Christianists Are Whining About the National Day of Silence

As we approach another year’s observance of the National Day of Silence, the Christianist hate merchants are predictably whining and carrying on about the event and once again showing themselves to be anything but the followers of the Jesus of the Gospels who preached a message of love of neighbor and compassion. Rather they show no compassion and constantly disseminate a message of hate and non-acceptance, not to mention outright lies, in respect to anyone who does not perfectly mirror their belief system or world view.

NOTE: The American Family Association which is leading the whining is so dishonest and disingenuous that it is peddling “ex-gay” materials that feature Michael Johnston, the fraud that my client and I working with Wayne Besen exposed as a complete fraud in August, 2003 Johnston is featured on the DVD cover at left (http://www.pageoneq.com/news/2005/Besen_AFA_12_06_05.html). How AFA can market materials with Johnston claiming he was “cured” by accepting Jesus is mind numbing and I challenge them to cease the dishonesty. The following are highlights of a story outlining the AFA’s latest disingenuous bleating (http://www.star-telegram.com/state_news/story/559166.html):

Some area students are planning a silent observance late this month to denounce the harassment of gays, but a national family values organization is urging parents to keep their children home that day to fight the protest. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a New York-based nonprofit, set April 25 as a national Day of Silence to bring attention to the harassment of some students by peers because of their sexual orientation or gender expression, organizers said.

But a Mississippi-based nonprofit is trying to stop the observance. The American Family Association has posted information about the event on its Web site and has circulated e-mails in recent weeks listing schools that the association says are participating. "It's just foolishness for children to be subjected to this social activism at school," said Buddy Smith, an administrator with the association. "It is not the place for this type of educational malpractice."

Eliza Byard, deputy executive director of GLSEN, said the American Family Association's message distorts the day's meaning. "This is an opportunity for concerned students to speak out on the issue of violence and aggression against students based on sexual orientation or gender expression," she said. The harassment is "simply unacceptable, and it has to stop." Smith said his group's efforts are intended to protect children from what he called the homosexual lifestyle. "I would not want my child subjected to a push for a lifestyle that goes against everything I'm trying to teach my child about what is right and wrong," he said.

April 25 is the national Day of Silence. The event was organized in 1996 by University of Virginia students to bring attention to the harassment and violence some gay students face. This year's event is in honor of Lawrence King, a California eighth-grader who was killed in February because of his sexual orientation, according to news reports. Nationwide, 4 of every 5 gay or transgender students are harassed at school, according to the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network. GLSEN became the event's sponsor in 2001. For more information about the event, go to www.dayofsilence.org