Gay adoptions.

Count me among those who oppose the involvement of The Florida Bar, its Family Law Section, or any other section in supporting a change of F.S. [section] 63.042 (3), which provides that no person who is a homosexual is eligible to adopt in this state.

Membership in The Florida Bar is mandatory in order to practice law in the State of Florida. Because of their involvement in the legal system and familiarity with it, lawyers as a body may and arguably should offer suggestions and input to the courts and the legislature regarding matters of administration and procedure. Regarding substantive matters involving moral issues, however, the mandatory Bar and its divisions have no business taking positions.

The author of one of the recent letters to the News suggested that a vote would resolve any problems. The presumption is that a majority of those voting could somehow make an appropriate decision for all Florida lawyers regarding this issue. I disagree. No one who wants to practice law in Florida should be constrained to continue dues-paying membership in an organization which espouses a position which is morally repugnant to him or her. The Florida Bar or any of its sections should not take a position either in favor of or against permitting homosexuals to adopt children in this state.

If the lawyers in the Family Law Section are keen to become involved in efforts to repeal the statute, they are free to do so as individuals or to join or form voluntary groups opposing the statutory ban on adoption by homosexuals. They should not involve the rest of the lawyers who are constrained to be members of The Florida Bar in order to practice law.

David W. Young

Tallahassee

I am not a basher. For over 50 years I have had hundreds of homosexual clients, friends, and acquaintances and was one of the first in Florida to do the legal work for the change of a professional man with degrees and licenses to a woman who continued in the profession.

After that, wondering why we have so many homosexuals, not having known one before I was 18 years old and went to California, I began inquiring of all persons who wished to talk to me about their family relation, either as a lawyer or a minister, as to whether there was child abuse in their history. I found a majority of those who had homosexual feelings discovered early child abuse from members of their own sex. Often when I asked about early childhood they had to talk to other members of their family to find out what...