dewhurst daw

image

Tarleton Goes After Gays in SB 6

More enlightened legislating from the Texas House this evening. Republican Rep. Robert Talton, the Sage of Pasadena, slipped a little dose of discrimination into the House's debate over Senate Bill 6 that reforms the troubled Child Protective Services department. Talton's amendment requires the state agency managing foster children to ask prospective foster parents if they're homosexual or bisexual. If so, they can't serve as a foster family.

Talton apparently fears that placing foster kids with gay or lesbian couples will surely turn the children into homosexuals.

"It's a learned behavior," Talton explained from the front mic. "It's kind of like domestic violence or someone who drinks. There was someone in the family or close to the family who caused that."

Good to know Talton ranks gays right up there with wife-beaters and alcoholics. Doesn't he remind you a little of that nutty uncle no one wants to get stuck sitting next to at family events?

Houston Dem Senfronia Thompson asked rhetorically from the back mic, "Do you know that hate is a learned behavior? Do you know that discrimination is a learned behavior?"

Mike Villarreal wondered how the state will investigate someone's sexual orientation? "How are we going to implement Rep. Talton's inquisition?" the San Antonio Democrat said. But Villarreal's effort to gut the amendment was tabled, and the House passed Talton's amendment by an 81-58 vote. For the record, folks, gays and lesbians are just as likely as straight people to be loving parents.