Adoption By Gays- Its Okay Essays - Same-sex Sexuality, Free Essays

Adoption By Gays- It's Okay Essays - Same-sex Sexuality, Free Essays Adoption By Gays- It's Okay When a gay couple sought to adopt a boy- who had leukemia, had been neglected by his biological parents, had lived in five foster homes, and whose adoption was favored by his legal representative- the judge deemed it not in the interest of a seven-year-old male child to be placed for adoption into the home of a pair of adult male homosexual lovers.(Utne 58) Three years of searching for a qualified heterosexual couple failed. This and many other similar cases have denied children a family by ignoring many qualified homosexuals. With this being an age when people are supposedly more open-minded, why is it that gays are treated this way just because of their sexual orientation? Many Americans are still uncomfortable with the idea of gay parents. The traditional family has always included a mother and a father. However, today more and more families are being headed by gay parents. Some have children from previous marriages. Many must use artificial insemination or surrogate mothers because it is extremely difficult for gays to adopt children. Although it seems to contradict societys view of the traditional family, homosexuals should be allowed to adopt because they deserve equal rights, and sexual orientation is not a reasonable determining factor in the qualifications of a parent. Also, allowing them to adopt can actually help society. Surveys suggest that a large majority of the American public generally favor anti-discrimination laws.(Harris 2) Why then, according to a Newsweek survey, do only 36% of those surveyed think gay couples should have the right to adopt? Samuel Chavers, assistant general counsel for Children and Families, says adoption is not a right; its a privilege. If this is true, there is still not a rational basis for denying homosexuals the privilege to adopt. It is clearly an anti-gay bias. Although only two states specifically ban adoption by gays, most states discourage it. Just as blacks and women have fought for equal rights, gays are now struggling to do the same. It is unfair to single out a group of people with many members who would make great parents. Since we live in a world where all men are created equal, homosexuals should enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals. Gays face discrimination because of their sexual preferences, and they must also face the qualifications for adopting. June Amer has a son of her own, whom she and her partner have raised. They wanted to adopt a second child. Amer truthfully filled out an application form that asked whether she was a homosexual. Her application was immediately rejected.(Fitzgerald 1B) This was a woman who had already proved to be a good parent and who lived in a healthy environment. She could have provided much-needed care for another child. Her only characteristic that did not meet the qualifications was that she had a female lover. Because of this reason, many qualified applicants are being turned down. It is great that people are willing to adopt children, but it is terrible that this one qualification is stopping so many of them. Sexual orientation alone doesnt make a person a good or bad parent.(Kantrowitz 57) Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, agrees. The goal should be to identify those homes that would provide nurturing environments. The determination should not be sexual orientation.(Wagner 1) Adoption agencies need to quit using sexual orientation as a factor. A family is a family. That is exactly what so many children today are in need of: a family. There are now 36,000 children in this country- in foster homes or institutions- who are free for adoption.(Utne 54) These children need the love that homosexuals can provide just as well as heterosexuals. If the many willing gays could adopt these children, it would help our society by lessening the problem of children without families. A home is much better than an institution, or worse, the streets. It would also help by diversifying society. All people are not the same, so why should all families have to be the same? If children are adopted by gay parents, more people will become accepting and open-minded towards different lifestyles. Society will definitely be positively affected the day that homosexuals

Fiscal Administration 4 Essays

Fiscal Administration 4 Essays Fiscal Administration 4 Essay Fiscal Administration 4 Essay Name: Course: Instructor: Date: : Fiscal Administration 4 The issue of bonds is aimed at raising the much-needed capital for infrastructural and other developmental programs planned by the city. It is evident that the city council of Hewitt is responsible and transparent in terms of planning, budgeting and actual incurrence of expenses in the programs undertaken by the city. Creditworthiness is usually evidenced by the actual observance and adherence to the legal framework available in terms of expenditures and other financial particulars necessary in the city council affairs. The city council indicates that it has adequate machinery to ensure responsible use of the funds, which could be accrued from issue of bonds to investors. The issue of bonds could be actualized though underwriting. This is whereby the council would undertake contracts with securities or financial firms to make a purchase of the bonds and resell the same to investors in smaller portions. There are two main features for identification of a good bond for purchase by the investor. This includes the credit quality of the entity issuing the bonds and the duration of returns accrued from the bond. These elements usually determine the interest rates accrued to a bond hence the actual returns expected from a bond (Lee, Ronald, 23). The necessity of the $2 million is the main determiner if the city council should issue the bond. Other sources of funds could be explored by the city council. However, bonds are elaborate as they are favored by investors because of their fixed rates of return and low susceptibility to market changes and fluctuations in terms of values and the expected returns. As a municipality, it is able to issue a bond because of the access to revenues, which could be used to service the interest rates probably from projects initiated with bond funds. In addition, the entity has a healthy cash flow, which is an indication of the presence of transparency, and adequate transactions, which could provide investors with the much-needed increase in the value of the bonds and their interest rates. The entity also demonstrates a healthy balance between its assets and liabilities, which is an express indication of quality management in the city in terms of its finances and other assets of the city council. The city council provides funds, which are useable for control and management of particular bonds and ensuring that such bond funds are used for appropriate and intended purposes. Additionally, the city council recorded an increase in the net assets and their respective values. On the other hand, there was also a significant increase in the liabilities accruable, which might be reflective of the increase in activities in the organization in its bid to increase revenues accruable. However, there were slight increases in capital expenditures accruable to the city council. This is because of the lack of adequate funds for initiation of capital projects such as infrastructure and other developmental programs (Lee, Ronald, 33). Hence, the $2 million bond is necessary to ensure that the city council is provided with the much-needed capital assets for initiation and continuation of ongoing projects, which could result in an increase, in revenues, and subsequently ensuring that the investors attain the value for their bonds. Revenues accrued by the city council are used to ensure that investors are availed with the much-needed returns (Lee, Ronald, 49). In conclusion, the city council indicates a healthy financial performance over the two previous financial periods. This is an indication of the presence of stability in terms of revenues accruable to the city council. Stability is one of the main aspects for attracting the investors as they are guaranteed with the safety of their funds and the presence of adequate returns irrespective of the prevailing market conditions. Work Cited Lee, Robert D, Ronald W. Johnson. Public Budgeting Systems. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1977. Print.