Another Gay Idea

[Doozer61]

Just heard about this on the news.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050124/ap_on_re_us/no_name_calling_4

 

[the iron horse]

"But the fact is that 'faggot' is probably the most common insult at schools."



English definition: faggot, a bundle of sticks


Big picture: tolerance for all but to those who dare to call something a sin because of their religious faith.

You can't disagree with us can you?

We are the world!

 

[BVS]

"But the fact is that 'faggot' is probably the most common insult at schools."



English definition: faggot, a bundle of sticks

We all know how 'faggot' is used don't kid yourself.

Big picture: tolerance for all but to those who dare to call something a sin because of their religious faith.

You can't disagree with us can you?

We are the world!

No name calling. Period. How can this be wrong? I'm sure that includes no name calling for conservative Christians. So don't go playing victim.

 

[verte76]

I rather like this idea. Even if you believe that homosexuality is a sin, and alot of good people do, that's no excuse to insult gay people. I grew up in a neighborhood where insulting was pretty acceptable, and I didn't like it. I still don't. I have issues going back to growinng up in that particular neighborhood. Others have had different experiences, but I would hope that we all think that insults are just not right.

 

[indra]

But I also see that the homophobes are out in force too:

I hope schools will realize it's less an exercise in tolerance than a platform for liberal groups to promote their pan-sexual agenda," said Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America's Culture and Family Institute.

"Schools should be steering kids away from identifying as gay," Knight said. "You can teach civility to kids and tell them every child is valued without conveying the message that failure to accept homosexuality as normal is a sign of bigotry."

In Iowa, complaints by scores of parents about the gay themes in "The Misfits" prompted the Pleasant Valley School Board to rule that teachers could no longer read it aloud to elementary school classes, although it could remain in school libraries.

In Colorado, lawmakers last year rejected a proposal to declare a statewide "No-Name Calling Week" in conjunction with the inaugural GLSEN-backed event. House Majority Leader Keith King said he was concerned about fostering a "victim's mentality" and argued that children should be taught to ignore taunts.



One of GLSEN's most persistent critics is Warren Throckmorton, director of counseling at Grove City College, a Christian school outside Pittsburgh. His skeptical comments about "No Name-Calling Week" have been widely circulated this month on conservative Web sites.

"There's no question middle school can be a difficult place — I'm not advocating that any group gets mistreated," Throckmorton said in a telephone interview.

"But it will definitely make traditionally oriented teachers and parents and kids feel very uncomfortable, if they happen to object to homosexuality on moral grounds," he said of GLSEN's program. "If you disagree, you're hateful, you're bigoted, you're a homophobe. They're using name-calling to combat name-calling."

"Traditionally"oriented teachers, parents, and kids who engage in the type of behaviour this week is trying to prevent, are hateful, bigoted, homophobes. Any others, including those who don't find homosexuality to nest neatly with their beliefs, but don't engage in hateful, bigoted, homophobic behaviour, shouldn't be at all uncomfortable -- in fact they should also embrace this.

 

[Sue DeNym]

Speaking as someone who was called vicious names throughout grade and high school...

Name-calling is cruel, stupid, and unneccessary. It does nothing but hurt others. Doesn't matter what is being called: f****t, n****r, k**e, dummy, fatso, four-eyes, ugly. They all hurt, they are all dehumanizing, belittling and just plain wrong.

I've never read the book in question, and don't know everything about this program, but name-calling and other mistreatment has gone on for far too long. Ignoring it only makes the bullies double their efforts, sometimes escalating into physical violence or vandalizing the victim's property. Calling names back is likely to get the original victim in trouble. Laughing at the perp will probably get you a punch in the nose. The old methods do not work, and I don't think they ever have.

Anything that calls attention to the problem and tries to teach a better way is appreciated. Those who object to No Name-Calling Week, if you've got a better idea, we're more than happy to hear it.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

n****r, k**e, dummy, fatso, four-eyes, ugly.

Will this no-name calling week do anything about these? Just wondering.

 

[BVS]

Will this no-name calling week do anything about these? Just wondering.

Hopefully, eventually. That is the point of this excercise.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

That would be wonderful, actually, and would hopefully further the dignity of all people.

 

[indra]

Will this no-name calling week do anything about these? Just wondering.

From what I read, ALL name calling would be off limits, however the only part some people (and won't say who, but we all know who, don't we?) object to making off limits are those pertaining to homosexuals.

 

[shooboxx]

Im sorry... this struck me as quite odd...

I hope schools will realize it's less an exercise in tolerance than a platform for liberal groups to promote their pan-sexual agenda," said Robert Knight, director of Concerned Women for America's Culture and Family Institute.

These flipping loons are so crazy they cant even let a woman be the director of thier "womens group". Talk about pansexual!

 

[indra]

Im sorry... this struck me as quite odd...



These flipping loons are so crazy they cant even let a woman be the director of thier "womens group". Talk about pansexual!

Ha! That is pretty damned interesting.

 

[blueyedpoet]

um, i wonder what would happen if name calling was banned in southpark?

 

[A_Wanderer]

I guess that they will just say "that is so gay".

 

[beli]

"But the fact is that 'faggot' is probably the most common insult at schools."



English definition: faggot, a bundle of sticks


Big picture: tolerance for all but to those who dare to call something a sin because of their religious faith.

You can't disagree with us can you?

We are the world!

I don't understand you post. Are you saying it should be okay to call some one a faggot? If so, I disagree with you completely.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Next thing they are going to complain about keeping fags out of schools.

This entire business is achingly PC, get people not to call somebody a "faggot" and you can have a dozen more names within a minute and if all of that fails then there are certainly some hand gestures that will suffice. Homophobia and racism will probably never be completely abolished, but to ensure some respect then frank discussions on matters of race and sexuality will do a lot more good than this feel-good package of social engineering and thought policing. This does not mean that I am pro-homophobia or anti-gay I am only making the point that these types of programs do little to illuminate bigots and won't stop this stuff from going on. And for the record the first joke was about how fags are cigarettes.

 

[shooboxx]

Make "faggot" a bad word and kids will make up one to replace it faster than you light yer damn fag.
Really what we should be focusing on is parents instilling the value that faggot is NOT an okay word to use. Parents have the ultimate control over children, when they decide to exercise it. My mother, from a very young age, informed me abuot all different kinds of families and made sure I knew that all people were equal and that words like faggot were just plain wrong to use. Oddly enough... i never really use that term... hell I prolly use it more as an adult than I did as a teenager.....
Parents need to take charge and teach thier children to repsect one another , regardless of poltical bs that adults want to throw into the mix.

 

[BVS]

What both of you said absolutely rings true but don't you think this excercise at least starts these conversations you speak of?

 

[Doozer61]

Exactly, I think this opens the door to teaching children that EVERYONE is equal and that NO FORM of name calling is acceptable.

When I saw this on the news last night, they were asking the kids in Kindergarten to make a sign of the name that they have been called and on the opposite side of the paper, they had them write a word to replace the negative one.

The words I saw were "stupid". "fat", "ugly", "dumb". They were replaced by "beautiful", "smart", etc.

I think the thing that touched me the most was that these were 5-6 year olds doing it. I can't believe it starts that young. I have a granddaughter that age and I hope that she is never taunted by these words.

 

[nbcrusader]

This really isn't a "gay" issue, but I am glad GLSEN is shedding light on this.

Name calling is the most common form of bullying in schools. Far too often this behavior is given passive approval with the "kids will be kids" excuse. It is a symptom of lazy parents who do not want to train their children.

At home and at church, we always remind the children of the difference between "build up" words and "tear down" words.

Tear down is never acceptable.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

I do find it ironic that the GLSEN is promoting a no name-calling week, yet they're calling quite a few people bigots and homophobes, even if they don't use homophobic slurs.

 

[BVS]

I do find it ironic that the GLSEN is promoting a no name-calling week, yet they're calling quite a few people bigots and homophobes, even if they don't use homophobic slurs.

 

[Doozer61]

This really isn't a "gay" issue, but I am glad GLSEN is shedding light on this.

Name calling is the most common form of bullying in schools. Far too often this behavior is given passive approval with the "kids will be kids" excuse. It is a symptom of lazy parents who do not want to train their children.

At home and at church, we always remind the children of the difference between "build up" words and "tear down" words.

Tear down is never acceptable.

I agree with you, nd. I didn't mean to imply that this was only a gay issue. Any form of name calling is unacceptable.

 

[FizzingWhizzbees]

I do find it ironic that the GLSEN is promoting a no name-calling week, yet they're calling quite a few people bigots and homophobes, even if they don't use homophobic slurs.

yes, using homophobic slurs is clearly the only form of bigotry. as long as you stay away from those it's all okay.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

A little inconsistent with the idea that any form of name-calling is uncalled for, isn't it? Why aren't they saying anything about how overweight kids are discriminated against? Why can't they promote the dignity of all people?

Thanks for being real clear on that one.

 

[BVS]

A little inconsistent with the idea that any form of name-calling is uncalled for, isn't it? Why aren't they saying anything about how overweight kids are discriminated against? Why can't they promote the dignity of all people?

Thanks for being real clear on that one.

Go back and read the article. They are talking about ALL name calling. Take a look at Doozer's other post:

When I saw this on the news last night, they were asking the kids in Kindergarten to make a sign of the name that they have been called and on the opposite side of the paper, they had them write a word to replace the negative one.

The words I saw were "stupid". "fat", "ugly", "dumb". They were replaced by "beautiful", "smart", etc.

I think the thing that touched me the most was that these were 5-6 year olds doing it. I can't believe it starts that young. I have a granddaughter that age and I hope that she is never taunted by these words.

As far as the rolling of eyes(thought it was pretty clear), your posts are predictable. You're constatantly trying to play the role of victim, yet you can't see your own hypocracies. One doesn't have to use slurs, haven't you ever heard "actions speak louder than words"?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I think it might be the most important thing to teach kids and teenagers - that name calling about sexual preference, looks, race, gender, the way someone dresses, or whatever else one can think of is not acceptable. I do think it is especially important to emphasize this re sexual preference, cause it sure seems to me that it might be the most acceptable area of discrimination and hatred that exists today.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

Go back and read the article. They are talking about ALL name calling. Take a look at Doozer's other post:

As far as the rolling of eyes(thought it was pretty clear), your posts are predictable. You're constatantly trying to play the role of victim, yet you can't see your own hypocracies. One doesn't have to use slurs, haven't you ever heard "actions speak louder than words"?

I read the article more than once, but let's to make a distinction to whether this is to benefit all students, or to slam those who have traditional beliefs. The article didn't focus broadly on the non-GLSEN groups who supported it, and it would've helped if it did. Yes, this could easily seem well-intended, but I for one would like to see it for what it really is. That would be my reason for pointing out something that wasn't consistent with how this cause is advertised.

 

[BVS]

I read the article more than once, but let's to make a distinction to whether this is to benefit all students, or to slam those who have traditional beliefs. The article didn't focus broadly on the non-GLSEN groups who supported it, and it would've helped if it did. Yes, this could easily seem well-intended, but I for one would like to see it for what it really is. That would be my reason for pointing out something that wasn't consistent with how this cause is advertised.

Now you're sounding like the one with the agenda. How is NO NAME CALLING not benefitting all students? Answer me that.

Quit looking at the who and look at the program itself.

 

[Macfistowannabe]

Now you're sounding like the one with the agenda. How is NO NAME CALLING not benefitting all students? Answer me that.

Quit looking at the who and look at the program itself.

I just feel that it's fair to see if they are for real, or if it's a stunt. It's as simple as that.