What about the kids? N.C. Christian Action League more concerned with the sex

On Monday I posted again about the N.C. Christian Action League’s misleading words and tactics regarding the School Violence Prevention Act (HB 1366). That was after first exposing their inaccurate op-ed written by Mary Frances Forrester, wife of anti-gay, anti-marriage amendment supporter state Sen. Jim Forrester (R-Gaston).

Late last evening, the Christian Action League sent out an action alert on the bill and I immediately noticed one major problem with it, besides the obvious double talk.

Of the more than 600 words in the alert, written by the League’s executive eirector Mark Creech, only one time — yes, one — did Creech speak about the children:

The bill was passed by the House last year, but the Senate wisely removed the list of enumerations such as “race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, or sensory disability.” The Senate concluded that no enumerations were needed to effectively protect all of the state’s children. Bullying should be prohibited for any reason.

It seems as though the bill’s supporters, those like Rep. Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland) and Rep. Earline Parmon (D-Forsyth), have spent much more time and energy talking about North Carolina’s public school children and the need to provide them with a strong anti-bullying bill. The bill’s opponents, those like the Christian Action League, the N.C. Family Policy Council and Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam (R-Wake), have spent the majority of their time balking over the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender-identity.

Again, from the action alert:

The evil of this legislation is that it elevates “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” on the same levels with race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, physical appearance, mental, physical, or sensory disability,” which clearly are immutable or unchangeable characteristics. Homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender are not immutable or unchangeable. But approval of this legislation would be a societal affirmation to that end. Moreover, it would also elevate a sexual perversion on the same level with the sacred – religion – which generally speaking defines homosexuality as sinful. What better way to negate the two strongest voices of criticism against homosexuality in society – elevate an individual’s sexual preference to the same level as immutable characteristics and religion and by statute say it deserves the same recognition and protections.

If this legislation should pass it would essentially require North Carolina public schools to teach these behaviors are normal and perfectly acceptable. The premise for this contention would be the law itself.

The Christian Action League’s next statement — “Certainly, every conscientious Christian is opposed to bullying persons in all circumstances.” — is an empty one. Just two paragraphs prior they just called LGBT youth’s identity “sexual perversion” and called the bill that would protect them from bullying by peers and teachers “evil.”

While the Christian Action League and other anti-gay organizations are busy balking over anal sex and man-on-man romance, thousands of LGBT kids will be waking up this morning afraid to go to school. If they do decide to go, and not skip class like many do, they’ll face a barrage of verbal insults and physical abuse. If a teacher is present, she might be like the teacher Rep. Parmon had to discipline when she found the teacher not stopping the physical abuse of a gay student. Finally, if teachers and staff continue to ignore the abuse (because there is no law telling they can’t), these students might drop out.

Out of a 600 word action alert on a bill about protecting kids, the Christian Action League mentioned children only once. The rest of their time was spent bashing the existence of these youth. That should tell us where their priorities lie.

Take Action…
You can call your state senator and ask him to push his colleagues and Senate leadership to vote on the final conference report for the School Violence Prevention Act (HB 1366). You can also help EqualityNC reach out to the members of the Conference Committee. Click here to go to EqualityNC’s website and email the House and Senate Conference Committee members.

My letter to Sen. Daniel Clodfelter (D-Mecklenburg):

July 7, 2008

Dear Sen. Clodfelter,

My name is Matt Comer. I am 22 years old and moved to Charlotte at the end of September 2007 to take a job as editor of the lesbian and gay, bi-weekly newspaper based here. I switched my voter registration soon after moving here so that I could be able to vote in the primary and general elections.

It is very important to me that the Senate hear and vote on the conference report for HB 1366, the School Violence Prevention Act. I hope that you can push your colleagues and the Senate leadership to take a stand and vote on the conference report for this very important piece of legislation before the end of this year’s session.

I graduated from R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, N.C., in 2004. As an openly gay student I was constantly made the victim of a barrage of daily insults. Physical abuse by my peers was also common. Because my school system and the board of education chose to do nothing to protect students like me, I was forced with my friends to advocate on our own behalf. No student should ever have to beg for safety in schools. It should be a given… a promise… a guarantee.

The enumerated categories including sexual orientation and gender identity are needed in HB 1366. Without them, schools systems like those in Winston-Salem will continue to ignore gay students. Leaders, such as Forsyth County Board of Education member Jeannie Metcalf, will continue to be able to say, “I think homosexuality is a sin. If they want to make fun of them, I don’t have a problem with it” (Jeannie Metcalf, Winston-Salem Journal February 4, 2003).

Please push your colleagues and the Senate leadership to hear and vote on this final conference report for HB 1366.

Thank you,

Matthew M.H. Comer

Posted in Anti-LGBT, High School, LGBT, LGBT Youth, North Carolina, Politics, Religion, United States |