Should Same-Sex Couples Be Able To Adopt?

NONE of the above. I firmly support relationships of all kinds, but this one I need to think about. I don't think it's as simple as YES or NO. On the one hand, Nature does require one male, and one female to create life. Often, Nature is wise. On the other hand, men are physically able to breast feed ... so my point is, there should probably be an option on this one for "Glad it's NOT me who has to decide!"

People incapable of critical thinking shouldn't be commenting on this issue.

Define critical. I wasn't being glib. I have learned a powerful respect for nature's ability to equip it's species' with skill sets for their unique survival. I observe that we humans are arrogant creatures, who think we know better than nature, 'God', AND the man standing next to us. I am torn, because although I support ALL relationships, I am given pause on THIS issue by the fact that nature itself selects against children being produced by same sex relationships. I merely suggested that it's not a stark contrast question, as superficial as "yes" or "no". I would give the subject the scope of discussion it deserves. Are gray areas not encompassed by critical thinking then - only the clear, swift answers? Please note, I did not say "no" ... I said "NONE of the above"

Children raised by a mother and a father do better then those raised by gay couples. It is best for the children to have a mother and a father...

Completely FALSE: Here are a few scientific studies backing up my assertion:
http://www.newscientist.com/a...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com...
http://www.canada.com/theprov...
http://www.time.com/time/heal...

I have no interest in reading the pro-gay slanted articles of Time Magazine or the Huffington Post. Neither of these resources has any credibility in my opinion. They are both agenda driven medias. If you google other sources you will find many international and US college studies that support my premiss. It is rediculas for you to assert that a mother and father relationship with their children is only as good as or worse then a gay relationship with children...there is simply no logic to your argument.

The huff po and time magazine are simply carrying the articles talking about the studies, they obviously didn't conduct them. ". It is rediculas for you to assert that a mother and father relationship with their children is only as good as or worse then a gay relationship with children...there is simply no lodgic to your argument." There is NO scientific evidence supporting these assumptions. No logic to my argument? I'm sorry, but the plethora of scientific studies conducted clearly show that children with gay parents grow up perfectly fine on the social and academic level. Refute my argument with scientific evidence, not hearsay.

You are so full of yourself...you read and believe only the arguments that support your belief. Time and HuffPost will only print articles that support their agenda wheather they are true or not. They are not un-biased media. They are both very pro-gay. There are many studies that support my assurtion that gays do NOT make comparable parents to a normal mother and father. Spend some time on google and you will find that I am right and you are wrong...one of the most recent studies showed that gay couples are 25% more like to break up the a man and wife. Another recent study showed that the children of gay parents are 400% more likely to be gay themselves (nearly 9%) when compaired to the general population (less then 2%)...it is all there for you to discover if you care to expand your mind...but I think not.

Again, you haven't refuted the studies, just showed your dislike for Time and Huffpo. As for your so called "studies", provide a source.

Go look for the source yourself...it is there if you care to open your mind to something other then Huffington Post. Gay parents are not comparable to having a mother and a father...and there is a lot of down side for the children in these kinds of relationships. Go look...you'll find it if you really want to know...if you don't, your happy with your biased point of view.

You're the one making the claim that a child MUST have heterosexual parents. Burden of proof is on YOU, not ME. If I told you that the tooth fairy existed it wouldn't be your job to find the evidence supporting my claim.

Round and round you go...there is no burdon of proof on me. I already know. You are the one that lacks the basic understanding of the facts on the topic and need to further your education. But you won't because you are happy with your limited knowledge base and misunderstanding to the truth.

You obviously haven't the slightest clue about logic. I prefer not to debate with morons, good bye.

Well there is 12 kids being raised by two gay men, well behaved and happy.

But these morons don't give a rat's ass about the facts, they only care about their right wing family values agenda.

Usually that means momy is taking the kids off to church while closet daddy gets a BJ in a mens restroom.

Classy

Sure, there are going to be great gay parents, and crap gay parents ... just like there are great straight parents, and crap straight parents - citing individual success and failure stories will quickly become a circular argument...

And nobody is certifiably "happy" we all have good days and bad days...

In my opinion, as a divorced mother of four, 12 kids is an irresponsible number of children for any two people to try and spread themselves across. You have to end up using the bigger kids as sub-parents.

No one has a right to make a woman not have half a dozen kids when she cant afford it or not mentally stable enough to care for them but they want to say gay men and women should not adopt. I think and see they took an the amount of kids they felt they could provide for. What is the alternative? Hope that they get places in hetero homes, separated siblings and a horrible life for the others? Why risk it. Gay people usually wait till they know they are ready otherwise they could just breed with other lesbians or go about renting a womb, heteros usually have the kid first then try to be parents. It goes both ways like you said, there are good hetero parents and there are bad ones, it would be the same with gays but I feel less likely because I don't know of many gay men who want to be parents and the ones that I do know that can and want to it is because they are in a stable relationship, are well off economically and want a family.

I'm sure they did take the number they felt they could provide for - but 12 kids is a group home, not a family. Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should. Children need not only individual attention, but they need quiet time. The sheer energy of such a number of kids living in one place is like a stimulant to kids. Kids get silly, they get rowdy, they take ill advised chances under such constant stimulation. I wouldn't trot this story out as an example of good parenting, sorry. Living with four wonderful, well-behaved kids is chaotic enough. Actually, 12 kids with their own natural mother would be biologically and chemically different (less chaotic), I feel. It's my opinion that the bond between mother and baby during the womb time (and subsequent breastfeeding, if applied) later plays a role in the child's ability to achieve inner stillness (calm) in the presence of the biological mother. Just my own observation from my experience as a mom.

But these kids did not have a choice, their biological mothers are not there and it is clear to me from the video and photos that these kids are happy and well behaved.

What ever reason they decided to take on 12 kids and if you consider it a family or not is irrelevant, what I see is two people who have enough love to give to all 12 of THEIR kids. They have enough love and consideration for not separating siblings they have enough love to take on more kids who may not be in a loving home. None of us know for sure, but as a photographer I do know one thing, kids don't fake happiness for the cameras, you can always tell. The photo of the little kid getting his ears cleaned almost brought tears to my eyes because you can see in his eyes how much love he feels.

We don't really know either way, only time will tell. I choose to believe they will always do right by their children and should have support from all who have children and believe in family regardless of their circumstances

I will agree these men have big hearts, and mean well, and that the children are loved. Perhaps that is enough in this case ... as you point out, it is absolutely imperative to keep siblings together, and sacrifices must sometimes be made in order to achieve that goal. I've said my observation, and I've no real desire to criticize these men beyond what I've already observed. In fairness to them, they're doing more than a LOT of people help kids, so I'll stand down on this one ;)

Hey Ken - would you be willing to concede that SOME children might be okay, or even thrive in a gay home? What about certain androgynous or sexually ambiguous children, who feel REALLY pressured by straight parents to 'pick a team' or be made to feel "wrong" or unacceptable? Isn't that hard on confused kids too? I'm guessing gay parents might be less impatient with such a kid.

In the mean time most of those kids would love to have loving parents gay or hetero. Hetero parents screw up as well as gay parent would, therea re no perfect parents. All you are doing is keeping kids that want and need loving parents from getting that, love. Its serves you no purpose other than to feel good about tour conservative and religious point of view. So let the kids suffer while you feel good about yourself. Thats what you guys call pro life? Bring them into this existence so you can make it miserable for them once they are here.

I said none of those things...my point and possition is very clear. Children are much better off with a normal mother and father relationship. There is down side to being raised by gays.

there is no down side, you cant prove it.

And you can't prove there isn't...it certainly is logical to believe that children would be better off with a normal mother and a father then ANY OTHER type of arrangment. Being raised by gays would be a less desiralble arrangment for the children's sake.

it is not logical at all. You have nothing to back that up. I know kids who have been raised by lesbians and they are just like any other kids raised by heteros. If people would accept gays and expect the same from them as far as committed relationships and family values we would have more homes for kids.

Wonderful success story :)

Agreed. But isn't there also a down side to being raised by either rigidly opinionated right or fierce left wingers who force you to pick sides, when you might be inclined to find a moderate path? I think maybe extremists shouldn't be allowed to adopt!

Ev, you make some really good points - but once it gets hostile, everybody stops listening ... :(

I would suggest that may be true of some, but not of others. We still live in a society where bigotry abounds, some socially sensitive children - especially through the excruciating teenage years, when high school bitches converge to cyber-bully less robust teens into suicide, it can be one more thing that makes you not "fit in". I'm guessing there are kids who would find this quite challenging - and other kids who would thrive in any family.

You are talking out of your ass, Homosexuals would be no different at raising kids, you cant prove it. All you are doing is preventing kids from having loving parents and homes. That makes you scum.

Oh, because I disagree with your possition I am ass talking scum? You are the lowest form of liberal. Personal attacks show your lack of intelligence. Gays are a secondary choice compaired to a normal mother and father.

That is your opinion and not fact. It is a fact that heteros abuse and kill their children. Most of us were all raised by hetero parents some do a good job and some do lousy job. I have worked with foster kids and children who have suffered from abuse I have also been involved with orphanages in Mexico and I know of great loving gay people who would love to give some of those kids homes and cant because of people like you. Keeping a needy or neglected child from having a loving home is scummy, the lowest form of scum and you are scum for keeping a kid from having a home.

My opinion is based in fact. It is only reasonable to believe that a mother and a father (the way God made it) is always best for raising childredn. You lose the argument when you start calling people names who disagree with you. You arn't smart enough to defend your possition...so you call people names. I don't care if you worked it Tim Buck Two....gay parents are less desirable then the normal family. Children raised in gay families are 400% more likely to be gay themselves when compaired to the general population...how can this be a good enviorment for a child?

Prove your statements, you cant.

The proof is on the internet...google it and you will find a very recent study that found that nealy 9% of the children raised by gay couples were GAY compaired to less then 2% of the general population. I'm not going to look it up for you but it is there...I read it yesterday.

Oh and its not some "conservative media" study? lol