Author of California SB 777 Answers Lies of Conservative "Christians"

This op-ed article (http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/31/perspective/8_26_3112_29_07.txt) from the newspaper serving San Diego and Riverside Counties, California, is a rebuttal of the disingenuous claims (i.e., lies) being put out by the opponents of recently passed SB 777 that was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger. The author of the article, Sheila Kuehl, is a Democratic state senator from Santa Monica who authored SB 777, which was signed into law and is set to take effect next month. I recommend reading the entire op-ed piece because it illustrates how the Christianist intentionally distort the truth and seek to frighten the ignorant and uninformed. As I have said countless times, I do not understand how these self-professed Christians can justify their dishonesty and lies when the faith they claim to embrace forbids lying and bearing false witness. It is crucial that we know the tactics of our enemies and seek to expose them as liars as often as possible. Here are some highlights:

When society tells a young person ---- in subtle or, often, not so subtle, ways ---- that they are less valuable, perhaps because of the color of their skin, their religious practices or the gender of the person they want to take to the prom, the whole society suffers.

When we mandate that every young person must go to school, we must also provide the safety and dignity of an education free from harassment, discrimination and violence. That is why, over the last several years, I have authored several laws that strengthen civil rights protections for students and improve school safety. This year, as a simple cleanup measure, I authored SB 777 to include civil rights protections that have already been required for the last eight years by law to be more clearly spelled out in California's Education Code.

Seeing an opportunity to confuse their supporters by pretending the bill added protections to the code, the opposition has invented a number of inflammatory and false claims about the operation of SB 777. A bit of clarity, not to say truth-telling is in order.

First bit of balderdash: SB 777 certainly would not ban reference to "mom" and "dad" in the curriculum. Because nothing in SB 777 changes law that has been in place for eight years, you might have heard if such a ban had been put in place. In addition, if you did try to ban all reference to "mom" and "dad," it would be promoting a bias against heterosexuality, which is prohibited under current law, which means SB 777, as well. Ironically, SB 777 actually makes it clearer that this type of discrimination is prohibited by spelling out the legal definition of sexual orientation (heterosexuality, bisexuality and homosexuality) in the section of the Education Code that prohibits discrimination in school programs and activities.

Second bit of balderdash: SB 777 does not create a radical new definition of gender that will allow boys and girls to shower together and force schools to have unisex bathrooms and locker rooms. California has prohibited gender discrimination in schools using the exact same definition of gender found in SB 777 since the year 2000. Interestingly, precisely the same allegations were attempted 35 years ago by opponents of Title IX, which banned gender discrimination in schools under federal law. Those rather amusing predictions did not come true under Title IX and they have not come true under the law concerning schools that has been in effect in California since 2000, a law that is simply repeated in SB 777.

Third bit of balderdash: SB 777 does not change the content requirements for textbooks and other instructional materials. Although the opposition makes a valiant attempt to create confusion about the scope of current law, discrimination based upon a student's actual or perceived disability, gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or association with a person who has any of these characteristics has been prohibited in all publicly funded school programs and activities (including textbooks and classroom instruction) since 2000.

A repeal of SB 777 cannot strip away the existing protections for students against discrimination that have been in the law since 2000, the only effect of a repeal of SB 777 would be to confuse the public as to the scope of the existing civil rights protections for students. Perhaps, after all, that is the goal of the opposition. If you don't know your rights, you can't use them.

Christianist Wingnut Meltdown in California

HOMOSEXODUS! Revealed: 'Gay' plans to target 2-year-olds.

That is the headline for a new story on Wing Nut Daily a/k/a WorldNetDaily.com. (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59259). The story is based in reality only insofar as it references a new California statute recently signed into law by Governor Schwarzeneggger which simply took anti-discrimination language used in other areas of California law, such as employment and puts that in the education code. The new law provides that "No teacher shall give instruction nor shall any school district sponsor any activity that promotes a discriminatory bias because of a characteristic [including perceived gender.]"

Doesn't sound too subversive or bad, does it? Well the loony tunes crowd is having apoplexy, particularly Karen England, pictured at left, the head of the Capitol Resources Institute, an anti-gay "pro-family" organization. How dare the existence of gays, lesbians, gay parented families, etc. be acknowledge! They want us faggots to remain invisible. In my view, these people are sick, not to mention unhinged. One reason for their crazed response to the new law: California is one of the largest text book buyers in the country and "pro-family groups" are worried publishers will not print a different version (i.e., versions that protray gays negatively) for other states. Here are some quotes from Wing Nut Daily:

A list of school resources, sponsored by a homosexual-advocacy group called Safe Schools Coalition, suggests that for those who are only two years old, there's "Felicia's Favorite Story," which tells how she was "adopted by her two mothers." The list also promotes a book called "Are You a Girl or a Boy?" by Karleen Jiminez, a resource for children ages 4-8 when advocating homosexuality, bisexuality, transgenderism and other alternative lifestyle choices. It's described as "A sweet book about a gender-different kid."

Other resources being promoted in light of California's adoption of SB 777 as state law include books authored by officials for Planned Parenthood and the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network. One book, called "Tackling Gay Issues in School," is for kindergarten through grade 12, and offers a "rationale (for the inclusion of les/bi/gay/trans issues in school)." It features recommended "extracurricular" activities for classes.

And Karen England, a spokeswoman for Capital Resource who is a primary organizer behind the Save Our Kids plan to put the issue before voters and ask them to reject it, noted "All along, Capitol Resource Family Impact has maintained that the true agenda behind SB 777 is to infuse school curriculum with pro-homosexual, and other controversial lifestyles, propaganda. The proponents of the bill countered that this was not true and the law would merely 'streamline' anti-discrimination laws for schools. Based on our 20-year experience with the homosexual lobby, we know that a common tactic is to maintain innocence and then utilize vague language to push a radical agenda. We expected the same of SB 777 and we are already witnessing the same pattern," England said.

WND already has reported how the Gay Straight Alliance has forwarded instructions to its California chapters with information on how to make sure homosexuality is taught in public schools, and its warning having students and parents simply "tolerate" homosexuality is not enough. WND also has reported how thousands of requests for information about homeschooling and Christian school are bombarding organizations that support those efforts.

I guess Wing Nut Daily endorses having more messed up individuals like Matthew Murray - who was home schooled by his religious fanatic mother - turned out of these home school programs.

After Vetoing Gay Marriage Bill Schwarzenegger Signs 4 Other LGBT Laws

While there has been much coverage of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of the marriage legislation, he in fact did sign six bills that will improve the lives of millions of LGBT Californians and their families. One bill, SB 777, will require the Department of Education to monitor the way schools adhere to the state's anti-bias laws and specifically mandates the department to ensure the protection of LGBT students. This bill has the fundies going absolutely beserk and foaming at the mouth. The bill states:

“No teacher shall give instruction nor shall a school district sponsor any activity that promotes a discriminatory bias against any person because of a characteristic listed in Section 220. [Section 220 of the Education Code includes “sexual orientation”.] No textbook or other instructional materials shall be adopted by the state board or by any governing board for use in the public schools that reflects or promotes a discriminatory bias against any person because of a characteristic listed in Section 220.”

One would think the world was ending based on the hysteria found on Christianist web sites. The spittle is flying everywhere much to my delight, I might add. Here are some examples of "Christian" love at its finest:

Catholics for the Common Good: "SB 777 is a bill that will likely promote discrimination and bigotry against people who understand marriage is the foundation of the family that provides children with a mother and father. Thanks to the Governor Schwarzenegger, viewpoint discrimination is now enshrined in California law." "Current law already protects homosexuals, bisexuals and transgendered people from discrimination, but SB 777 will actually lead to the inclusion of advocacy for behaviors and lifestyle choices of protected classes in school instruction and activities when it takes effect in January, 2008." "The new law is so radical, it deletes the definition of students' sex – the objective reality of being male or female – and replaces it with the subjective construction of gender as determined by students."

Capitol Resource Institute: Under the guise of preventing discrimination and bias against homosexuals, transgenders and other sexual variants, SB 777 will force innocent school children to accept alternative lifestyles. “We are shocked and appalled that the governor has blatantly attacked traditional family values in California,” stated Karen England, Executive Director of Capitol Resource Institute. “With this decision, Governor Schwarzenegger has told parents that their values are irrelevant. Many parents will have no choice but to pull their children out of the public schools that have now become sexualized indoctrination centers.” “SB 777 will result in reverse discrimination against students with religious and traditional family values.” Governor Schwarzenegger has signed into the law the highly controversial SB 777 (Kuehl) that will permit transgender students to enter the locker rooms and restrooms of the gender with which they identify. “School boys have always made excuses to get into girls locker rooms–now they won’t need any because it will be a state-sanctioned policy,” stated England.

Americans for Truth (Peter LaBarbera a/k/a Porn Pete's newist Christianist organization): Teaching California Kindergarteners to be Transsexual, Bisexual and Homosexual? By prohibiting any textbook or instruction “reflecting adversely” upon a variety of sexual lifestyles, SB 777 would, in effect, require all instruction to positively portray transsexuality, bisexuality and homosexuality because silence on these sexual lifestyles would no longer be permitted. Consequently, schools would have to promote “same-sex marriages” and even sex-change procedures. “SB 777 requires all teachers, all textbooks, and all instructional materials to promote cross-dressing, sex-change operations, bisexuality, and homosexuality, including homosexual ‘marriages,’” said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families (CCF), a leading California-based pro-family organization, who observed today’s pro-SB 777 rally at the State Capitol. The new, “non-discriminatory” materials would have to include:
• Sex-change handouts (Omitting sex-change material in sex education class would “reflect adversely”)

• Transvestite speakers (Limiting classroom speakers to biologically-born men and biologically-born women would “reflect adversely”)

• Transsexual, bisexual and homosexual videos (Showing videos depicting only the traditional family or man-woman relationships would “reflect adversely”)

You get the idea. Since California is one of the largest purchaser of school textbooks, any modifications made to textbooks to meet this new legal requirement could spill over into other states where to be sure the Christianist will go crazy as well.