Mitt Romney, the Massachusetts governor who's opposed to same-sex marriage and other equal rights for gays, is being promoted in some circles as a rising star in the Republican Party as he lays the groundwork for a possible run at the presidency in 2008. But he's talking out of both sides of his mouth when it comes to gay issues, and the latest example is the flip-flop he's done on gays adopting children. When news broke last week that Catholic Charities of Boston would end its adoption program rather than comply with the state's antidiscrimination law, Romney said he would push for a bill aimed at exempting Catholic Charities and other religious groups. When Catholic leaders announced that they were ending the adoption program, they said they were exercising their religious freedom; but the move stems from Vatican doctrine that calls gay adoptions "gravely immoral."
But this week, the Boston Globe reported that Romney has acknowledged that gays and lesbians have a "legitimate interest" in adopting children – just not through religiously affiliated organizations. He may have softened his stance, but make no mistake – Romney remains unmoved. To him, gays and lesbians are simply not equal to heterosexuals, and if you read some of the reports of his statements, he believes that they're not fit to be parents.
The Globe detailed Romney's mixed messages on the topic and noted that when the governor addresses audiences in other states, he often attacks the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, which had legalized same-sex marriage a few years ago. "Every child in America has the right to a mother and father," he reportedly told the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in Memphis last week. But that contrasts with other statements he's made, as when he told a GOP group in Michigan last year, "Americans respect all people. We also recognize that there are many settings where children are raised. But we choose to recognize one setting as the ideal."
"What about the children?" is a familiar refrain used by religious conservatives. They toss the phrase into debates on everything from video games to gay rights. But where is their concern for children waiting for years in foster care systems? And where is their outcry for more funding to improve foster care services and for social service organizations that help children and parents? Adoption of older children, especially those with special needs, is not easy. Brian Cahill, who runs Catholic Charities here in San Francisco, told us this week that some children needing placement in good homes sometimes wait for years. "No one wants them," he said.
It's a constant struggle, and one in which gay and lesbian families have been willing to help. But the Catholic Church doesn't see it that way. Apparently, church leaders would rather have children waiting in foster care than place them with loving parents if those parents happen to be gay or lesbian.
Romney, wanting to protect his presidential aspirations, is only too happy to play along and feed into the discrimination and the blatant falsehood that gays shouldn't be parents.
And, as we report this week, San Francisco may be next. New Archbishop George Niederauer is under pressure to make Catholic Charities of San Francisco follow Boston's lead. The thing is, gay and lesbian parents aren't beating down the doors to Catholic Charities. They know where the church stands on gay rights and they know of its homophobia. Same-sex parents are sometimes referred to Catholic Charities by outside social workers who feel they'd be a good match for a child; and it's those few instances that have the church riled up.
It would be a shame if Archbishop Niederauer, in one of his first acts as the local leader of the Catholic Church, follows Boston's decision. But we wouldn't be surprised.