One's point of view...

I would like to thank Rob for his critique of my last posting. As you say, Rob, a lot depends on one's point of view regarding this and other hotly debated issues. I think it is clear that from my point of view, same-sex couples cannot offer, in spite of all best efforts, what the opposite-sex couple can to children. The ideal situation from my point of view is that the child's natural parents have the primary care for raising their child. I also realize that this may not be possible in cases where one of the parents predeceases the child. But at least one of the birth parents remains to assist the child in his or her development. 

I further acknowledge that the child may be abandoned by his or her parents; moreover, in the case of a single mother, the child may be offered for adoption early in the child's life. So, I am most grateful that when these situations occur, an opposite-sex couple may wish to adopt the child. Their adoption becomes a rational and welcome substitute in my view that provides the child with a natural alternative to what has been lost. But, again in my view, it is impossible for the same-sex couple to provide this substitution. 

Rob mentions that gender roles have become "fuzzier." Perhaps they are "fuzzier" in some views, but they are not in mine.

RJA sj