Day of Silence/Day of Truth... which one?

[Asmodai]

The contenders?

http://www.dayofsilence.org/

The Day of Silence - in which gay kids and their friends spend a day being quiet as a metaphor for their harassment and exclusion. The goal is to eventually in a weird, "national day of ___" way, get people to eventually be nicer to them at school. Okay.

 

And-

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/actions/currentactions/default.aspx?cid=3308

The Day of Truth. Sponsored by a religious right organization, it encourages students to hand out cards the day after Day of Silence, saying:

 

I am speaking the Truth to break the silence. I believe in equal treatment for all, and not special rights for a few. I believe in loving my neighbor, but part of that love means not condoning detrimental personal and social behavior. I believe that by boldly proclaiming the Truth, hurts will be halted, hearts will be healed, and lives will be saved.

 

There's a problem here, because everyone thinks the other person's "day" should be shut down.

 

DoS-ers think DoT is illegitamate, because all it's doing is countering their holiday, and despite the giddy-religious cover up, it's basically about harassing and not accepting other students for being different, which shouldn't be condoned in a public school.

 

DoT-ers think that DoS is providing special rights for gay children, and violating the freedom of speech of christian children... somehow. (Can't see what side I'm on, eh?) They also say that they should be able to express an anti-homosexual view, if other kids are allowed to express a pro-homosexuality view.

 

My opinion? DoT isn't legit, at least by today's standards. Freedom of speech isn't absolute - it's free as long as you aren't promoting hatred or negativity, EXPECIALLY in front of kids. This isn't necessarily my belief, but things run smoother if we keep it that way. Besides, there's a difference between a "holiday" about not beating kids up in the halls, and a "holiday" focused on making people change who they feel they are.

 

Your opinions?

[ImWithStupid]

I don't think either should be allowed in schools. I think both should be banned because they will potentially cause a distraction to the students who choose not to participate and want to learn. Even if this is limited to between classes it will still be a distraction throughout the school.

 

I think these rights of these children to learn takes precident over the protests of others. Both groups rights to free speach and assembly stop when they begin to infringe on the rights of others.

 

They can be silent and hand out cards all they want outside of school.

[ParasiteGod]

I think DoS is perfectly legit. It's just a metaphorical example of how gay kids are isolated/mistreated in school. It's happening, why deny it? Anyway, it's really only strivng for TOLERANCE. They're not saying you should like gays or hate gays. They just want to be left alone.

DoT, however, is not. It is promiting hatred. And they are doing it at a SCHOOL. A school is the last place at which hatred should be promoted.

DoS isn't doing anything to anyone. They just want acceptance. They're just...not talking for a day. What's so distracting about that?

DoT is passing out cards and stuff. They just want the world to hate gay people.

Hate who you want, I don't care. But don't bring that shit to school. School is a place where you should be able to feel safe while getting an education. Not feel threatened while people are being ignorant.

[ImWithStupid]

Inevitably one of the children that are participating will be called on by a teacher who isn't aware of what's going on. The student will sit silent, the teacher will get frustrated because their authority is being challenged, and so on, and so on...

 

I think this has enough potential to cause a disruption, if not by the above scenerio then by another student who is ignored or something getting upset.

 

I don't feel that public schools are the place for any kind of protest whether it is passive or active protesting.

[ParasiteGod]

Good point. Agreed.