From: jon holden galluccio [jgalluccio@email.msn.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 1998 10:51 PM
To: tribletter@aol.com
Subject: Indiana Gay Adoption Ban

To the Editor,

Our names are Jon and Michael Galluccio from Maywood, New Jersey. We successfully contested a New Jersey State policy that barred joint adoptions from unmarried couples last December, when the state settled the case in our favor. For us, the bigger victory happened two months prior to that when a Superior Court judge ignored the questionable policy and granted the petition to adopt our son jointly, making him legally our son.

We have become aware of a campaign to bar gays and lesbians from becoming adoptive or foster parents that is now under way in Indiana. Rep. Woody Burton (R-Greenwood) said he and Rep. Jack Lutz (R-Anderson)proposed the ban to protect children from the abuse and discrimination many homosexuals suffer.

First, we would like to commend the Indiana Representatives for publicly acknowledging that hatred and bigotry is alive and well in their districts and in the great state of Indiana. It is no surprise. I'm sure that one might even find anti-Semitism or racial bias as well. So if there logic is "to protect children from the abuse and discrimination" many people suffer, why are they singling out the homosexual community. Why not include blacks and Jews, maybe even short people or couples with blonde hair. Where's the logic other than to reinforce discrimination and encourage hate crimes.

If they are successful in joining Florida and New Hampshire with their narrow minded "Republican Religious Reich" legislation, there will be no winners only losers. The real losers will be the children of Indiana. The children in the "system". The children like ours.

Adam and Madison (our son and foster daughter) were both born drug addicted and exposed to HIV among other problems. There was no line of people waiting to take them in. It was a personal choice for us and God has blessed us with two beautiful children that are completely thriving. I wonder how long they would have laid in their hospital cribs waiting....

Don't do this to the children of Indiana. Sexual orientation plays no role in parenting, neither negative or positive. When children all over this country are languishing in foster care one should always question the motives of politicians wishing to make it harder for them to get a permanent family.

Sincerely,

Jon and Michael Galluccio
Maywood, NJ