7:31pm.
Someone just forwarded me a scan of a mailing sent out in support of Republican State Rep. John Schlichter against his Democratic opponent Ray Pryor that is just disgusting.
The homophobic ad, which was paid for by the Ohio Republican Party, slams Pryor over his support for same sex couples to be able to adopt children.
I wonder if the ORP would prefer if gay people would use separate water fountains as well?
Panic
Submitted by mvirenicus on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 5:56am.
"Democrats Expected to Sweep Close Races in Congress"
http://www.electoral-vote.com/
My Turn To Be Disappointed
Submitted by dpotts on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 11:56am.
Randy it doesn't matter if the ad is true, it borders on being a hate crime.
I've know people raised by same sex couples that grew up happy and healthy. I've also known plenty of people who were raised by heterosexual couples that are complete trainwrecks.
Or in the words of a relative of mine (about having a mother and father): "Why don't they go out and find them first?"
We have come so far....
Submitted by barbiesnow on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 7:48am.
Here is a wonderful response from Donna Brazile to all those who may align themselves with John Schlicter...and for all of us who love hearing the truth
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/festival/2008/10/brazile-campaign.html
Incorrect and Insulting
Submitted by RickNeal on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 1:52pm.
As a gay prospective adoptive parent, I'm very glad to see this here. The mailing is both incorrect and insulting, and Representative Schlichter and the Ohio Republican Party - namely, Bob Bennett, John Husted, and Scott Borgemenke - should apologize to the gay community and the voters of the 85th district.
The mailing is incorrect. Research shows that children raised by gay parents do just as well as those raised by straight parents: the environment is just as good and the children thrive just as well. What matters is love: the interests of children waiting for adoption are best served by matching them with parents, gay or straight, ready to love and care for them. The Public Childrens Services Association of Ohio laid out the case in a statement yesterday: "Studies published in 2005 by the American Academy of Pediatrics show that children raised by same sex parents suffered no ill effects;in fact on the whole, those children experienced greater well-being, more nurturing, and a greater tolerance for differences than their peers."
The mailer is also insulting. It’s part of the same pogrom against gay people and our families that Ohioans had to endure in 2004, when the Republican Party used fear to push the marriage amendment. It takes us, a group of people who just want to live our lives in peace like everyone else, and makes scapegoats of us, vilifies us in the public square in order to whip up a frenzy of hate, and hopes that hate translates into votes.
As a gay prospective parent, I am personally offended. I have been looking forward to raising children for years; when we met, my partner and I both agreed that we wanted to raise a family; and adoption is giving us that opportunity. My adoption agency and the probate court will determine if I am fit to adopt – and that will depend not on my sexual orientation but rather on my desire to be a parent and my capacity to offer that child a good home and all the love and support he needs to thrive. The idea that being gay automatically makes me unfit to be a parent is outdated and wrong.
Representative Schlichter and the ORP should be ashamed of themselves. They need to apologize to me, the gay community, and the voters. I spoke yesterday with Rep. Schlichter on the phone about this; when I asked him to apologize, and asked if he stood by the mailing, all he could say was, "I appreciate your views and thank you for your call." His disinterest in apologizing clearly communicates his bigotry; voters can now decide if they share those values or not.
Then talk to someone that can help...
Submitted by Notrol on Thu, 10/09/2008 - 3:27pm.
The Log Cabin Republicans have consistently sold you down the river. Try some direct action and bring some of the ORP's out of the closet.
What does the ad say?
Submitted by Randy on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 6:05am.
It's difficult to read, but from what I can see it only says that Pryor supports Gay adoption.
Rick, you have the right to be offended. If Schlichter produced the ad, you have the right to be offended with him. If a separate group produced the ad, then you can decide how close he is to the group and respond accordingly.
The question I asked remains. Is the information true? Does Pryor support gay adoption? If so, I would think (based on comments above) that David and Rick would support him, depending on other views.
A follow-up question would be if Ohio state law requires adoptive parents to be married. If so, gay couples would automatically be excluded.
Larger Version
Submitted by dpotts on Fri, 10/10/2008 - 9:59pm.
http://www.ohiovalleypolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/homophobes.jpg
The ad was created by the Ohio Republican Party (the scan I recieved had the disclaimer, but it was right beside the address). I believe (but to be fair, I'm not completely sure) that Schlichter would have to have signed off on it before it could be sent.
I also believe adoptions by same sex couples is legal in Ohio, and there was really no reason to bring this up now.
The ad attacks gay adoptive parents
Submitted by Joe Lacey new e... on Sat, 10/11/2008 - 9:32am.
The ad attacks gay adoptive parents saying that children need a mother and father.
Oddly, the ad does not go after single people adopting which is legal and not uncommon in Ohio.
Gay couples can not adopt as couples in Ohio. They can adopt as single people and make any subsequent arrangements for their partners to share joint custody if they wish.
The ad is offensive because it attacks families like my own with questionable studies that try to tell people that I and my partner are not raising my daughter right. It's a very personal attack by the ORP that is so very offensive that it suggests that my family should be broken up.
We received our 10 week old daughter from the hospital just a month ago where she was being treated for a drug addiction she had received in the womb.
It's More Than That
Submitted by RickNeal on Sun, 10/12/2008 - 10:24pm.
Randy, you seem to be focusing quite narrowly on the accuracy of only the leading statement in the mailing. There are other points: that Pryor does not want the best for Ohio's children. There is the overall tone: bigoted and insulting. And there is the obvious objective of the mailing: to cast Pryor as some degenerate who can't be trusted because he would put children in harm's way.
I spoke by phone with Mr. Pryor on Thursday. I did not ask him if he supports "gay adoption," which could be construed to mean (1) adoption by gay people; or (2) adoption by gay couples. The former is allowed in Ohio; the latter is not, since gay marriage or commitment is not legally recognized. In our conversation, he revealed that his daughter is an adoptive parent, and that he was familiar with the issues. Regarding adoption by gay people, he did not express much of an opinion at all, appearing puzzled that it was being brought up.
His opinion about adoption by gay people, however, is irrelevant in this case. Ohio law allows gay people to adopt; it does not seem that the voters of the 85th district are particularly incensed about this. The revelance of the mailing is what it shows about Schlichter and the Republicans. When I spoke with Schlichter, he did not take the opportunity to deny producing the ad. The mailing has his name on it, and was paid for by the Ohio Republican Party. Both have shown their bigotry and disrespect through this mailing, and both still owe me and Joe and everyone else an apology.
why does it matter?
Submitted by starfrenzy on Sat, 10/11/2008 - 11:58pm.
If two people are willing to adopt a child, love them, care for them, etc. why does it matter what their gender is? I wholeheartedly support adoptions and I don't mind if the adopting parents are straight, gay, single, etc. There are too many children in this country with no one to love and care for them. Who gave John Schlichter the right or the authority to decide who would be the best parents? There are too many far more important issues in these races then these stupid wedge issues. Get over it, everybody nots the same.
I think you missed my point.
Submitted by Randy on Wed, 10/15/2008 - 6:53am.
It would appear that the ad is factual and convinces a lot of people. Many of the posters here would use this as a reason not to vote for Schlichter. Others may use it as a reason to vote for Pryor.
I know several people who have adopted children, both US-based children and "foreign" based children (Chinese, Hungarian and Central American). I also know some people who have been foster parents. In all the cases I personally know, all couples are married. In most states today, same-sex couples can not be married.
What I don't know is being married is a legal requirement for adoption. My understanding was that it was. That may vary from state to state and from the above comments, it sounds as if Ohio state law allows individuals who are unmarried to adopt.
Based on this, the ad doesn't show any legal issue with Pryor's position. I agree with the comment that "There are too many far more important issues in these races then these stupid wedge issues" (Sen. Obama has said this on many occurrences). That said, it does show the character of the two candidates. You & I as voters have to decide which candidate better represents our values, our ideas. And in many cases, we don't know what issues will be coming up over the next 2, 4 or 6 years and character may indicate how a candidate will vote on unknown, upcoming issues.
My final comments on this subject - I have known single parents, in fact was a single parent for two years. I know that single parents can be good parents. I assume that homosexuals can be good parents (I don't personally know of such situations - so can't speak from experience). It certainly takes more than love to raise a child, but I'll stop short of saying it takes a village. While the issue presented, along with same-sex marriage, is not on my "hot-list" of issues, I know that it is for many voters. Some will vote for Pryor simply because of this issue, some will vote against him for the same reason. I think it's good that the facts are out.
David, if this disappoints you, I'm sorry about that. But if you look back at my history, it shouldn't surprise you.
Is the information in the ad true?
If so, seems informed voters would like to know and could make up their own mind whether or not it is pertinent.