Texas lawmakers still refuse to recognize the reality of families headed by same-sex parents, but the federal government will.
With just days left in the current legislative session in Texas, a bill — HB 201 — that would have changed the state’s supplementary birth certificates to allow the listing of same-sex parents for adopted children has already died in a House committee. But the federal Department of Education recognizes that an increasing number of families are headed by same-sex parents. One way the feds will do that is by changing student aid forms for college students, replacing “mother” and “father” with “Parent 1” and “Parent 2.”
That seems like a fairly innocuous change, but religious-right groups are — of course — outraged. (Outraged!):
(C)ritics say the move is “deeply offensive.”
Cathy Ruse, of the Family Research Council—which campaigns for traditional marriage—says, “I carried my children for nine months in my womb, I endured the pain (and joy) of birth, I nursed them for many months after they were born, and every morning they jump into my bed screaming, ‘Mommy!’
“But the federal government says I’m Mommy no more. I am Parent 1. Or maybe Parent 2. Mr. President, I dare you to tell my daughters I’m not their mother.”
The federal government is saying no such thing. But Ruse’s absurd protest sound very similar to a claim made by Texas Values, the lobby arm of Plano-based Liberty Institute, on HB 201 by state Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas. As we told you last December, Texas Values insisted that HB 201 would require the state to drop “mother” and “father” from all birth certificates. PolitiFact Texas exposed that claim as untrue.
Even so, HB 201 didn’t pass the Texas Legislature. And Texas falls further and further behind the rest of the country when it comes to treating all Americans and their families equally under the law.
Cmon texas baby catch the frack up or I’ll have to stop calling you texas baby
So Cathy Ruse, of the Family Research Council, fears that her children will call her “Parent No. Whatever” because that is how some mothers and fathers are listed on adoption papers? Uh, Cathy, you are known to your credit card company as “Cardholder,” to the IRS as a number, to bulk mailers as “Resident,” etc. etc. etc. and NO ONE calls you by a number or says, “Hey, Resident, what’s for dinner” or rolls their eyes at the mall and says, “But Card-hol-der, all the kids are wearing this!” Sheesh, my fellow Texans are such IDIOTS sometimes.
Good post, John. I’d like to expand on:
“…my fellow Texans are such IDIOTS sometimes.”
Sometimes? I’d say something more like “a lot of the time.” First, my fellow Texans go to the polls and vote for these shysters that control our state government. Second, they hear idiots like Cathy Ruse spout her crap, and think that it’s factual. Third, they are not smart enough to sort through what Ruse is saying and recognize that it is pure idiocy. Fourth, so many of my fellow Texans are not able to put themselves in the shoes of another person and try to understand the other person’s feelings. Fifth, a great many of my fellow Texans think they are entitled to make personal, private decisions for others.
So, I’d go beyond “sometimes.” I’m a lifelong Texan, so I’ve seen quite a lot of people like Cathy Ruse. I get more disgusted day after day, year after year.
Good for Texas lawmakers. Why should we cave to a bunch of far left radicals.
No, Andy Mack, it’s not about “caving,” it’s about taking the high road and accepting that just because some people’s situations are different from your own does not mean theirs is inferior and unworth of the same legal protections you enjoy. Why is it so important to you to interfere with other people’s families just because they are structured differently from yours? (assuming you have a family)
So true, companies, even gun manufacturers, should think twice about moving here.