A young man, Nathaniel Gill, ten years old had barely begun his testimony in opposition to the a proposed law that would permit private adoption agencies to use religious objections to reject placing a child with same-sex parents before Florida’s House Judiciary Committee. At the point Nathaniel stated he was happy living with his two Dads, Republican Committee Chair Charles McBurney abruptly cut Nataniel off by telling him his time was up. Watch the video below:
Nathaniel’s father was one of the plaintiffs that succeeded in having Florida’s previous ban on same sex adoptions overturned by the courts in 2010. Now Florida’s GOP controlled legislature, is attempting to pass a bill in an end around attempt to reinstate the ban with language that permits adoption agencies, many with religious affiliations to deny adoption to same sex parents on religious grounds. McBurney had the ability to grant Nathaniel additional time to speak, but clearly he didn’t want to hear what this young man, who was adopted along with his older brother by a same sex couple, had to say. For the full testimony that Nathaniel intended to read before the committee, please watch this video:
How despicable is it not to let a young man testify about his family, and the two loving parents who adopted both him and his brother to keep them together. The terms of the proposed bill, while clearly aimed at same sex couples could be read much more broadly, as Think Progress has pointed out.
Specifically, the bill creates the following four “conscience” protections for child-placing agencies:
No private child-placing agency would be required to participate in the placement of a child that would “violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.”
Agencies that refuse such placements could not have their licensure from the Department of Children and Families denied or revoked because of that refusal.
Agencies that refuse such placements could [not] be denied grants, contracts, or participation in government programs because of that refusal.
Agencies that engage in such refusals would be provided liability protections.
In other words, the bill guarantees that adoption agencies that discriminate can continue to be subsidized by taxpayer funding. Though same-sex couples seem to be the target of the bill, Equality Florida points out that the language is so broad that it could allow families to be excluded for “racial, religious, political, gender, sexual orientation or marital status reasons, among others.” Indeed, the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jason Brodeur (R), confirmed to his fellow lawmakers that the exemption would allow agencies to discriminate against gun owners, same-sex couples, single relatives or other groups.
This is what Republicans do: hurt children and loving parents all in the name of religious bigotry and hate. For shame.
