Letters to the Editor
thatboy
Published Letters: 242 Editor's Choice: 14
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Facts about Children Raised by Gay & Lesbian Parents
[Read the article: The gay marriage slump]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Anonymous 10:33 writes:
"But marriage is a legal construct to protect (by legal, fiscal and financial benefits) a special kind of relationship... The best environment for a children is having a father and a mother. This is human nature and no political correctness can change that."
Excerpted from http://www.openadopt.org/adoptive-parents/gay-and-lesbian/facts.php
(see site for citations and sources)
In 1990, an estimated 6 to 14 million children in the United States had at least one gay or lesbian parent (Baker v. State, 1999).
Numerous well-respected authorities agree that children of same-sex parents are as healthy, happy and well-adjusted as peers with heterosexual parents:
The American Psychological Association, representing more than 155,000 psychologists, states that children of gay and lesbian parents are at no disadvantage psychologically or socially compared to children of heterosexual parents.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the nation’s leading pediatric authority with 57,000 members, says that children who grow up with gay and/or lesbian parents fare as well in emotional, cognitive, social and sexual functioning as children with straight parents.
The National Association of Social Workers, with nearly 150,000 members, agrees that research on gay and lesbian parenting shows a total absence of pathological findings in their children.
“Not a single study has found children of gay or lesbian parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents. Indeed, the evidence to date suggests that home environments provided by gay and lesbian parents are as likely as those provided by heterosexual parents to support and enable children’s psychosocial growth.” -- Charles J. Patterson, researcher at the University of Virginia, 2004
Research shows that gays and lesbians are just as fit to parent as heterosexuals, possessing the same abilities to nurture and provide stable homes.
Children of gay and lesbian parents experience no significant differences in quality of peer relationships, nor do they experience more struggles with self-esteem.
Gay and lesbian couples enjoy the same degree of relationship health and satisfaction, and stay together long-term at the same rates, as opposite-sex couples.
Remember, as wait500 assures us (twice), "Statistics don't lie."
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Slackie O
[Read the article: Obama: "We're on the same team"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You're one of my favorite posters at Salon, but beware of writing things like "Barring Clinton falling to the floor and chewing the rug in a rage..." The Clintonites might accuse you of implying she's a lesbian. ; )
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@Anonymous
[Read the article: Java panic: Starbucks closing all stores Tuesday evening]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"I only drink coffee made from beans extruded through the bowels of a nearly extinct Capybara from the western bank..."
That would certainly explain your posts.
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That's a joke?
[Read the article: Washington Times updates style guide]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"Similarly, blogger Extreme Mortman joked, "Bad news illegal aliens -- you don't exist anymore. So sayeth the Washington Times. Now that illegal aliens don't exist anymore, maybe they can likewise make my parking tickets disappear."
Hello? Is this mic on? Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, I'm here all week! Don't forget to tip your waitress!
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Haven't you heard?
[Read the article: Some hateful, radical ministers -- white evangelicals -- are acceptable]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Christians are a persecuted minority. Pointing out their intolerance is intolerant.
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Anybody have tips on how to start a straight one?
[Read the article: Some hateful, radical ministers -- white evangelicals -- are acceptable]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Baldie, it's called "Mardi Gras."
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Just say "No." Always.
[Read the article: I'm a condo parking-spot hoarder!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Putting anything in the space will not work. I lived in a neighborhood where parking was difficult. If anything was in a space, people simply moved it. Even signs stating unauthorized parkers would be towed weren't much of a deterrent. What did work was when a particular space had a reputation for ticketing and towing.
Of course we want to be nice to our neighbors. We want to help out when we can. We want to be liked. But in this instance, people are taking advantage of your kindness, usurping your property rights, and causing you a lot of hassle and grief in the process. It's time to assert yourself.
As others here have suggested, tell all your neighbors your space is not for rent and you will no longer be loaning it out. What's the harm in occasionally loaning it out? You've already seen it; the neighbors come to expect it and become resentful when you say no. There's no need to lie. Simply tell them you want the space available at all times for your own use.
You pay for the space, you own it, it is there for your convenience, not your neighbors'. Tell them that in no uncertain terms. They knew exactly how many spaces they were getting with their home when they bought it. If they require more parking, it's their problem to find it elsewhere or to move to another home that provides adequate parking for their lifestyle.
Now you've given them warning. What should you do if someone parks there? No further warnings! Most municipalities will ticket unauthorized cars parked on private property. As soon as you see another car parked in your space, immediately call to have it ticketed. Then immediately call to have it towed. Ticketing usually happens faster than towing, so even if they retrieve their car before towing they will still have a ticket (usually $35-50). If it gets towed, they'll get slammed with an additional expense of $150-250, plus the headache of going to get the car. They will quickly understand your space is not theirs for the taking. If, on the other hand, you do nothing, they will take it to mean there are no consequences to ignoring your wishes and continue to park there whenever they wish.
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Overcoming Superstition
[Read the article: The certainty epidemic]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]xychro writes:
Science is merely a systematic acquisition of facts about the world gained through observation and experimentation. It has no goal.
True, perhaps, but the net effect of acquisition of those facts is that they do eventually debunk deeply embedded superstition.
And what superstitions are these?
Well, things such as "A god pulls the sun across the sky using his chariot," or "Sacrificing virgins to our god will increase our crop yield." Overcoming superstition may not be a goal of science, but it frequently leads to that result. It has debunked past religious superstitions, and there's no reason to expect that it won't continue to debunk modern ones.
Tell me, do you consider Islam a superstition but Christianity a fact? How do you differentiate?