One of the most controversial issues facing the United States today is whether or not homosexual individuals should be granted the rights of adoption. A poll was conducted on the Internet asking the question of whether or not gay individuals should be allowed to adopt. Out of approximately 87,000 people who were surveyed, 49% believed they should be allowed, 50% felt they shouldn't, and 1% were unsure. The nation is clearly divided, but the people against this issue have a slight edge, according to the poll.
             Opponents of gay rights have developed many reasons for not allowing gays to adopt. One of these points include that gay parents prey on their own children. In a study of 269 cases of child sex abuse, only two offenders were found to be gay or lesbian. It was found that "a child's risk of being molested by his or her relative's heterosexual partner is over one hundred times greater than by someone who is homosexual.
             The second major point is that gay people die younger than heterosexuals. Gay advocates say studies that suggest gay people die younger, were written by a false "researcher"named Paul Cameron.
             Opponents also believe that the children will suffer from taunting and prejudice. Is it fair that one persons prejudice is a reason to ban someone from his or her dream of becoming parents? Regardless of a child's parents sexual orientation, children tease and will be teased. In courts
             across the country, it is argued that stigma attached to having a gay or lesbian parent will damage a child's self-esteem. However, research has found that although children of homosexual parents do report experiencing teasing, their self-esteem levels are no lower than those of children of heterosexual parents.
             Some believe that gay people are bad moral examples as parents, and that children will
             develop problems growing up in an unnatural lifestyle. Courts have expressed...