Yeah, I know the post title is pretty damned inconsiderate of me. Deal with it.

Today’s high was supposed to be 102 degrees. And someone left a baby in the car today here in Bentonville.

This occurred at the place I used to work, which I commonly called the OGRE. So more than likely I know this person. I wonder if he was overworked? (A definite “yes”.) Or maybe late for an early meeting or conference call? I’m sure he was distracted.

But that’s still no excuse.

The Bentonville Police Department is currently investigating the death of a 14-month-old girl who was left in a hot car.
…
Preliminary investigation revealed that the child was left locked in the father’s vehicle at his workplace, the David Glass Technology Center, which is located across the street from the day care.

The outside temperature at the time of the report was 99 degrees, police said.

The child was enrolled at the day care, and it is further believed that the father failed to drop the child off prior to parking his vehicle at his workplace, police said.

Read the full story here.

I feel sad for what’s left of the family, but the whole incident pisses me off.

I had a whole big blog post going on in my head, but a comment over on Facebook by my buddy Sandy pretty much sums up all that I was thinking:

And people in Arkansas (cf. AR Act One) had the nerve to tell me that, as a gay man, I have no right raise a child? I am a gay father, bringing up a wonderful kid in a loving and caring environment that would never include baking him in a car. And yet I’m made to feel subpar. And this criminal, likely straight, harms his child in a negligent manner that anyone, gay or straight, with any common sense would know not to do? Sometimes I feel guilty when I am ashamed to call Arkansas home. Not this time.

The Husbear and I have raised three wonderful children who are now young adults. But yet, by law, we’re not allowed to have or raise our children.

For some reason Luke 6:41-42 comes to mind:

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

(See, I can pick and choose Bible verses too!)

Maybe it’s time “the majority” quits legislating what one group can do when they can’t even do it properly themselves.

Maybe “they” are afraid they might be shown up as inferior parents?

And people wonder why I’m all angry on the inside.

Addendum:
From the comments I’ve received here and on Facebook, I think people are misunderstanding my point.

I’m not saying that as a gay parent I’m perfect. However, with this law on the book, we’ll never know that now for many people.

While I feel sad for the family in question, the whole point is that crap like this happens all the time, to everyone, REGARDLESS of orientation. We’re all humans.

I do know the person in question. He was not a bad man, and was a good father from the interactions I had with him.

The main arguments used to promote and sell Act One to the general population was that unwed and gay people make bad parents. Therein lies my anger and frustration in situations like this. Why legislate discrimination against one group of persons when no one can “get it right” to begin with?