Yes, the state that sent John "Box Turtle" Cornyn to the Senate as well as the current resident of the White House, is now attempting to hardwire discrimination into the Texas code of laws.
Few things the Texas Legislature does really shocks me. I'm sure most around these (Kos) parts will remember the redistricting battles, where alternatively, House and Senate Democrats fled to neighboring states to break quorum. This is politics as usual in modern-day Texas.
But to hardwire discrimination into the rule of law in this state? This, well, this goes beyond anything I would ever have imagined.
From the AP..link >right here
edit: fixed the link...too long and screwed up the page format. sorry!
(if that doesn't work for you, try http://www.theeagle.com and look as the Associated Press Texas headlines)
snipped from the AP article below the fold...
AUSTIN (AP) -- Gays, lesbians and bisexuals would not be allowed to become foster parents under an amendment added to the Child Protective Services reform bill tentatively approved in the House on Tuesday.
Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, sponsored the amendment approved on a 81-58 vote.
"I don't think it is right for young children to be exposed to this type of behavior when they are young and innocent," Talton said. "It is our responsibility to make sure that we protect our most vulnerable children and I don't think we are doing that if we allow a foster parent that is homosexual or bisexual."
Under the amendment, an applicant to be a foster parent or a foster parent whose performance is being evaluated must list whether he or she is homosexual or bisexual.
If the applicant is, the state would ban him or her from becoming a foster parent. The state also would not be able to place a child with that foster parent or allow a child to remain in the care with that foster parent.
Frankly, I have little to add to the conversation. Part of me wants to just throw my hands up in the air and say "hey, what took you assholes so long? did you just now think of this?" I don't think there is a low point for the current majority party in the Texas Legislature. If it's not tossing thousands of kids off of state insurance, it's repealing tuition caps and allowing state public universities to charge whatever they want, or it's promoting gay bashing and de-humanization of thousands, maybe millions of Texans.
To paraphrase the last great governor of this state, Ann Richards, "It's a shame we had to take religious symbolism out of the Texas Capitol. That was the only way we'd get three wise men in there."
I beg of you Texan Kossacks to visit our Legislature's web site at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/ and tell your local representatives what you think of this bill.