My vigorous opposition to the proposed changes in Adoption Policy for hte state of Virginia arises from the fact that: :

1. These changes are a major contradiction of long-standing policy which have been little publicized.  Moreover, they have not been submitted to the public in a way that makes widely understood what the changes and their consequences are for the children in the care of the state and, more broadly, the citizens of Virginia.

2. The changes are the product of authors who have determined, without the consent of the people of Virignia, to abandon the traditional, long-standing, and very successful understanding of what constitutes a good home for children.

3.  The authors have acted in support of a questionable, unproven current political effort among some who advocate what they are callling 'rights' of homosexual couples.

4. In doing so the authors have intentionally designed to eliminate all adoption programs by those who believe that children should be placed in the homes of married couples (that would be heterosexual couples who are married according to the existing law of the Commonwealth) who meet other qualifications.

5. The rights of independent, voluntary organizations to operate according the principles that form and express their beliefs and commitments, are abrogated by this proposed change. To require an organization to act in contradiction to its principles successfully eliminates that organization.

Such a change in policy clearly violates the intentions of the people of Virginia, claims 'rights' that are not accorded by law, and denies rights that are accorded by law.  It should therefore never have been brought for discussion, but inasmuch as narrow political interests have done so, it should be immediately and unanimously dismissed from consideration.