What bullcrap! For 20 years the love that dare not speak it's name won't shut the hell up!
Posted on 04/11/2002 2:56:37 AM PDT by kattracks
INDIANAPOLIS, Apr 11, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- At nearly 1,800 high schools and colleges nationwide, students chose not to speak in order to protest anti-gay bias in schools.
Wednesday's Day of Silence was meant to draw attention to the isolation that can drive gay students to higher rates of suicide and substance abuse.
"Today, a lot of people understood. They had more respect for the people being quiet," said Maria Hoose, 17, an Albany, N.Y., high school student who describes herself as bisexual.
The protest, in its seventh year, grew from 200 schools last year to 1,776 schools in 49 states this year under a new national organizer, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.
The majority of students who participated were straight.
Students from 12 high schools in the Albany, N.Y., area took part in the protest, including half of the 1,600 students at Bethlehem Central High School.
In Kalamazoo, Mich., 200 students at nine area high schools and two colleges pledged their silence. At Hellgate High School in Missoula, Mont., about 150 students did not speak.
For some, the protest symbolized the silence that surrounds gay students.
"If you talk to a lot of people in high school, it's not an issue that's openly discussed," said Marc Korobkin, who organized Nicolet High School's protest in suburban Milwaukee.
At day's end, about 150 Nicolet protesters who had dressed in black with rainbow armbands gathered to yell and break the silence.
"My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by harassment, prejudice and discrimination," read cards protesters on the Butler University campus gave to passers-by.
A few recipients crumpled cards in disgust, while others smiled at those passing them out and talked about the cards with friends.
Demonstrators with signs and leaflets calling homosexuality sinful staged counterprotests at schools in Wisconsin, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and California, said the Rev. Ralph Ovadal, director of Wisconsin Christians United.
Ovadal called the protests a "ploy by the homosexual community to use schools to promote homosexuality."
A 2001 survey of students found that more than 80 percent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students report being verbally, physically or sexually harassed at school, the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network said.
"We're here to make sure that when something happens, none of us are going to remain silent," said 19-year-old Jordan Carter at a rally that followed the protest in Plano, Texas, a Dallas suburb.
University of Virginia students organized the first Day of Silence in 1996. About 100 colleges nationwide participated in 1997, with high schools joining in 1998.
---
On the Net:
Day of Silence: http://www.dayofsilence.org
Wisconsin Christians United: http://www.wcuweb.com
By KATRINA HULL Associated Press Writer
Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved
What bullcrap! For 20 years the love that dare not speak it's name won't shut the hell up!
Where's the diversity here? Why are they leaving out the beastiality students? The necrophelia (sp) students? The feces handling students...
I remember a couple of kids on a neighboring farm when I was younger who used to enjoy running through the cow pasture barefoot. I KNEW we should have locked them up. :-)
In the 25 or so years since shows like M*A*S*H* tried to show how "natural" a life-style is I have seen nothing but noise from the homosexuals. Silence my a$$.
And yet, there remains 'silence' about the 'true' original source of over 90% of the AIDS cases in the world, Jordan. Please stop believing the 'lies' of the left, and seek out the truth for yourself before you become a victim of their deceit.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
More pervert acceptance bullsh1t.
Can't prove it in my book.
A 2001 survey of students found that more than 80 percent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students report being verbally, physically or sexually harassed at school, the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network said.
While I don't agree with physical or sexual harassment of anyone (although only a SAD would sexually harass a SAD so that one doesn't count) I want to know what they define as harassment. Is telling them the truth (as I suspect most cases are) harassment?
If they don't want to hear the truth they should stay in the closet, or better yet clean it and get cured
God Save America (Please)
What, no answer, that's a zero for you. Try again next year."
GSA(P)
Well, gee, to the liberals isn't that way it's supposed to be?
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