FURTHER to the continuing politically-correct process of institionalising homosexuality as a normal lifestyle - against, I would suggest, the views of the majority - magistrates are being told that gay and lesbian partners must be given the same right as married couples to adopt children.

To hold doubts about this, they are warned, would be to display prejudice as bad as racism.

But even if one were to accept this notion - as evidently does the Judicial Studies Board, the government body which organises the training of judges and magistrates and is currently laying on the "equal treatment" stress in its courses which, it turns out, are largely devised for it by a prisoners' rights group - one cannot overlook the manifestly sane question that they want magistrates to reject.

In one training exercise, JPs are asked to consider the remark: "I was really surprised to see an application from a lesbian couple wanting to adopt a baby. What sort of home will they be able to provide for that poor child?" Amazingly, those attending these courses are being told they must challenge "discriminatory and offensive" remarks.

But would not anyone with their head screwed on the right way be wise to ask - and without being in any way prejudiced - just such a question for the sake of the child and wonder whether its upbringing in a household that is, whatever gays say, far from normal would not be bound to adversely affect it? What is patently afoot here in the attempts to outlaw such sane and necessary consideration of people's fitness to bring up a child is the sinister menace of the gay lobby getting in first with charges of bigotry. Why should their wants and values get in the way of a child's right to being brought up in a normal family environment?

Is not what we have here yet another attempt to make homosexuality "normal" when it isn't and never will be - and for children to be exploited as pawns in the process?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.