May 7, 2012 -- 5:54PM, TemplarS wrote:

I don't know why this is controversial.

Some are very sensitive about their homophobia. They don't want the topic discussed as it might put them in a bad light - as it should.

It is very clear that bullying can lead to suicide among young people; and not just of gays (here, for example: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Phoebe_... )

Sadly there are too many examples.

Unfortunately, there is something in human nature that leads people to want to be cruel to those different from themselves.  Teenagers seem inordinately susceptible to this.  Gays happen to be very convenient victims these days. The cyber-world has aggravated the problem. You cannot make these facts go away.

As has been shown; many times that aggression is a way of deflecting attention from themselves and the fact that they are afraid of actually being what they hate. Numerous studies have shown that many homophobes are sexually aroused when viewing gay porn.

May 7, 2012 -- 6:30PM, TemplarS wrote:

Anyhow, the point is, you can always find reasons why people behave in unacceptible ways. But that is no reason to tolerate such behavior. 

That is right, we should not tolerate such behavior, or tolerate those that do nothing to stop such behavior.  Zero contract/union aggreements should prevent a teacher from being fired for participating in such actions.  Sadly, that is not the case right now.

May 8, 2012 -- 12:51PM, TemplarS wrote:

May 8, 2012 -- 10:36AM, mytmouse57 wrote:

Some people don't like anybody who they can percieve as "other" -- for whatever reason.

You cannot change that.

But that is not the point. It is rather like when Barry Goldwater, in opposing the civil rights bill in the 60s, said "You cannot legislate morality."  That is perfectly true. But the point to the civil rights bill (and the point to anti-bullying laws now) was not to force white people to love black people, it was to force them to treat black people equally in education, housing, employment, voting, and so on.  Whether they liked them or not.

I don't care whether somebody likes gay people or not; if they harrass them, it should be criminally actionable.

Harrassment is already illegal. As it should be. There's no need to draft special legislation to force people to be civil toward gays. Just enforce the existing laws requiring the civil treatment of any other human being. After all, last time I checked, gays are human beings. 

As far as bullying, it should likewise be discouraged against anybody. This is not just a "gay" issue.

In fact, a popular, good-looking gay kid from a wealthy family could just as easily be one of the bullies in some cases. 

Because bullying is usually the "in" crowd kids being mean to the awkward, homely or wrong-side-of-the-tracks, have-not kids. At least that was the case when I was in school. And it is still the case, from what I can tell -- having a few kids myself, spread out in age range from kindergarten all the way up to junior college. 

And since kids these days, with a few exceptions that tend to get a lot of press, are generally very accepting of homosexuality/gays, again, it's just as likey for a gay kid to be part of the "in" crowd, and doing the bullying.

But, part of the reason it's often framed as a "gay" issue is, because that scenerio, in media terms, is a sexy story right now.

If a gay kid gets harrased or humiliated, and commits suicide, it will make news, because it's a hot issue right now. That, and there is a social movement with a vested interest and getting it in front of the public and pounding that drum. 

But if a heavyset, homely girl (one of the most viciously targeted groups in kid/teen culture) experiences the same, and kills herself, it's not "news." 

And I'll add, there's no PSA drive or celebrity spokeswomen all over the T.V. and YouTube telling heavyset, homely girls that, despite being beset with misery and humilation now -- "it gets better" if they can just hold on a few more years. 

Perhaps Kathy Bates or Rosanne Barr, both very succesful and widely respected "big" women with less than stellar looks -- could take up that cause.

May 7, 2012 -- 6:48PM, mountain_man wrote:

May 7, 2012 -- 5:54PM, TemplarS wrote:

I don't know why this is controversial.

Some are very sensitive about their homophobia. They don't want the topic discussed as it might put them in a bad light - as it should.

Some are very sensitive about their homophobia. They don't want the topic discussed as it might put them in a bad light - as it should.

How many of those who will not condemn bullying, are in fact bullies themselves.?

A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side. Aristotle
Never discourage anyone...who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. Plato..
"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives" Jackie Robinson

May 8, 2012 -- 6:04PM, mainecaptain wrote:

How many of those who will not condemn bullying, are in fact bullies themselves.?

I'd figure quite a few. Recently some congressman, of course it would be a male, tried to add something to an anti-bullying bill that would make the bullying OK if it was because of a "deeply held religious belief."

Wait, I was wrong... here's the story:

The Michigan Senate passed legislation Wednesday [November 2011] that requires school districts to develop anti-bullying policies, but the father of the boy for whom the bill is named says he has strong objections to language inserted at the last minute.

One of the reforms will require school districts to have procedures in place to address bullying complaints. But the bill now also has language that says requirements don't "prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil's parent or guardian."

Kevin Epling, whose son Matt Epling killed himself in 2002 after being bullied, said that the added language will allow anyone to bully a student and cite their religious beliefs. He has worked with lawmakers for years to developed anti-bullying legislation. Source.

Other states have tried to do the same.

That just goes against EVERYTHING this country is supposed to stand for.