I’m a Friend of Riley’s
Friends of Riley – An Adoption Nightmare
Remember Riley? The little boy whose adoption by his loving parents was blocked by an immoral judge because his parents happen to be lesbians? You’ll be happy to know that things are looking a little brighter for him! A new judge has taken over the case and, thanks to the generousity of many people, some of the huge legal bills his parents have incurred are starting to get paid.
There’s other great news about Riley, too. He’s now got his own web site! Click on Friends of Riley to visit. The site will be kept current on what’s happening with Riley’s case. There are lots of pictures of Riley and his family AND the site contains a PayPal link for donating to Riley’s cause.
I want to assure those of you who may (wisely) be suspicious of internet sites where someone tells a sad story and then asks for your money: Riley’s situation is, unfortunately, quite real. I have known one of his moms for a couple years now and she’s an honest and good person. You can donate to Riley’s fund knowing that every dime is going to a very good cause.
Become a Friend of Riley!
Okay, now I just want to write a few words about the kind of “justice” system that would take a child from the only parents he’s every known — loving and good people — and place that child in the home of an unrelated man with a history of violent behavior ONLY BECAUSE THE PARENTS ARE LESBIANS. That’s not justice, people. That’s bigotry, pure and simple. It’s small-minded, ignorant, evil ASSHOLE behavior of the worst kind. I say it’s of the worst kind because an innocent child is being hurt in the process. An innocent child.
Even if you’re a person who’s maybe not completely okay with homosexuality, and we can discuss that another time, surely you can imagine how horrible it must have been for little Riley to be ripped from the arms of his mother and taken away by a stranger. Can you imagine the mental and emotional scars this is leaving? This little boy needs to be back with his family full-time for good.
Visit the Friends of Riley site. Donate some money if you can. Look at the pictures of Riley and his family. They’re just regular people. No horns or cloven hooves in sight. They look like they’d be nice people to know, eh? Spread the word to your friends and relatives: THIS is the kind of thing that happens when bigots are placed in positions of power. Children get hurt.
Okay… I know… that was a bit of a harangue.
Sorry. I just get so pissed off by stuff like this.
Posted by RebeccaHartong on August 31, 2005 under Uncategorized
I side with Riley in this case. I may be wrong, but I seem to recall that the married “presumed” father was not served with notice of the adoption petition at the same time as the bio father. If true, then one must certainly wonder where Riley’s and the petitioner’s lawyers were. He was a necessary party–at least under Ohio law he would have been.
Erik L. Smith