Filed under: politics | Tags: arkansas, ban, florida, gay adoption, marriage
Good for you, FloridaIn contrast with Arkansas’ discriminatory new legislation making adoption by gay or lesbian parents against the law, a Florida court repealed Florida’s long-standing ban. Critics, of course, worry that gay and lesbian parents might make their children gay–when research actually proves the opposite: that gay and lesbian parents raise healthy, well-adjusted children.
CNN posted an audio slideshow and article about gay adoption with an awkward subtitle called “A new take on the American family.” The editors seem to reinforce heterosexist norms by claiming that the traditional take on the American family has always been two parents of opposite sexes. But what about this couple? And this legendary ruler? And these famous kids raised by gay and lesbian parents?
Interesting analysis of Obama’s Change.gov website and the new President-Elect’s use of YouTube. “It’s as if nearly everybody can have a seat at the table if they want to be included. All they have to do is add their voice at Change.gov and they can be part of the conversation.” As Donklephant notes, it’s great to see Obama’s administration embracing the power of interactive technology. For me, this shift reflects a melding of entertainment and politics (first begun with the user-generated YouTube/CNN-presented Presidential debates).
Over at The Huffington Post, an old Obama friend says that “The plain old Barack is gone,” while the NYT profiled close Obama friend and adviser, Valerie Jarrett, who is accompanying Obama to the Washington. The challenge of a friend/adviser in the White House, experts say, is transitioning from confidante to merely employee, perhaps without the immediate access, to the new President.
