Banning Adoption and Foster Parenting by Certain Persons to Protect Children

I note with approval that a Malawi judge has denied the application of Madonna Ciccone-Penn-Richie to adopt another child from that country. The judge ruled that she had not met the residency requirement during which the state evaluates and determines the fitness of the parent. This was undoubtedly true and I admire the integrity of the judge for enforcing the law even-handedly in this case. This is in marked contrast to the previous adoption where she was allowed to fly off with the child before the adoption was even completed.

I mention it on Arkansas Watch because of the spirited debate on our proposed ban on adoption and foster parenting. That ban did not specifically ban co-habiting homosexuals from adopting, but it was widely recognized that it would have that effect. I feel that it is important to recognize that it is not only homosexuals who should be blocked from gaining access to children through the power of the state. Crazy people who have made a train wreck of their lives (even if given millions of dollars by an exploiting corporation in the process) probably should not be given such children either.

Husbands and boyfriends can and do leave once the stench of crazy gets unbearable, but once adopted children are trapped until age of majority. That is why the state should be very careful before it doles out children to people who have not demonstrated an ability to maintain a stable traditional family and a life of virtue.

Some might object that the child will be poor in Malawi but rich if adopted by the "material girl". Our culture is so money-obsessed that it can be easy to lose perspective. If you have children of your own, let me put this question to you: If something were to happen to the rest of your family and your children had to be adopted at age three, who would you rather have them, a working class family of noble character or some trashy people who won a lottery?

Protection of the innocent is the first duty of government. It is my view that a desire to coddle the feelings of some adults who have chosen deviant life styles must be subordinated to the first duty of government. Adopting children is not a right.