Oh! I'm so excited! I just found out how to let everyone comment, not just Blogger members!
Friday, November 14, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Arkansas Adoption Ban
Lately I've been following Proposition 8, a ballot measure in California banning gay marriage, which has recently been passed. While searching for news articles, I came across this one that really upset me:
Rural Arkansas championed foster, adoption ban
By JON GAMBRELL – 1 day ago
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Rural and evangelical voters propelled Arkansas to adopt one of the nation's few bans against unmarried couples becoming foster or adoptive parents.
Championed by religious conservatives and fueled by a pulpit campaign, the ban passed with the endorsement of 56.9 percent of the voters. Major support came from rural counties in southwest Arkansas, where about two-thirds of voters supported the measure.
Only Pulaski County, home to Little Rock, offered a strong 15,000-vote margin opposing the ban. Washington County, home to the University of Arkansas, rejected the ban by a margin of 2,300 votes out of 65,000 cast.
The result came as a surprise to opponents. Gov. Mike Beebe had opposed the measure, citing a lack of foster homes in the state. Arkansas Families First had launched a series of television advertisements urging voters to reject the ban and a University of Arkansas poll showed 55 percent of the respondents opposed it.
"We were a little bit surprised, certainly by the margins," said Brett Kincaid, campaign director for Arkansas Families First. "We went in thinking we had a very good chance to beat this thing."
Though the measure bans unmarried couples from adopting and fostering children, the Arkansas Family Council portrayed it as a battle against a "gay agenda." The council relied on fliers and church sermons to buoy its cause.
"We went back to our grass-roots organization that we used to get the measure on the ballot in the first place," said Jerry Cox, the council's president. "That group worked very hard to distribute bulletin inserts in their churches and spread the word."
Exit polls conducted for The Associated Press showed the ban passed because of the support of residents who identified themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians.
Arkansas joins Utah, home to a large, conservative Mormon population, as the only states with bans against unmarried couples fostering or adopting children. Mississippi bans gay couples, but not single gays, from adopting children. Florida is the only state to completely ban gay adoption.
Private adoptions already completed won't be affected by the ban, said Julie Munsell, spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Human Services, which oversees adoptions and foster parenting. Questions remain about how the ban will affect unmarried couples still in the process of becoming adoptive parents, she said.
And the department will have to change its strategies in placing adoptions and foster children.
"We have a thousand children still waiting to be adopted," Munsell said. "We will have to target our recruitment efforts to those folks who are eligible under the law."
The ban, which takes effect Jan. 1, will reduce the pool of available homes for children who need parents and guardians, the governor said.
"What it's going to require is more people to be willing to step forward and be foster parents or be adoptive parents," Beebe said.
Arkansas Families First has made no decision on whether to challenge the ban in court.
"The question still has to be determined of what is challengeable from a legal perspective," Kincaid said. "It would be emotional right now to say absolutely, we're going to challenge this in court. It may happen. All options are on the table."
I don't really have much to say about this right now. I'm still trying to figure out what this means for many of my American friends. What are your thoughts?
-Tyson-
Rural Arkansas championed foster, adoption ban
By JON GAMBRELL – 1 day ago
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Rural and evangelical voters propelled Arkansas to adopt one of the nation's few bans against unmarried couples becoming foster or adoptive parents.
Championed by religious conservatives and fueled by a pulpit campaign, the ban passed with the endorsement of 56.9 percent of the voters. Major support came from rural counties in southwest Arkansas, where about two-thirds of voters supported the measure.
Only Pulaski County, home to Little Rock, offered a strong 15,000-vote margin opposing the ban. Washington County, home to the University of Arkansas, rejected the ban by a margin of 2,300 votes out of 65,000 cast.
The result came as a surprise to opponents. Gov. Mike Beebe had opposed the measure, citing a lack of foster homes in the state. Arkansas Families First had launched a series of television advertisements urging voters to reject the ban and a University of Arkansas poll showed 55 percent of the respondents opposed it.
"We were a little bit surprised, certainly by the margins," said Brett Kincaid, campaign director for Arkansas Families First. "We went in thinking we had a very good chance to beat this thing."
Though the measure bans unmarried couples from adopting and fostering children, the Arkansas Family Council portrayed it as a battle against a "gay agenda." The council relied on fliers and church sermons to buoy its cause.
"We went back to our grass-roots organization that we used to get the measure on the ballot in the first place," said Jerry Cox, the council's president. "That group worked very hard to distribute bulletin inserts in their churches and spread the word."
Exit polls conducted for The Associated Press showed the ban passed because of the support of residents who identified themselves as evangelical or born-again Christians.
Arkansas joins Utah, home to a large, conservative Mormon population, as the only states with bans against unmarried couples fostering or adopting children. Mississippi bans gay couples, but not single gays, from adopting children. Florida is the only state to completely ban gay adoption.
Private adoptions already completed won't be affected by the ban, said Julie Munsell, spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Human Services, which oversees adoptions and foster parenting. Questions remain about how the ban will affect unmarried couples still in the process of becoming adoptive parents, she said.
And the department will have to change its strategies in placing adoptions and foster children.
"We have a thousand children still waiting to be adopted," Munsell said. "We will have to target our recruitment efforts to those folks who are eligible under the law."
The ban, which takes effect Jan. 1, will reduce the pool of available homes for children who need parents and guardians, the governor said.
"What it's going to require is more people to be willing to step forward and be foster parents or be adoptive parents," Beebe said.
Arkansas Families First has made no decision on whether to challenge the ban in court.
"The question still has to be determined of what is challengeable from a legal perspective," Kincaid said. "It would be emotional right now to say absolutely, we're going to challenge this in court. It may happen. All options are on the table."
I don't really have much to say about this right now. I'm still trying to figure out what this means for many of my American friends. What are your thoughts?
-Tyson-
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Halloween Food Drive
Hey everyone!
We finally have information on an important event coming up on Halloween night, Oct. 31. The Trick-Or-Eat food drive thing will be happening, only under a different name because someone apparently owns that name. I know the new name isn't as amazing, but I hope it stills excites you to get involved. Here's what you need to know:
We are meeting at Tim Horton's in the PE building at 5:30 so we can start the drive at 6:00. We will be knocking on people's doors to ask for non-perishable food items ... not candy. We will travel in groups and be given a section of the West side to cover. We will meet up again in an hour or so to drop our items off at the food bank. This event does not take up much of your time, and I guarantee it will be plenty of fun, and you'll know you played your part to help someone in need. (If you think you'll miss the Rocky Horror Picture Show that night, no worries, you have loads of time still.) Please bring pillowcases or cloth bags to carry the items in. Also, costumes are strongly encouraged. It is Halloween, you know. If you have a vehicle that you are able to drive and carry passengers in please bring it along. We are in need of as many drivers as we can possibly get.
This event is involving other clubs as well, so invite everyone you can think of so we can make this a huge success!
You should also know that we have a drop-box available for winter clothes you wish to donate. Email us at galia@uleth.ca and we'll accept your donations!
Thanks friends!
-Tyson Skriver-
Friday, October 17, 2008
Events!
Hey so there is a LOT of events going on right now! In case you forgot, let me refresh your memory!
Corn Maze! Saturday! There will be prizes for the first group through the maze and best costume! Rides at the Cash Office!
Movie Night! Sunday at 7pm in E690! We're going to be showing Breakfast with Scot and But I'm a cheerleader!
Tuesday! We're co-hosting the screening of "A Jihad for Love" with LPIRG in Galileo's! FREE! 7pm!
GALA/LA's Halloween dance on Saturday the 25th! Costume contest! 9pm! Be there!
Trick or Eat on the 31st! We'll be trick or treating to collect none perishable food items for the food bank!
wow. That's a lot, you better be excited!
Corn Maze! Saturday! There will be prizes for the first group through the maze and best costume! Rides at the Cash Office!
Movie Night! Sunday at 7pm in E690! We're going to be showing Breakfast with Scot and But I'm a cheerleader!
Tuesday! We're co-hosting the screening of "A Jihad for Love" with LPIRG in Galileo's! FREE! 7pm!
GALA/LA's Halloween dance on Saturday the 25th! Costume contest! 9pm! Be there!
Trick or Eat on the 31st! We'll be trick or treating to collect none perishable food items for the food bank!
wow. That's a lot, you better be excited!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
In the beginning ... there was a welcome blog
Hello all!
Welcome to the brand new GALIA blog! This is obviously still in its beginning stages, but be sure to save this site to your Favourites list and return to this page often as we will be posting interesting topics to discuss, upcoming events for the club, and random things to keep you procrastinating from your already overdue assignments. Feel free to comment anytime. That's kind of what this is all about.
-Tyson-
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