I admit it, even I am not immune to the feel good Holiday story.
Stop the presses.
That first line was pure bullshit. Anyone with half a brain who reads this blog knows good and well I'm not buying in to all of those holiday happy ass stories. I hate to burst any bubbles, but the world isn't holding a moratorium on crazy while the holidays are underway. Yeah, I know that comes as a big shock, what with Fox 4 Paying it forward, Secret Santa's running around, and the guy who hands out used cars to poor folk. Heartwarming stories are nice, but someone has got to keep you saps grounded. So in response to all of the Happy Holiday horse shit, allow me to retort.
An off duty cop is doing security at a Cincinnati middle school basketball game. A fight breaks out between two students after the game is over . The cop does his job, breaks up the fight. As he is taking the two kids back inside the school, over 30 kids, grades 6 through 8 or 9, not sure which, jump on the cop. They not only beat his ass, they try to take his gun. One of the parents even gets in on the act and gets arrested. Apparently they have a pretty bad gang problem in Cincy, and these 30 little shit heels are shining examples of that problem. To the credit of the school district in Cincy, basketball season has been cancelled. KCMO school district are you paying attention here? A school official has taken a stand, it may be futile, but at least they are trying to hold these hell raisers responsible, rather than spewing the litany of excuses that are usually the gold standard for explaining away inexcusable behavior in schools. It's called accountability and repercussions for bad behavior, make a note.
Am I being a curmudgeon? Probably. So here's a story from the North Kansas City school district, sure to warm the cockles of your heart.
The North Kansas City school board voted Monday night to keep a children’s book in school libraries despite the concerns of a parent.Board members decided to retain the book “And Tango Makes Three” by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson in a 3-2 decision after more than an hour of discussion.
The book is about 2 male penguins who raise a baby penguin. I haven't read the book, and I probably won't, not that I have a beef with gay penguins, I don't. According to the Star, a parent got his shorts in a bunch over the book and wanted it banned from the library. Dixon, who addressed the board last week, said he opposed the book because he didn’t believe it was age-appropriate for young children and didn’t follow the district’s policy on human sexuality education. He also said he thought the book tried to indoctrinate children about homosexuality.
Scarily, two board members agreed with this mouth breathing homophobe. As a public service, I'd like to just dispense with all of the niceties and cut to the chase on this one. Parents, if your child reads a children's book about two gay penguins, he wont run out and start dressing up like Perez Hilton, or she won't go all mannish on you, start wearing dockers and get one of those spiky hair cuts. The book I assume is trying to teach young children about diversity and acceptance of those who might march to a different drum. I'm no doctor Spock here, but I would think that teaching a child early in life that not everyone is exactly the same, would be a good thing. Of course the other option would be to insulate your child, let them learn from the knuckle draggers when they hit Jr. High. If the penguins start shoving their wings up one anothers ass, doing X, and trolling Penn Valley Park let me know, otherwise, shut the fuck up. Little Joey ain't gonna run out and start blowing his classmates because of a kids book about ghey arctic flightless birds. Penguins are flightless, aren't they?
Okay, now that I've derailed the Merry Christmas train, I'll leave you with this video. It's Christmas goodness. It's all about the spirit of giving.
Gotta disagree with you MM on the penguin book. Personally, I do not "fear" people who happen to have same-sex desires and then make their desires their identity. It's a blatant bit of propaganda to label people with a disease (homophobia) whom one disagrees with on a particular matter.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, with that out of the way, I just want to mention that I support parents and families to make decisions about how they raise their children - and I think they have a right to speak up about that. This is especially true when it comes to morality (this of course excludes parents having the right to teach their kids who to hate or kill). If books and other kinds of media do not influence behavior, as you insinuate by saying that kids aren't going to dress like Perez Hilton after reading the book, then why was the book written in the first place? Wasn't it to influence children toward "tolerance" of same-sex couples? If so then why wouldn't it also influence children toward same sex attraction? As far as I know it hasn't been proven that people with predominately same sex desires is a genetic condition. And where's the line between tolerance and acceptance. These days it seems like when people use the term tolerance what they really mean is YOU MUST ACCEPT, or else. It just seems incredibly odd to me that we'd promote relationships that aren't the ideal biologically or socially. Instead we'd rather promote ACCEPTANCE of the exceptions. I just do not believe that once kids start reading about two male penguins with a kid that some how hate is going to cease and peace will ensue. More likely we'll just move the shells of hate over to another group, which of course is already happening to those of us who find ourselves a bit more traditional. We, of course, can have whatever vitriol and hatred at one's disposal spewed at us without even an ounce of shame or remorse. That said, I don't feel sorry for myself nor do expect everyone to ACCEPT me, I just ask for civility in discourse and a little tolerance.
General
ReplyDeleteThe solution would be to not allow ones child to check out that particular book, no? Acceptance and Tolerance go hand in hand, you really can't have one without the other. But that's just my opinion, individual results may vary. I just don't feel there is some insidious message hidden inside the binding of this book. To my way of thinking, it simply highlights the fact that not everyone is the same, but their differences don't make them much different when it's all said and done. Just my take.
In the mid-to-late 70's I was a in grade school in Overland Park.The two guys who lived next door to my best friend adopted a boy from China that was our age. We became friends with him. We had no idea that he was being raised by two gay guys until years later. We did not notice they were gay because NOBODY TOLD US they were gay. He was just our friend from next door. All three of us are heterosexual. Point being, the kids won't think a thing about it unless some dumb ass adult opens their mouth.
ReplyDeleteHey, teh ghey is contagious. Watch out.
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ReplyDeleteMM, first of all I just want to say that I'd buy you a beer if I ever saw you out and about. I think you're a great writer and most of the time I agree with your analysis of things. Your humor is spot on. I mention all that, not because you need another ass kisser around here, but because I don't want you to think I'm an MM contrarian (not that you'd care of course).
ReplyDeleteOkay, here we go. You say the solution would be to just tell your kid not to check out the book. That's not really the issue. If it was a retail store or something like that, yeah, that would be the solution. When it comes to public money from tax payers that's a whole other issue. Most Americans, as polls show, believe that homosex is an immoral act and they don't believe familiarizing their kids with the "lifestyle", in the form of children's books, is something their tax dollars necessarily need to go toward.
As far as acceptance and tolerance goes, there is a necessary distinction between the two. For instance in your mind, because of my understanding of same-sex relationships, I am a "knuckle dragger", a "mouth breather" and a "homophobe". These adjectives do not necessarily illicit the feeling of acceptance, which is okay. However, you do tolerate me, at least for now, commenting on your blog.
What school boards and other government organization are increasingly requiring of me and others who share my view on the subject is that we embrace, even with our tax dollars, what we do not agree with, morally. That just isn't...well, American. It's no longer okay to tolerate, you must accept homosex as normal and healthy.
General
ReplyDeletethe folks who agree with my stance are also tax payers, so it would be equally unfair to censor the book based on that. I personally don't feel like you or anyone needs to embrace a lifestyle you disagree with. As for the mouth breather comparisons, I wouldn't take too much offense or feel like I'm singling anyone out. as a long time reader you know I'll be slinging arrows at some other group or individual tomorrow. We just agree to disagree, and your comments are, as always, welcome. Have a good christmas.
A dick in a box makes a great present in these hard economics times, MM. I like the way you think.
ReplyDeleteI'm betting the General hasn't had the experience of knowing a child who was being raised a gay couple. We have one across the street from our house, he was adopted by a lesbian couple (been together 15 years) after social services removed him from his mother shortly after birth.
This mixed race child had crack and alcohol in his system, needless to say, ten years later he's got a handful of cognitive issues from the systemic abuse he took inside the womb. His heterosexual mother had eight previous children removed from her care prior to Josh's birth.
In addition to the problems his slut of a straight mother hoisted onto his small back, this young, very straight, testosterone fueled, beautiful boy has had to deal with the cruelty of other children making fun of his two moms, even worse, he's had to suffer the bigotry of adults who shun him socially. No invites to birthday parties, play dates, sleepovers, etc. He's a lonely child.
The nice, white, upscale straight liberals who populate my neighborhood treat him and these two decent women as pariahs. As a conservative and a believer, it disgusts me.
A book that tells the story of Josh and his family isn't promoting homosexuality, it is discussing reality. Gay people exist and they have children. You don't have to approve of what they are, attend Pride marches or vote yes on gay marriage to have some empathy for these families, to learn what they're dealing with and to stop treating it as a political issue rather than as a human issue.
This little boy, who lives across the street from me, ought to be able to find his story in the school library, too.
Good post Daphne.
ReplyDeleteOutsider? STFU. You're a latent pillow-biter, in the tradition of Fred Phelps.
Sincerely,
Al
I wont slug lt out with you on MM's comment thread.Sooooyou might as well simmer down ,unless you have an intelligent answer to my question.
ReplyDeleteWhy not slug it out, Outsider? You don't mind slinging shit my way. Is is easier fighting girls than boys in your raw necked acre of bigoted property?
ReplyDeleteYou couldn't hurt my feelers if you tried and why the capitalization when referring to yourself? A tad pretentious for a principled man of God.
Do you have any actual arguments or debate on my comment, Outsider? Or do you just fling shit when stumped for words?
It's worth emphasizing, Daphne, your point that that outsider doesn't have a whole lot to say...
ReplyDeleteAl, that's because he's cognitively dysfunctional.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd like to suck cock, Outsider. Maybe take a little up the up the ass, poke your schlong down the dark hole. I do believe you have you some serious sexual issues, big guy, if you're honestly afraid that a couple of illustrative gay penguins shown caring for a baby could alter anyone's ejaculatory preference.
Most conservative men, who are comfortable in their hetero-normative performance, don't get their boxers in a grey twist over a bland children's book that describes a normal gay family made up of boring animal illustrations.
So, we're back to the point of the straight kids you personally like are getting their stories shelved at the school library. The ones you despise are just shit out of luck. Who made you the social arbiter of good books and kid's lives, Outsider?
When you decide to fully fund those taxpayer libraries out of your own back pocket, give me a call on this non-issue. I'll suggest you save your money and assault some private school with your full fledged brand of bigotry.
I know this is probably dead now but fwiw….
ReplyDeleteHi Daphne,
What if I have had the “experience” of knowing a child who was raised by a same-sex couple? And what if I still came to the same conclusion on the issue? Would you then be persuaded that I was justified to hold the position that I do? Probably not, so lets quit using the “experience” stick to beat people with. Experiential knowledge isn’t the only way we know things, otherwise we can go ahead and get rid of half the academic disciplines and laws we’ve come to see as right and/or true a priori.
If you’re truly a conservative, Daphne, then you’ll agree that as a conservative we believe in promoting ideals. This is regardless of the reality of any given person’s situation. We can become a better person and a better society by assenting to those ideals. It is the duty of the government, and the people who have voted in that government, to promote those ideals.
This doesn’t mean that we don’t allow for exceptions, or that we don’t love or treat respectfully people in irregular situations. But it also doesn’t mean that it is proper to promote every experience and relationship on equal footing. Certainly your neighbor boy is in a better situation with the same-sex couple than with “his slut of a straight mother” – but I’m against promoting slatterns as mothers as well. Yet, I’ve known loose women to raise decent children. My point is that we should promote what is ideal, not every person’s individual experience; the ideal is two loving, male and female, married people raising children. All things equal this is the best chance a child has for success. The stats and tradition bear this out.
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ReplyDeleteGeez Daph,IF I was gay ,would that be so bad to you? "biggoted"? Actually when im at a loss for words ,I dont say shit...it seems that when your stumped for an insult you accuse someone of being homosexual or homo curious...Sup with that?.Keep chirping ,its very telling.
ReplyDelete