More Day of Silence bleating

Falwell's ghost lives on!

"Many states, like Florida, for example, have laws that require abstinence-based education when sexuality is discussed, so the school cannot recognize the Day of Silence without promoting abstinence."

The Day of Silence teaches sexuality?!  Just when you think they can't be anymore absurd than they already are.

Newsflash Liberty!  This is from the Day of Silence's own website:

"The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools."

Boy, that sure sounds like instruction on how to have gay sex to me!

Unreal!!  

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by: Jon Michaels @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 01:26:09 AM CDT

anti-heterosexual viewpoint?

  I thought the Day of Silence was against an anti "christian" viewpoint.  My oh my did they expand the amount of members they have now to claim that me, a heterosexual now becomes anti-homosexual.  

 I guess I have to become a lesbian so I can support gay and lesbian community.

 I suppose I have a long road to travel as I will have to  go to ex-heterosexual therapy.  Although I can't find a place that offers ex-heterosexual therapy.  I have attended many pro-LGBT groups and I haven't become a lesbian yet so serious therapy is needed.

 I have been told there is a section in the homosexual agenda but I have no clue where to locate a copy of it.

 Someone Please help as I feel it is only correct to support gay and lesbian community.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 02:11:26 AM CDT

I will also have to become a lesbian

which will be a bummer, because I really am very fond of my cross-dressing husband. Bastard looks better than me in a dress...

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 08:42:02 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Go bi

that should be queer enough.

/snark

"More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn't read." -- Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

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by: Switchhttr69 @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 13:58:11 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

D'oh!

Great idea!

"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 16:05:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Surely the dean of the Liberty University Law School

understands the value of private religious education. I suggest that they instruct students who find it offensive to mingle with mortals who don't share their beliefs attend a private "religious" school. If they are so offended that they cannot respect others without it violating their "religious" beliefs, they are certainly free to segregate themselves.

Of course, that would be defeating the whole purpose of the Liberty Counsel and Liberty University Law School - which is to enforce a dominionist agenda upon all Americans.

Gee - I sure hope Liberty University Law School wasn't a benefactor of funding from the Rev. Moon several years ago. One would think a "religious" belief that is so powerful and so deeply-principled that it's adherents cannot stand seeing another student observe a day of silence was certainly powerful enough to resist taking money from the South Korean "monarch of America" leader and self-proclaimed second coming of Jesus.

Oh shoot. . .I guess those principles don't apply when it comes to collecting those silver coins.  

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by: kevinbgoode @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 05:50:41 AM CDT

Staying alive is part of the Homosexual Agenda

that infuriates the Christian Right, which is demanding that the world see us as a cancer to be eradicated. They want THEIR Christian views to rule America, and deny the validity of other Christian viewpoints; they deny the validity of other religions altogether(Thank you Sally for admitting this)

The greatest modern Supreme Court Justice, Robert Jackson, who prosecuted the Nuremberg Defendants, warned of this occuring as far back as 1952, as churches tried to use the Bible to sustain segregation:

"The day that this country ceases to be free for irreligion it will cease to be free for religion - except for the sect that can win political power."  

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 08:29:20 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thank you...

which is to enforce a dominionist agenda upon all Americans.

  and may I mention, subvert the Constitution of the United States.  

I'd rather be a lion for one day, than a sheep for my entire life.

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by: PhyllisMs @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 08:41:06 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Why it irks them

Cum tacent clament: shouting with silence.

They can't stand the private mind expressing anything, because it could be the seed of all kinds of wickedness.  They can't stand individuality of conscience.  They can't stand what they perceive as disorder and chaos.

Silence makes them anxious.  It's too threatening.  They need noise and distraction.

"In order to maintain an untenable position, you have to be actively ignorant."  The Colbert Report

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by: Lev Raphael @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 06:29:51 AM CDT

They may hear...

    themselves thinking those hateful thoughts.

I'd rather be a lion for one day, than a sheep for my entire life.

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by: PhyllisMs @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 08:43:48 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

?

In South Dakota, a student was told her absence on that day would impose a requirement that she write a paper explaining why she did not participate.

I would think the Christotheocrats would jump at this opportunity as it provides a forum in which to show their disagreement with the event spew their hate

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by: ol cranky @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 06:35:40 AM CDT

the florida bit

i didnt know that in florida the day of silence can only be discussed in the context of abstinence.  i didnt realize florida was that conservative.  ban on gay adoption and this.  ugh.

http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com

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by: hippie4lyfe @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 06:52:15 AM CDT

About punishing students who don't attend

We know how these homophobe posts go. That's propably not what happened at all. (if you are looking for truth in the message, um.....I think "a" and "the" are truthful, maybe).

With the girl having to write the paper, what probably happened (although I don't know 100%), was that her English class that day had a in-class writing assignment. When her faith (parents) would not allow her to be there that day, she asked her teacher about the assignment and the teacher suggested different papers she could write. One of these being a paper on why she would not be there. Her parents found out, did not understand and then reported it. A twisted version from the parents is further twisted by the right wing media, now she "had to write the paper because she didn't want to be exposed to the pro-gay event."

The christian athletes thing is sorta true. As we saw in Utah, federal law states, if you don't allow everyone to hold events, you can't have your pro-christian events. It all or nothing.  

Help defend equality, visit One Kalamazoo http://www.onekalamazoo.com/

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by: Mattkazoo @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 07:40:45 AM CDT

Paper = Note

  I have two kids in school.  When they miss a day of school, I have to either call the school or write a note to the attendance office to get the absence excused.

 The Fundies have just tried to make a mountain out of a mole hill as usual

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 12:17:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Same here

I can just see the note:

Dear School,

Please excuse my child, as our pediatrician agrees that there is a widespread illness at your school that would be detrimental for my child's well being...


"It goes on one at a time, it starts when you care to act, it starts when you do it again after they said no, it starts when you say We and know who you mean, and each day you mean one more."

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by: Louise @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 16:08:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

A Picture of the GLBT communities for the Supreme Court

Pam -- I saw your posting about job discrimination against gays and lesbians on bluenc.  Thank you for bring this issue to the forefront.  I was counsel in the United States Supreme Court in the 2002 gay rights case of Lawrence v. Texas for almost all of the major GLBT national organizations, let by the Human Rights Campaign.  I filed an amicus brief which was designed to expanded the Justices notion of the complexity of the gay and lesbian communities in America.  I've attached a link to the full brief but wanted to post here the conclusion of one part of the brief that seems relevant to your concerns.

 Thank you,  Walter Dellinger

http://supreme.lp.findlaw.com/...

A. Homosexual Sodomy Laws Brand As Criminally Deviant Millions Of Productive Citizens

Laws that brand gay people as criminally deviant do not operate on some abstract "class." They harm real men and women - men and women who live in towns and cities across the United States, who live with long-term domestic partners in committed relationships, who raise children, who serve their country in the military and in the government. Even the most cursory  snapshot of the gay community is enough to demonstrate the irrationality of laws that assign the label "criminal" to all gay citizens.

There are approximately six million openly gay men and women in the United States, and 450,000 gay men and lesbians in Texas. ...

Gay men and lesbians also tend to live in committed relationships. The 2000 Census data count 1.2 million gay people living as couples, but that number reflects a significant undercounting of the actual number of gay couples. ... . it is at least clear that most gay people, like most non-gay people, aspire to live in committed, loving relationships and seek a strong sense of family in their lives.  In Texas alone, even unadjusted census figures report 86,000 gay people living with same-sex partners.

Many gay men and lesbians raise children in their homes. Some are parents of children from prior marriages; others have become parents since entering into committed relationships with same-sex partners....
Gay men and lesbians serve their country in both civilian and military capacities....  gay men and lesbians are generally as likely to have served in the military as non-gay Americans  - a service record made more remarkable by the fact that gay service-members must negotiate the military's long-standing regulations regarding homosexuality.

Finally, this Court's own cases reflect the diversity of the gay community in America. In the past two decades, the Court has heard cases involving a variety of lesbians and gay men - school teachers from Oklahoma,  a bartender from Georgia,  a "covert electronics technician" at the CIA,"descendants of the Irish immigrants" from Boston, a diverse group of Colorado citizens, "some of them government employees," an "exemplary" New Jersey Eagle Scout,  and now two gay men - one black, one white - from Texas. This range of litigants alone suggests the diversity of the gay community and of the lives led by gay citizens.

These are the people branded as criminals by laws like Texas' Homosexual Conduct Law. Another is Mark Bingham, who on September 11, 2001, called his mother from United Airlines Flight 93 and then helped to save countless American lives by fighting against the terrorists aboard his plane.  To his country, Mr. Bingham is a hero; in Texas, he is a criminal. On the same day that Mr. Bingham died, the Reverend Mychal F. Judge, chaplain to the New York City Fire Department and also gay, was killed by falling debris in the lobby of the World Trade Center shortly after administering last rites to a dying firefighter. Congress memorialized Father Judge and his bravery with the Mychal Judge Police and Fire Chaplains Public Safety Officers' Benefit Act, which allows public safety officers killed in the line of duty to have federal benefits flow to same-sex partners.

There is nothing about gay men and women in America that justifies treating them as criminally deviant under laws like Texas' Homosexual Conduct Law. Gay men and lesbians are partners and parents, neighbors and coworkers, occasional heroes. There is no legitimate and rational basis for singling out this group for branding as criminal.

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by: walter185b @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 08:03:28 AM CDT

Walter, thank you for your work!

Or Irish origin, I was very proud when our greatest former president, President Mary Robinson, lent her name to efforts to win Lawrence.

Thank you for making it possible for me to travel to lecture in America with my wife(then partner) without the risk of arrest and loss of my professional priviledges through a felony conviction.

I tell you Chica that no greater abomination exists than women denying their spirit of sisterhood and instead becoming the oppressor. -Rebeca, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

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by: MauraHennessey @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 08:34:04 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

...Thank you.

So much for your comments... and just the fact that we know you are watching/reading. I think a lot more needs to be made of the $$$$ contribution the GLBT community makes to the GDP of the US as a whole and states in particular.

'Hit 'em where they hurt.'  I know we are sail cruisers, and I was interested in the cruises available to GLBT ... in one article I read that whereas only 2% of HET couples have cruised. ..  already over 20% of GLBT couples have cruised. I heard an ad on Columbia SC radio last year where the community there organized 'eat ins.' against chain restaurants that discriminate or allow discrimination.  That could be very effective because again it show the power of the GLBT $$$ when they can easily fill an entire restaurant for an evening.. on spur of the moment request.

It's coming because it is right... as Jeremy would say.

Straight for Equality MD 

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 10:54:50 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Good lord.

I'm running the Day of Silence at my school (I'm in 11th grade), and while I've had to deal with homophobic, ignorant comments when I posted the event on Fcaebook, none of them were quite this idiotic.

Ugh. This is just plain frustrating.

"What do you mean you don't believe in homosexuality? It's not like the Easter Bunny, your belief isn't necessary." - Lea DeLaria

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by: MissNomered @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 10:49:14 AM CDT

Day of Truth

I don't know if anyone from your school's going to observe Alliance Defense Fund's "Day of (Un)Truth", but I've come up with a shirt slogan for that day if you're interested:

"Truth for the day:  It's okay to be gay!"

It's a catchy opposition slogan with a positive message.  I e-mailed the organizers of the Day of Silence about it, so I don't know if they'll run with it or not.  But, it's just an idea.

By the way, mega-kudos to you for running the Day of Silence at your school!

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by: Jon Michaels @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 14:32:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thanks!

I love your slogan idea.

And I apologize for the overly dumb spelling error.

"What do you mean you don't believe in homosexuality? It's not like the Easter Bunny, your belief isn't necessary." - Lea DeLaria

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by: MissNomered @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 18:16:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"substantial disruption and...

material interference?!

 What?
What a complete exagerration. Please tell me how this silent demonstration is more disruptive or materially interferes with school function than when another child shows up at school with a gun to blow away another child or teacher BECAUSE of anti gay assault and bullying?

  Some people are so incredibly stupid and fearful, that they endanger young people in their zeal.
Tell me how it's justified to not allow a critical life and death educational opportunity, in an educational environment?

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by: Regan DuCasse @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 11:29:49 AM CDT

Miss Nornerd...

 Stand your ground! I LOVE you and wholeheartedly support your effort.
You stand with the giants of the civil rights movement to participate in the DOS. And that is a legacy that your opposition cannot claim.

 Stand your ground, it's the moral high one.

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by: Regan DuCasse @ Sun Apr 20, 2008 at 11:31:55 AM CDT