Proclamation Includes Same-Sex Parents

Story

Proclamation Includes Same-Sex Parents

Special Report - September 30, 2009
President Barack Obama emphasized that “children raised in loving, caring homes have the ability to reject negative behaviors and reach their highest potential,” regardless of family structure, as part of his Proclamation on “Family Day” September 28th. He began his statement by asserting that the benefits to children of growing up in a family do not depend on “Whether children are raised by two parents, a single parent, grandparents, a same-sex couple, or a guardian,” despite extensive social science evidence that children fare best when raised by their married biological parents.

“Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children” was first established in 2001 as a project of The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. The goal is to use family dinner-time to establish good relationships between parents and their children, and to open lines of communication by which parents can successfully guide their children to make good and healthy decisions related to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other risk behaviors.

In light of that mission, President Obama impressed upon parents their responsibility to foster open communication with their children as a means of guiding healthy decision-making habits. In particular, the President emphasized the responsibility parents have “to talk with adolescents about the risks of abusing alcohol, tobacco, or prescription and illicit drugs, and other harmful behaviors.” The proclamation praised active parents setting high standards as “the most effective preventative method for keeping our children drug-free.” It concluded with a recognition that “A strong nation is made up of strong families.” Still, the President’s comments were unprecedented in their inclusion of homosexual couples as positive influences in children’s lives.

“We applaud President Obama’s efforts to encourage parents to be actively engaged in their children’s lives and decisions,” said Bill Brooks, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. “Because we too recognize that the strength of a nation is contingent upon the strength of its families, we are disheartened that the President has chosen to promote relationships that do not provide the best and healthiest environment in which to raise children.”