Saturday, February 18, 2012
Virginia Passes Legislation Allowing Private Adoption Agencies to Discriminate
The Associated press wrote for the Washington Post about legislation in Virginia being passed that allows for private adoption agencies to discriminate in their adoptions. The bill allows them to discriminate if the placement is against any of their religious or moral beliefs, especially if the placement is with a homosexual couple. Some representatives and members of the gay community is saying that this bill claiming religious freedom is a smokescreen covering up true intentions of discriminating against the LGBT community. They say the bill denies LGBTs from forming families. People against the bill say this will just end up hurting the children waiting for a home, because they are being limited on eligible homes. Other representatives say there is nothing wrong with the bill, because they are private agencies. They do say that public, government funded agencies are not allowed to discriminate. Different agencies wrote letters to their representatives about the bill. Some were expressing how happy they were while other agencies asked for the bill not to be passed because it makes it harder to place children waiting for homes. The agencies against the bill said that LGBT are just as capable of providing stable homes.
The issue that seems to be in the article is whether it is ok to discriminate in adoptions. The article makes clear it is only allowable for private agencies to discriminate and not for public agencies, especially those funded by the government. Another issue is if it is ok for any private agency to discriminate if they just claim it is their religious beliefs.
I personally feel that this legislation is not in violation of any laws. The law does state that any organization that is public or government funded is not allowed to discriminate. Churches are allowed to discriminate for example to not hire women, or people of certain sexual orientations on the basis of religious beliefs. Most private adoption agencies are run by churches and for me it makes sense that they would be allowed to place children based on beliefs. I do not agree that it is ok to discriminate and limit children on possible loving homes they could go to. I agree with many against the bill that LGBT are just as capable of providing stable homes. Many heterosexual couples get divorced or break up, just because they are heterosexual does not mean that makes them more stable. Despite my beliefs I do agree that, like the case of the Presbyterian church and the distribution of its land we studied in class, churches are allowed to have jurisdiction over certain things that are run by the church or private organization.
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