Cathartic Unleashings-March 13, 2010
A few days ago, Adam alerted me about the Mississippi prom that was canceled because of so-called gay issues.
That isn’t really what bothers me. It is the fact that on a site called Dad Blogs that Adam subscribes to, a blogger known as Daddy Files had to go and bash the South. He even put up a “redneck” picture with some half-toothed man in overalls who was holding a shotgun.
I get so sick of this crap. I know historically that the South did some terrible, horrendous acts, but do we now have to be held accountable as idiots or rednecks because of actions done long ago and done by someone else? Why is each Southern person grouped in with the rest?
I am a really open-minded person. I don’t care where you are from-I try very hard not to judge anyone, because as I have said before, I am not the Judge here-God is. If you don’t believe in God, well human beings, while it may be in their nature, shouldn’t judge others based simply on where they are from. Talk about bigotry-I think that if you are gonna cast out different people because of their background or where they come from, you have to be one of the biggest bigots ever.
I could say many things about people who are from other areas of the US, but I don’t-well, at least not out loud anyway. I have always hated the way people can judge others based on looks, intelligence, creed, religion…well you get the point.
The saying that you can’t judge a book by its cover never expired. I think the best evidence of this is from my studies of serial killers.
We tell our kids to stay away from people who look scary or haggled or just plain mean, but it just isn’t true. People who are seemingly perfect on the outside can have a hideous past with a deadly darkside.
The beautiful, the rich, poor, or ugly-anyone-can be very bad and evil. They need not call the South or the North, East or West home to gain immunity from being less-than-perfect. No region is immune from hate and ignorance.
The only way we can move forward is to stop this ignorance, and start the tolerance. Of course, in high school, I was told the only way to end prejudices was to wait until all the old people with the old ways of thinking died out. It is just to bad that those old people have continued the legacy by passing down hate before they kicked off.
Satan has to be so proud.
We can stop this if we try. All we have to do is STOP THE CYCLE!
Being proud of who we are and where we came from-how about passing that down, instead of a whole lot of ignorance and hate?
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Zerzix Says:
I would like to simply add the though the Tolerance is a two way street, If you want me to tolerate you opinions and beliefs, you need to tolerate mine. You don’t have to like my opinion, or agree with it.
bigotry: stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one’s own
tolerance: a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one’s own.
How many people screaming for Tolerance are Bigots in their own right? I often get called a bigot due to my opinions, but I tolerate the opinions of others. No where in the definition does it say I have to accept others opinions or beleifs as right or ture.
Posted on March 13th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Daddy Files Says:
First of all, I didn’t put the picture on the post. That was done by the site administrator.
Second, you completely glossed over the root of the issue. And that is the discrimination this gay student suffered at the hands of public school administrators. It’s reprehensible, but you trivialize it by saying “so-called gay issues” and saying “that’s not what really bothers me.” Really? Discrimination and narrow-mindedness doesn’t bother you? Well, it should.
As for my comments about the south, how are they not true? As you said, Mississippi has a long history of wretched racism. Up until a mere 23 years ago people of mixed races weren’t even allowed to get married there. And 86% of people who voted in a 2004 election chose to deny gay people the right to get married. That was six years ago, so we’re not talking ancient history. Discrimination is alive and well in that state, and that has been PROVEN.
If you’re truly open minded and you despise people being judged because they’re different, then you should be much more upset at what transpired in Mississippi. But instead you put out a lame attempt at turning the tables and set your sights on me, the person who is striving for equality for everyone and not just the “normal” people.
The difference between me and the people who discriminate against others is that I’m not trying to stop anyone from having an opinion. They can hate gays all they want, that’s their right. But they shouldn’t be allowed to withhold equal rights from people. We need more than tolerance, we need acceptance in the eyes of the law.
Daddy Files´s last blog ..Bar Babies
Posted on March 14th, 2010 at 2:11 am
Zerzix Says:
I think you are the one missing the point of her post here. She is more concerned with you Bigotry toward the south than she is with you detest for preceived rights violations. She stated “so-called gay issues” in a journalistic manner to not pass judgment in either direction. Another way to say this is “Alleged gay issue”. If this goes to court it may be found not to be a gay rights issue.
Your issue should not be with southern states but with 30 states in the union which have constitutional bans on gay marriage, an additional 11 have laws banning gay marriage. That is 41 states out of 50 that ban gay marriage, Mississippi is only one state. Only 6 states allow gay marriage, 4 states in addition to those 6 have laws protecting gay unions. You have seen my list of states that protect housing rights on dad Blogs, of which there are only 16.
Her issue is with you description of “stubborn bunch of ignorant redneck hillbillies.” First, there are not “hillbillies” in Mississippi; the place is majority flat land and swamps. Second, Many people in the South are not “Ignorant”. I will agree that many are stubborn, but that does not make them ignorant. She may have issues with the dissension by the school board to cancel the prom, but this post was about your blatant prejudice against the south when there are many northern states that have similar laws to the one you are blasting.
The real question in my opinion is would anything have happened in this prom case if the girl did not stress “I am bringing my gay date and wearing a tux.” I do not think there are enough facts in the article I have read to from a case against the school or the school board. If you dig a bit deeper into the facts you will see that she was banned from other school activities as well. Is this a case of I am going to get my way because I am gay, for a violation of rights? In Mississippi, and many other states, no law was broken and no protected right were violated. I feel with the facts presented in articles that I have read the ACLU has no case.
Posted on March 14th, 2010 at 3:33 am
Daddy Files Says:
I think you know that I’ve gone on the record many times expressing my disapproval of any state that discriminates against gay people and won’t recognize their right to get married. I’m focusing on Mississippi because that’s where this controversy is taking place. I think that’s pretty apparent.
You can call it stubborn if you’d like. I’m sticking with ignorant because. Not everyone, but it certainly seems like a lot.
You talk about her wanting “to get her way” and seem to place the blame on her. That’s the problem here. She’s not looking to get her way, she’s looking for fair and equal treatment from a public school. And she shouldn’t have to ask for it because schools shouldn’t discriminate in the first place. All she wants to do is take her date, who happens to be another woman, just like all the hetero couples. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Daddy Files´s last blog ..Sick Day
Posted on March 14th, 2010 at 8:36 am
Zerzix Says:
You are still side stepping my point, no law was broken and no protected right were violated. I feel with the facts presented in articles that I have read the ACLU has no case.
If this girl or any other LGBT person wants to form a case for civil rights violation they must first have the civil rights (which are out side the norm for the area) spelled out in the law.
In our great nation things are voted on my majority. With that in mind, that area, and much of the country, is against LGBT having separately defined civil rights that are not are ready given to all Americans. Much of America (majority in most states) are in favor of preserving the current definition of marriage in America, which is a union between a man and a woman. If lobbying does not work to further they GLBT cause, it is because we (the majority of Americans) do not feel that such laws need to be enacted.
I often do not agree with the votes and views of the majority, but that is the price we pay for living in a country where the people are in control of the government. If you look at the time lines for gaining civil rights here in America the GLBT population still has a long wait ahead of them. Interracial couples still had issues with laws on the books until November 2000, and they have had civil rights for 1867 with the 14th Amendment. Women did not have the protected right to vote until 1920. These things are not considered controversial subjects in this nation now. GLBT still have a lot of work to do to become accepted in our nation. If they feel that working and lobbying for their rights is not fair, tell it to those who have been lobbying and fighting for over 150 years. The gay rights movement is said to have started in 1965, they still have 100 years of lobbying and protesting to do to make it to the point we have achieved with racial civil rights.
Posted on March 14th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Daddy Files Says:
They do have their civil rights. It’s called the 14th amendment and the Equal Protection Clause, which states “no state shall … deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
Straight kids can go to the prom. Their rights are protected. But not gay kids. This is a violation of their constitutionally protected rights. The ACLU absolutely has a case, and the school board recognized that, which is why they backed off it and canceled the prom instead. You don’t think the school officials consulted with an attorney first?? of course they did.
Daddy Files´s last blog ..Sick Day
Posted on March 14th, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Zerzix Says:
I have done more digging on this issue that you have such a problem with.
First off, the ACLU is not suing over 14th amendment right, they calling it an issue of 1st amendment right. There fore your 14th amendment argument is not a perceived issue here.
Second, she was not told that she could not attend. She was told that if the presence of her and her girlfriend caused problems they could be ejected from the prom. She was not banned. The only thing she was told she could not do was ware a tux. Only male students were permitted to wear a tux. This is a formal event, in a state that shows extreme views toward traditional coupling. I can see the reasoning.
Third, the prom was not canceled until the ACLU was brought in. The prom was canceled for “Concerns for the education, safety, and welfare of the students.” Again, I can understand the standing here. This was a mild situation that was escalated out of control, by one student and her perceived rights violation. With the controversy over LGBT in the state of Mississippi, if the school board sided one way or the other, could trigger more dangerous outcries from activists on either side of the issue.
If this student, who is fully aware of the majority views of the state she lives in, did not push the issue to the ACLU she could have “enjoyed her prom night like everyone else” the way she wanted. She pushed on an issue that did not need to be pushed on. The only thing that I can find, even in the cited court documents, that she was told she could not do was ware a tuxedo.
This breaks down to a court case over a valid warning about the situation and lack of permission to wear a specific outfit.
Posted on March 15th, 2010 at 4:08 am