Ruins of the Ancient City of Tyndaris/Photo by Starbuck Powersurge
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Contact: Jerry Cox, 501-375-7000
Today, the Arkansas Supreme Court ignored the voice of 57% of the voters—nearly 580,000 people—and ruled in favor of a lower court’s opinion striking down Act One, the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act. This good law prevented unmarried, cohabiting couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents.
“This is a classic example of judicial tyranny,” said Family Council Action Committee President Jerry Cox. “We have said all along that Act One was about child welfare, and fifty-seven percent of the voters in 2008 agreed. They declared that the State of Arkansas has an obligation to adoptive and foster children to ensure that they are placed in the best possible homes. The Arkansas Supreme Court has chosen to run roughshod over the people’s will and refused to uphold a good law that protected the children in the state’s care.”
Cox said, “I’d like to personally thank the 75 county coordinators and 2,700 volunteers who helped gather signatures to get Act One on the ballot. They worked hard to gather over 100,000 signatures between January and August of 2008. It is because of their dedication that this good law made it on the ballot and passed in 73 counties. I will be forever grateful to everyone who put time and effort into this worthy initiative.
“Today’s ruling was anti-child,” said Cox. “The ACLU couldn’t defeat this good law in a fair election, so they used the court system against the people of Arkansas. This is the worst decision ever handed down by the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Family Council Action Committee is a conservative 501(c)(4) organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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It is a very sad day in Arkansas. Ungodly laws continue to sweep across our nation, and this one is personal. I guess, if you are a Christian, they are all personal. Only bad can result from reckless abandon of the principles found in God’s Word.
I spent hours helping Jerry Cox get enough signatures to get this law before the people of Arkansas. It was important to me because children are important to me. Unfortuantely, many churches turned down my invitation to help get this initiative on the ballot. Fortunately, enough people signed petitions to get this on the ballot in 2008.
And now the unfortunate events described above have occured. If you want to see the news release issued above at the Arkansas Family Council’s website click here.
I would like to thank Jerry and, along with him, thank the many folks who tried.
Chris Reimers
Related story in the Christian Post here.
Wings of the Wind 
I was just about to drive over to work and find out if you and your family are OK….I do not get your blog writings any more.I do not know if you do them daily or not.The only thing I can say about the Arkansas Supreme Court ruling is they behave like the California courts….votes mean nothing so all challenging issues people sue over and the courts render opinions of some kind.
Hi Barbara.
It’s great to hear from you. I haven’t sent any emails out about the blog for months. And recently a setback has slowed my blogging to a standstill. You can read about it in comments to “Thou Contendest with me” if you wish.
The post that you sent me about “The Dog, The Deer, The Ball” has been getting quite a few hits lately.
I continue to get your emails and check them when I can.
I hope all is well. Please tell Tom and Pete that I said “Hi.”
God’s blessings…
There is no justice in this world. And shame on those churches which turned their backs on the opportunity to protect children.
The “churches” in my county that would not support ACT 1 outnumbered those who sent one or more signatures by a count of two to one. And I thought I lived in the Bible Belt.
No justice…a perfect summation.
Always a blessing, Pearl.
Sounds like you have had a disappointing outcome on some work you poured your soul in to. I’m sorry Chris. I know you know this, but always remember that even this outcome is no secret to the Lord. He knows, and He cares about those kids more than any of us all put together ever could. His hand is on every single one of them. Every part of our life is appointed that we might seek him…even if we are raised in a household that isn’t Godly.
Acts 17
24God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Thank you for the encouraging words, Dawnmarie. God does care about each youngster who will eventually be influenced by this decision. May God’s spirit touch each of their hearts in a special way, “that they should seek the Lord.”
God bless you.
Amen Chris and god bless you too!