Warning: Community Alert!!!

As if we didn't have enough to worry about...

Increased attacks on gays and lesbians are occurring.

Exercise good judgment...

Refrain from public drunkenness or drugs that impair

your judgment....

Be aware of your surroundings
and aware of whom you

surround yourself with...

Learn to fight!

***

Blackboard Jungle, Revisited

Removing homophobia from the classroom

couldn't be a simpler concept;

implementing it has turned into

quite the quagmire, however.

As church and state must be separated,

so too must religious intolerance

be completely removed from the classroom.

And bias based on religious-teachings is just that;

immoral, inappropriare, illegal abuse.

Schools which are private and/or

religion-based institutions should not

be exempt from these standards.

If a school of any type takes subsidies,

state funding, government grants, or

receives tax-exempt status, they have

an obligation to leave bias out of their teachings

and policies. Otherwise, they are using

federal and other government monies to

promote hate speech and a second-class

citizenry.

As stewards for future generations,

those schools owe their students a

safe and welcoming place to be themselves.

A child being young enough and

'powerless' enough in the eyes of the law

should not be grounds for dismissing their needs.

***

The Gay-Straight Alliance Network

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Heart Strong: Outreach & Support for LGBTs in religious schools

***

Southern Poverty Law Center; Debunking Anti-Gay Myths

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Kid Power: Bullying & Homophobia Information

***

Petition to Enforce LGBT Protection in Schools

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The Pendulum

We need to be cautious and smart in the days that
come, because danger is unfortunately looming.

Throughout history, there has always been significant
backlash whenever society lurches forward against
the wishes of certain parties.

With all the changes in military policy regarding
gays and lesbians, advances in the right to marry,
visible strength in the rise of the gay-straight
alliances, sports stars and politicians in support
of gay rights and protection, and the anti-bullying
campaigns continuing to gain momentum,
many who oppose gays and lesbians are truly
'sick of hearing about it.'

When social progress pushes through, there will
always be an equal and opposite resistance to
it. Add to that the violent and hateful guttural
response that people in this country have towards
the mere idea of homosexuality, and there is a
tempest in a tea pot. (Allusion intentional.)

With the influence of extremists and the religious,
there is a lot of fear and misinformation and absolutism
afoot. It all makes for a lot of sick folks who are
looking for a place to have their 'voice' heard.

SPLC reports attacks on gays and lesbians up
significantly this last year. (And with worsening
economic conditions and other uncontrollable
circumstances burdening people, everyone loves a
good scapegoat.)

Attacks and vandalism surrounding pride parades
this year were insane.

All the nut ball Republican candidates are out to
get us with both barrels...literally, it seems.

These people know that there are freaks like the
Norway shooter out in the crowd, soaking up their
rhetoric and hate speech....and they play to it.
The fanatics are the core base for this new group
of wing nuts. It's a dangerous game, and all they have
to do is play innocent when someone gets hurt or
dies.

The attacks will be more outspoken.
The attackers will be without remorse.
We will be blamed for causing our own pain.

They feel attacked by virtue of our being treated
appropriately. They feel justified by their dislike,
supported by a twisted version of a divine creator.
They see themselves as inherently right, and us
as a 'cause'--not human beings--to be stopped.

So be wary....be on guard. We can't let them make
us stop living our lives, but just be alert and know that
with great freedom and respect come more obstacles
and threats. Such is life in these Un-tied States.

Peace...