January 31, 2007: For a while, as I previously posted, it looked like Tony Blair was going to allow churches to discriminate against LGBT people in their provision of adoption sevices.
Well, now I have to eat my words. And I’m thrilled to do so! Now I love, love, love Tony Blair. This is from BBC News:
Downing Street has said there will be no exemption from anti-discrimination laws for Catholic adoption agencies.
But Tony Blair said they would get 21 months to prepare for change, calling this a “sensible compromise”.
Adoption agencies had warned they would close rather than place children with gay couples, saying that went against their beliefs.
The Catholic Church in England and Wales said it was “deeply disappointed” that no exemption had been offered.
The proposed measures are likely to face a vote in Parliament next month before coming into effect on 6 April.
Mr Blair said he believed ministers had found a “way through” to prevent discrimination and protect the interests of children, which all “reasonable people” should be able to accept.
“There is no place in our society for discrimination. That’s why I support the right of gay couples to apply to adopt like any other couple.
“And that way there can be no exemptions for faith-based adoption agencies offering public funded services from regulations that prevent discrimination.”
Can you even imagine an American president standing up to the church like this and saying “There is no place in our society for discrimination. That’s why I support the right of gay couples to apply to adopt like any other couple.” I got chills reading this simple, declarative comment. And why couldn’t he? His own Vice President’s daughter is going to be a gay mom!
What would it mean for this country if our leader took this attitude to all of our citizens were worthy of basic rights?
I’m just floored.
I love you, Tony!
February 3rd, 2007 at 2:54 am
I am also floored. About a year ago, a similar situation was brewing in Massachusetts. Catholic Charities of Boston stopped doing adoption instead of dealing with LGBT families. They had in the past approved some LGST families as adoptive families, then were corrected by the Vatican. They asked for an exemption, which then Gov. Mitt Romney SUPPORTED, and when they didn’t get it, they decided to stop adoptions all together rather that disobey the Vatican ruling. So on June 30, 2006 Catholic Charities of Boston transferred their adoption work to Child & Family Services of New Bedford. It will be interesting to see how the adoption agencies in Britian respond.