News

Gay Democrats, Republicans Condemn Justice Roy Moore

National Stonewall Democrats, Log Cabin Republicans Call for Resignation, Legislative Reform

February 26, 2002

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The nation's leading gay and lesbian partisan political organizations united today to condemn the recent legal opinion by Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore in a state custody case, where Moore called homosexuality a "detestable and an abominable sin...a crime in Alabama, a crime against nature, an inherent evil," and ordered three teenaged children to be kept in abusive custody of the biological father instead of the children's mother, solely because she is a lesbian.

The following is a joint statement by Chad Johnson, NSD Executive Director, and Rich Tafel, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director:

"We join across partisan lines to strongly condemn the opinion rendered by Chief Justice Roy Moore on February 15, 2002 regarding the case of Sharon Huber. The legal effect of the opinion puts three children in considerable physical and emotional danger and places them in the home of an abusive father, purely because their mother is a lesbian.

Furthermore, the opinion of Justice Moore is so virulent in its anti-gay bigotry, so far outside the bounds of ethical canons, and so dismissive of the rights and welfare of the three children in question, that Moore has shown himself unfit to be the Chief Justice of the state's highest court and should resign.

We join with the majority of Americans who believe that the physical, mental and emotional well-being of children should always be paramount in matters of custody, adoption and anything involving family life."

Despite the fact that the father in the case admitted to physically abusing his children, Moore defended the father's suitability while writing that "the homosexual conduct of a parents creates a strong presumption of unfitness that alone is sufficient justification for denying that parent custody of his or her own children or prohibiting the adoption of the children of others."

Moore also cited Biblical passages and what he called "fixed principles" in proclaiming that homosexuality "violates both natural and revealed law." The Canons of Judicial Ethics insist that judges must issue opinions "impartially and diligently" and that "personal bias or prejudice concerning a party" disqualifies a judge from service.

Despite his extra-legal citations, Moore claims statutory support based on antiquated laws that criminalize "deviant sexual behavior." NSD and Log Cabin Republicans call on the Alabama state legislature and Governor Don Siegelman to strongly support necessary reforms and clarification of such laws that allow judges to rule that homosexuality is a crime, and serve as an automatic barrier to consideration as a fit parent."

Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest gay Republican organization, with state and local chapters nationwide, a full-time national office in Washington, D.C., and a federal political action committee.

The National Stonewall Democrats is the national organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Democrats. NSD is committed to improving the record of the Democratic Party and educating gay communities about political and partisan issues of importance.