Published: November 23, 2008 06:44 pm            

Land Minds: Inspiration ... and then what?

Originally published in the Nov. 14, 2008, print edition.

Fifty-two percent of the electorate let out cheers the evening of Nov. 4 as news networks called the presidential election for Barack Obama.

Supporters of the first black man elected to our country’s highest office see in Obama’s victory a mandate for sweeping change — not only in the work of government, but in society itself. Minorities of all stripes sense that now is their moment to shine, vindicating lifetimes of struggle against persecution, both blatant and subtle.

Obama has inspired millions of Americans to feel that a new dawn is upon us. But is society really changing?

For children in Arkansas’ foster care system, “sweeping change” was nowhere to be seen on Nov. 4. Every channel tracked America’s historic results on the national level; hardly any mention could be found of the Razorback State’s passage of a constitutional amendment banning non-married individuals from adopting children or becoming foster parents.

While also affecting straight single folk, the amendment was specifically written to prevent gay couples from adopting kids. Proponents of the ban accuse gays of being selfish in ignoring the best interests of the child.

The difficulties of being a single parent, or the merits of having both male and female parental figures, are issues that can be debated by reasonable people with differing opinions. But even if one believes that single parents or same-sex parents are less-than-ideal role models for a child, it does not follow that non-traditional families should be outright banned. Just because an option isn’t “perfect,” you don’t summarily disregard it.

In fact, the very definition of “ignoring the best interests” of a foster child would be denying her every opportunity to find a family she knows will love her and protect her and be hers forever.

Make no mistake — there are far more children in foster care in the United States than there are fine, upstanding, heterosexual married couples willing to adopt them. By passing their amendment, the people of Arkansas chose to put their own selfish desires for some sort of family purity over the needs of the very children they claim to be protecting.

When the initiative for the amendment was first filed with the state’s attorney general’s office, it stated that non-traditional households were “more prone to instability, poverty and other societal ills.” That may or may not be true, but if it is ... so what?

Did none of us grow up experiencing instability? Did none of us grow up feeling the pain of poverty? Would any of us ever consider throwing away everything we know, a lifetime of memories into the gutter, for a slightly better life?

Many of the kids in state custody — nearly 4,000 in Arkansas alone — surely would, but then, they weren’t blessed like most of us were with the strength of a caring family to shape their lives for the better.

With fewer good homes available, and without a family match being made, when a child in foster care turns 18, she “ages out” of the system and is told to find her own way, with nowhere to call home and no family to love her.

Instability? Poverty? “Other societal ills”? What do people think this child has already experienced in her life to have been placed in foster care to begin with? (Here’s a hint: Most likely, years of abuse and neglect at the hands of heterosexual birth parents.) Thanks to a “pro-family” amendment to their constitution, the people of Arkansas are abandoning her all over again.

So Barack Obama will be our next president and he’s inspired a nation. So what. Pretty speeches don’t stop discrimination. The color of a politician’s skin doesn’t find a kid a family.

Addressing massive crowds at countless rallies during his campaign — and repeated at his victory speech at Chicago’s Grant Park — Obama insisted that it wasn’t all about him; it was about “you.” Cynicism aside, he really got that right.

He can inspire, but we must be the change.

        

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