Norfolk, Virginia, Medical School Professor Signs Anti-Gay Letter to Congress

It is bad enough when one hears the constant anti-gay propaganda from the professional Christian set, but it is even more shocking when one hears such animus from medical professionalsl. Particularly when they are members of a publicly funded medical school faculty where their homophobia could well be imparted to medical students and other doctors. Thus, I was shocked to discover that Judith V. Williams (pictured at left), one of the professors at Eastern Virginia Medical School who also is on staff at the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia, had joined with other pediatricians in a letter to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi urging passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment. Equally troubling is that Dr. Williams signed the letter in a manner so as to perhaps use the medical school's name to strengthen the credibility of her anti-gay views. The text of the letter which can be found here at G-A-Y-US sounds as if it were written by Peter LaBarbera or one of the other professional gay haters. Indeed, one has to wonder if Dr. Williams believes in voodoo and witchcraft too. Here are some highlights from the letter signed by Dr. Williams and other homophobes (NOTE: the American College of Peditricians should not be confused with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) which does not put religious belief before children):

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The Board of Directors of the American College of Pediatricians, an organization dedicated to the health and well-being of the youngest of our citizens, its members and supporters strongly urge you to press forward with vigor and amend the Constitution to guarantee that marriage in the United States will forever be defined as the union of one man and one woman.

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We support this amendment because it will prevent the continuing erosion of the safety, nurturance, and protection afforded to children by this time honored marital partnership. Anything less than a Constitutional amendment would allow continued discrimination against those children, few in number now, who are being used by social engineers to support what a small number of selfish adults want, over the needs of potentially hundreds, perhaps eventually thousands, of children.

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Adult wants overwhelmed the needs and best interests of children, and we are continuing to see the dire consequences of that defeat in our medical offices, clinics, and hospitals. What does that have to do with the issue of homosexual parenting? Everything! Again, social scientists, the Media, and a small number of misinformed Pediatricians are disregarding the real needs of children and asking that again in this country there is conducted an uncontrolled, unscientific, social experiment on our children by encouraging their rearing by same-sex parents.

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We, the undersigned, are distressed that some professional medical organizations have ignored both science and tradition in helping to promote this misguided social experiment. Our children deserve better than this and the best science demonstrates that now, as always, children do best when reared by a man and woman, mother and father, married and committed to them.

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Please pass the Federal Marriage Amendment to assure that present and future generations of children will not, once again, fall victim to the triumph of selfish adult wants over their real needs.

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Apparently Dr. Williams thinks it is better for children of LGBT couples - who will continue to exist despite the efforts of bigots like Dr. Williams - be deprived of the legal rights and benefits that would flow from their parents being able to legally marry such as health care insurance, survivor benefits, etc. It's another case of punishing the children while pretending to punish the parents. Her claims that she cares for the best interests of children are obviously disingenuous. It's all too typical of the as backwards thinking of these zealots. Be assured, I DO intend to call EVMS's top leadership and inquire as to whether they (1) agree with Dr. Williams and/or (2) condone her using the medical school's name in signing such a bigoted letter. For anyone desiring to contact Dr. Williams, here is her information:

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Judith V. Williams, MD
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Dermatology
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Norfolk, Virginia

Phone: (757) 668-7546 (SKIN)

Fax Number: (757) 668-8795

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Here is the information for the medical school's president:

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Harry T. Lester, President

President's Office

Andrews Hall

P.O. Box 1980Norfolk, VA 23501

(757) 446-5200