Jack Harper wants to separate orphans from their extended families

Posted by Craig McDermott

That title sounds counter-intuitive, as State Sen. Jack Harper (R-LD4) is well known to be an ardently pro-family* whackaloon.

*As long as the "family" in question is wealthy, white, and Republican

However, his latest proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution, SCR1029, is an anti-family measure dressed up as an anti-gay and lesbian measure.

The text of his proposal –

Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring: 1. Article XXXI, Constitution of Arizona, is proposed to be added as follows if approved by the voters and on proclamation of the Governor:

ARTICLE XXXI. PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN
1. Adoption; foster care; restrictions

SECTION 1. IF A CHILD IS BORN TO A HETEROSEXUAL COUPLE WHO ARE MARRIED TO EACH OTHER EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE CHILD'S BIRTH, ONLY ANOTHER HETEROSEXUAL MARRIED COUPLE IS QUALIFIED TO SUBSEQUENTLY ADOPT THAT CHILD OR BECOME THE CHILD'S FOSTER PARENTS.

2. The Secretary of State shall submit this proposition to the voters at the next general election as provided by article XXI, Constitution of Arizona.

Based on that language, the children of parents who, say die in a car accident (not an unheard-of happenstance in Arizona, or elsewhere for that matter), couldn't be placed with an unmarried family member (say, a widowed grandparent or divorced aunt or uncle).

Of course, his language also says that while he thinks that the children of heterosexual couples are important, and so rate adoption by his ideal adoptive parents (of the heterosexual couple variety), the children of single parents are less important and don't rate adoption by his "gold standard" of would-be adopters.

But I'm not going there. Harper's proposal is simply a sloppily-written attack on everyone who isn't heterosexual and/or married.  Which is an ever-growing facet of society, according to this info from 2004 from the U.S. Census Bureau.  By 2006, unmarried people were the majority in the U.S.

Harper is clearly trying to regain the Legislative Loon Award that he won three years ago, and proposals like this one make him a favorite.

Of course, Russell Pearce (R-National Alliance and Joe Arpaio), with nuggets like SB1213 (mandating that a copy of the Ten Commandments be placed on the entrance to the Old Capitol) is making a strong run at this year's award, too.

Stay tuned…