Those who know me know I’m a live-and-let-live libertarian when it comes to the personal lifestyles and relationships of my fellow citizens. If it doesn’t affect me, it probably doesn’t bother me.
The question, though, is whether or not the government, via the taxpayer-funded public schools, should be sticking its nose into such relationships one way or another. Put me down as leaning against. The public schools can’t even get readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmetic down right; do we really want them teaching our kids about sex?
A number of public schools are listed as sponsoring what is referred to as a “National Day of Silence” on April 25th. On that day, students will spend the day…not talking. Not even to ask for a hall pass to go to the restroom to smoke a cigarette. Instead they will be handing out cards which will read:
“Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice, and discrimination. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today.”
Fighting perceived injustice. A laudable goal. But a lot of parents see this as using kids in the larger propaganda war being fought nationwide over gay rights. If the Day of Silence was an activity being coordinated on college campuses, that’d be one thing. At least those “kids” are legally adults. But should the public schools encourage participation by middle– and junior-high school kids, usually without their parents’ knowledge? That’s a much more dubious proposition.
Mission America is a coalition of Christian groups which is leading the opposition to the 12th annual “National Day of Silence.” This is a group who’s anti-homosexual rhetoric is every bit as strident, for lack of a better word, as the pro-gay rhetoric. But the coalition does raise a legitimate question as to whether or not public school campuses are appropriate venues to promote this very controversial societal discussion.
In any event, the coalition has published a list of public schools they say are participating, in some form or fashion, in the National Day of Silence this month. In Nevada, those schools include:
ADVANCE TECH ACADEMY
BASIC HIGH SCHOOL
CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL
DESERT PINES HIGH SCHOOL
ELDORADO HIGH SCHOOL
LAS VEGAS HIGH SCHOOL
LAS VEGAS JR ACADEMY
MOJAVE HIGH SCHOOL
RANCHO HIGH SCHOOL
SILVERADO HIGH SCHOOL
If the purpose of the Day of Silence is simply to promote tolerance, fine. If it crosses over, however, into a morality lesson, that’s a different matter altogether - one probably better left to parents at this age level.
Of course, if the government wasn’t running our schools in the first place, we wouldn’t even be having this debate, would we? Perhaps instead of a Day of Silence we should have a Day of Discussion, sponsored by the fine folks over at the Separation of School & State. NOW we’re talking!
Posted on March 25th, 2008 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada
Chuck … Dear Lord. The world IS off its orbit.
You are one terrific and politically astute man - keep the dialogue going! ; > )
Lynda
You have to be kidding me!!! I agree with your “DAY OF DISCUSSION” (and perhaps day of learning, too). I
I, like you, think and believe that I really don’t care what others may or may not do insofar as personal lifestyles people choose to live by are concerned. But I do CARE very much if and when it affects the families for or against these lifestyle values. This Day of Silence being forced on the children in public schools by the Clark County School Board is not in the best interests of the children or all the families paying taxes. Lifestyles are private, personal and individually elected and should not be thrust down throats of innocent children by the school board or anyone. This is the first time I’ve heard about this. I do NOT agree with the school board educational policiesshould entail this or any private lifestyle issue.. Tony
Perhaps, in all understanding and to promote tolerance, the non-gay majority population could request a day of silence from hearing about the personally chosen lifestyles of the non-majority homosexual population.
It seems every time one turns around, another month, week, or day is being set aside, or another proclamation is being proclaimed, or another socialist left of center political hack spouts the need to be more sensitive to causes of the misunderstood, the absurd, the perverse, the illegal alien, the convicted murderer, the rapist, the child molester.
I am sorry, yes, really, I don’t think we need to be silent; I think we need to be screaming from the housetops that we have had more than enough of this insanity in our country, our states, our communities, our schools and our homes.
I am in total agreement with Richard Shuster on this and frankly believe most of America is as well. Apathy is killing us as a society, and this is only one of the issues.
This is pretty typical of the silliness that passes for education in the public schools.
However, conservatives need to understand that there are gay conservatives and republicans out here–and not just a few . Characterizing being gay as “personally chosen lifestyles” betrays ignorance of the true nature of homosexuality. It is not a choice! I understand that gay-haters want it to be a chosen “lifestyle” so they can see it as a “sinful” choice. Many conservatives need to learn a little about the issue.
Personal accountability and responsibility are chosen social and political actions, as are the acting out of intimate personal and sexual expressions chosen.
Sorry, Bob, can’t have it both ways..Errr they call that something else anyway.
I do not agree with or approve of the “Day of Silence,” so my course of action was to contact the superintendent of this school district (where more than one school is participating), and let him know my “thoughts.” I know there are many who agree with me, but I also know that very few will speak up and that is the problem. Too many of the people who feel as I do are the ones who are “silent.”
“Personal accountability and responsibility are chosen social and political actions,”
Agree.
“as are the acting out of intimate personal and sexual expressions chosen.”
Agree.
So what? To satisfy your sense of propriety, gays are to be celibate?
While I understand that some would have us believe that God created the homosexual as a homosexual, to do so would place God in a serious predicament. For in Laviticus 18:22 God said, “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.” (NAS) What kind of God would do such a thing? Create us to act in a certain way and then condem us for doing so?
While it is true that all of us have the capacity, and even the desire, to commit sin, in the end it is our CHOICE as to whether or not we give in to those desires. Yet to say the sin is not sin, because God made us that way, places the blame for our sin entirely upon God. (Of course we could just deny the existance of God. And purge all mention of Him from our society. I guess that’s one way to rid the world of sin.)
Still, having said that, I understand that not all Americans share my belief in God. And that even some who do, do not agree that the Bible is His inerrant word. And I respect - no, relish - in the fact that in America the adult individual has, with certain restrictions (such as murder), the right to live according to their own beliefs. Especially within the privacy of their own homes. However, to use public funds, and government institutions, to indocrinate minor children with views opposite of those of their parents, is not only the height of intolerance, it is un-constitutional.
The government does not have the authority to decide whose beliefs will, and will not, be tolerated. We don’t need no thought control.
Sounds like a good opportunity for parents to take a day to home school their kids on the subject of politcal correctness. If they can’t make them reconsider, maybe mass absenteeism would covey the message
Dean,
I agree wholeheartedly with your point about using public funds for indoctrination. The public schools are a disaster and mostly a waste of taxpayer money.
However, every time someone quotes Leviticus, I want to ask, “Is there any reason to suppose that the men who wrote this 3000 years ago were any LESS irrational about homosexuality than they are today?”
Another thing that republicans/conservatives need to realize is that not all conservatives are religious. I am not a believer, so I don’t care what the bible says. However, I have a great respect for all western institutions, and I believe it is the job of conservatives to preserve them.
Bob,
There is reason for what you describe as irrationality about homosexuality 3000 years ago and yet today. It was wrong then and it is wrong now. No matter how many times you protest the fact, no matter how much rationalization or justification is uttered, no matter how many gay parades are held, no many how many days of silence are held, homosexuality is abnormal, an abomination in nature, and plain old wrong.
As a conservative/republican, respect for western institutions is an admirable principle, but the principles you choose not to espouse are prime examples of
you having anything other than respect for western institutions.
Perhaps a day of silence is not such a bad deal after all, I know I have heard all I care to hear about the topic. I don’t know when your’s starts, but my day of silence begins now.
I plan on mouthing off at every opportunity all day during this day of silence mess.
is laughter by any stretch definable as speech? I ask as I plan on laughing at the day of silence as obtrusively and ointedly as possible as well.
RGS:
“I don’t know when your’s starts, but my day of silence begins now.”
As a bible-besotted gay-hater, your silence is welcome.
I think you are teh gay.
Public schools were created and are maintained to this today in order to inculturate children into our society. Thus, I see voluntary participation in the “day Of Silence” in a beneficial light. Kids in high school are not so devoid of intellect that they could be considered a”captive audience” to be saved from participating. Many kids age 17 and 18 are in the military (40+ have died in Iraq), so either it is insane to allow them to do so, or collectively we recognize their ability to exert and exercise their developing critical reasoning. Let us do so in this instance, and in other areas where hate and intolerance is harmful.
I read today that many Muslim’s are now home schooling their kids. Maybe we aren’t so different after all.
“If the purpose of the Day of Silence is simply to promote tolerance, fine.”
Chuck, I disagree with this statement adamently. Allowing the promoting of tolerance of wrong-doing is NEVER fine. Homosexuality was/is/and always will be, wrong. Tolerating it is wrong. If you knew what was behind the “tolerance” movement, you’d understand why this does affect you, and you SHOULD be bothered, and opposing it with all your might. You come very close to that but not for all the right reasons.
You are for a separation of school and state, but if a school is a public school then said school should be run by the state. Students are not being forced to participate in Day of Silence. When a school participates in Day of Silence, they are merely giving the students an opportunity to express a viewpoint, if they choose to do so.
What there is SUPPOSED to be in our country is a separation of church and state. Yet there is not since in every state (except Massachusetts), same-sex marriage is banned. It is mainly the Christian religion (well, they are the most vocal about it), that condemns this, yet our government condemns it as well. The very first amendment is supposed to guarantee the freedom of religion, however, this freedom is being obstructed to those whose religion (or lack thereof), believes that all are equal and that it does not matter if two people are of the same gender. It is also a violation of the fourteenth amendment which guarantees equality to all citizens.
Less than 100 years ago in this country, people were posing the exact same arguments against inter-racial marriages. Yet now they are legal. As in the case with inter-racial marriages, it should not be about what is socially acceptable, but about love. That is why I fully intend to show people through my silence that it is wrong to condemn people for simply being who they are.
Ashely, first of all, public schools do not need to be run by the state. For decades, public schools were run by the ‘public’ who paid for them, the parents. Schools run by the parents of the children in them are almost universally better than schools run by educrats.
Secondly, opposition to so-called ’same-sex marriage’ is not just a religious issue. Society and government have a legitimate interest in the institution that produces future citizens. I doubt you will argue against the thousands of psychologists and other professionals who can show that a stable home is critical to the development of well-adjusted, stable, self-reliant, honest, law-abiding children, adolescents and adults. Such homes are demonstrably more likely to result from traditional heterosexual marriages.
Since the average duration of ‘gay’ relationships is about 18 MONTHS, such relationships do NOT qualify as any sort of basis for a stable home that will produce citizens instead of subjects who will in turn be incapable of establishing stable homes.
Chuck,
As a member of my local GSA and a proud supporter of the GLSEN Day of Silence, I really don’t seem to understand what is so wrong with protesting death.
This year, the annual Day of Silence has changed its focus a little bit: not only will it protest the bullying, harassment, and violence against people based on gender expression or sexual orientation, it will serve as a national day of remembrance for Lawrence King, who was killed this year by a fellow student because he was gay.
I completely understand that the members and commenters of this blog do not wish to condone homosexuality, and many feel that it is a plight on the American population. However, the Day of Silence only seeks to protest violence and bullying, not push the “Gay Agenda” on the high schoolers of America. Mission America itself does not condone violence against Gays, only prayer. In theory, then, Mission America does tacitly support the cause behind the DoS: protesting senseless violence against those who are different from the social norm.
As an upstanding conservative and a live-and-let-live libertarian, I would hope that you would understand the true cause behind the DoS: promoting discussion among schools to stop violence, and above all, letting America’s GLBT adolescents live without peace or fear. Assault, harassment, and death, after all, are not ideological issues: they’re everyone’s issues.
I reviewed the entire website for the Day Of Silence www.dayofsilence.org. As aprt of their training participants are asked to get support of teachers, administrators, safe teachers, school staff etc. All to the good. The word “parent” is, however, conspicuous in its absence. Nowhere on the entire website. Wow!
Actually there was one mention on page 19 of a 19 page training manual available as a downloadable pdf.
If the Day of Silence is such a great thing for minors why can’t parents be notified? This is the material point which the author isolated above. I surmise that DOS organizers intuit that this Day might not pass parental scrutiny so they hide this event from them.
In communist re-education camps one well known technique for indoctrinating children was to have a drawing of parents (chalk stick figures on a blackboard in one movie) holding their child’s hand. Then the kids were asked what made for a good communist. One would walk up and dutifully erase the connection between parent and child.
Just sayin’.
I am a lesbain and I am done being judged. I am oneof those people who are tired of being treated diffrent for what I belive in. I PDA because I am proud of who I am. I will be 100% sileint of April 25, 2008. I will stand up for the ones who stand up for them self. M and my friends will be non verbil. & I would love if you were to jion. Even if you just supourt you could change so much for so many people.
Whos with me?
Add me on myspace.com/kendraluvzbritt
& join the fight.!
When “Day of Silence” started, I started “Truth Without Interruption Day” (www.twid.org) This is the only day that Christians can share the truth from God’s Word and the health risks of homosexual behaviors without being shouted down by the homosexuals.
It’s time we stood up together, in love, against all the pro-homosexual days in our public schools.
They have “No Bullying Week”, “Gay Month” (June), “Alley Week,” “Coming Out week”, “Remembering Transgenders Week”,
ENOUGH ALREADY! LETS DO READING, MATH, ENGLISH, SCIENCE, HOME ARTS, etc.