CitizenLink, Focus on the Family’s political-action newsletter, ominously declared yesterday that “‘No Name-Calling Week’ Has a Hidden Agenda.”
Starting today, students throughout the nation are being encouraged to participate in “No-Name Calling Week.” But what may seem like a good idea is nothing more than a plug for the goals of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
According to Focus, groups that prevent verbal harassment and defamation have an “adult agenda” that has no legitimate place in grades 5 through 9. In particular, Focus is angry that students are challenged to confront the inhumanity and dishonesty of being forced into a “closet” about one’s sexual orientation.
Focus claims, “All students should enjoy a safe environment,” but Focus opposes any lessons that would actually help youths understand why their name-calling is rooted in falsehoods and why sexual dishonesty and denial are unhealthy.
Focus opposes sexual honesty and the refutation of stereotypes, because sexual dishonesty is the central premise of ex-gay activism — and because stereotypes form the unfortunate foundation of the organization’s outreach to antigay parents, teachers, and pastors.
This kind of dishonest argumentation is used again and again by anti-gay persons and organizations.
It always runs along the lines of “We don’t support anti-gay bullying/name-calling/job discrimination etc., but we can’t possibly support measures to end it because that might be taken to imply that… or it might lead to… or it might be used for the purpose of….”
You’ll remember that Archbishop Migliore (Peggiore might be a better name for him) used it recently to excuse the Vatican’ failure to support an end to the criminalization of gays.
It’ just arrant humbug, and it makes me bloody sick.
Focus on the Family reveals its true colors when it opposes efforts to stop bullying. They would have more credibility if they did not stand in the way of kids trying to protect themselves from bullies.
That is absolutely appalling. Thank you for sharing it. The far Right never ceases to appall of course — the theories, beliefs and rhetoric is not just out of place in time, its out of mind.
Kind regards,
Reyn