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02/27/2007
'Pro-fams' finally link gay bias to racial bias, just not in correct way
More reaction to a federal judge's declaration that children's books on tolerance, acceptance, and diversity can be used in the classroom setting without the teacher first having to obtain parental consent, this time from MassResiatance's Brian Camenker (as quoted by Focus on the Family):
"It's so absurd, you can hardly even discuss it," said Brian Camenker, executive director of the Boston-based group MassResistance. "The judge said that the schools have a right and an obligation to teach about same-sex relationships, even in the elementary schools -- and that parents' rights end at the schoolhouse door."
The judge also indicated that if parents don't like what the schools teach, they are free to put their kids in a private school or to home school their kids.
"That's pretty offensive," Camenker said. "You can imagine a federal judge, during the civil-rights era when blacks wanted to vote or be seated in restaurants, saying, 'Your options are to either start your own restaurant or elect a city council that allows that.' "
Okay. Uhm. Okay. Brian: When African-Americans wanted to vote or be seated in restaurants, they were rightfully protesting the petulant blight of discrimination that was keeping them unequal. Had they been told to start their own restaurant or elect officials who will help their cause, then that would have obviously been wrong, wrong, wrong. However, the Parkers and the Wirthlins (the families who protested the gay-accepting books being given/read to their kids) are not civil rights heroes on this matter, no matter how much your team wishes they were! They are trying to say that their religious-based antipathy to homosexuality should allow them to request a special parental notification whenever a teacher wants to mention or teach that gay couples are part of society's spectrum! To compare their efforts to those involving desegregation is offensive to African-Americans, gays, and anyone who views non-acceptance as a negative.
Nobody is saying these kids will be taught they HAVE to accept gay families. The judge is just saying that the schools have a right to teach about gay families, as gay families realistically, tangibly exist within this society. Just like anything else taught in schools, parents can modify, qualify, add stipulations, or completely nix those teachings on the basis of their own views of morality. For example, one's personal religious beliefs may prevent them from accepting contraceptives, abortion, dinosaurs, non-kosher food, divorce, the cutting of one's hair, evolution, feminists, etc. However, it is completely baseless to suggest that those religious-based viewpoints can be used to modify the teaching practices in a church-separated, public, open-to-all-families institution.
Clearly, the "pro-family" movement is going to misrepresent this situation as yet another form of "judicial activism (they seriously compare it to the first shots of the American Revolution in this Focus on the Family piece). Not surprising that they would try and parlay this into an attack on their rights, as they do this with any ruling that supports a level playing field for gay individuals or couples. However, this judge has done nothing more than say that schools have a right to teach reality. Whether or not the Wirthlins, Parkers, and Camenkers wish to modify that reality on their own time is up to them. However, the connection between "I promise I'm not disgusting, please let me dine in your establishment" and "I think those gay people are immoral so I want them to go unacknowledged" is nonexistent! A parent wishing to pull their kids from a celebration of Black History Month -- that would be a far-more-logical parallel to this situation!
Parental Rights Under Attack in Massachusetts [FOF CitizenLink]
Technorati Tags: Brian Camenker, David Parker, Massachusetts
Your thoughts
As the father of a 20 year old gay son, it was strangely enough enjoyable to watch your PBS segment. While I can not understand why my son is attracted to other males, I do understand that I still love him very much. Your spin on the issues presented gays shows a needed sense of humor which, in my opinion, delivers your message quite effectively. After reading the many articles on your web site, I can only imagine some of the struggles a gay man must live through. I close by saying, I pray that your parents will accept you first as their son and secondly in any loving relationship that is meaningful and enduring. As we say in church, "Peace be with you!"
Posted by: Vin | Mar 1, 2007 11:39:44 PM
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