Posted on 10/28/2007 3:35:36 PM PDT by mngran2
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the royalty of Davis Senior High School's junior class: Brandon Raphael and his prince, Kiernan Gatewood. For what appears to be the first time in school history, the Davis Senior High student body has elected a gay couple into homecoming royalty. With each boasting a white sash declaring his title as "Prince," the two 16-year-olds rode through the city of Davis on a recent Friday afternoon in the school's annual homecoming parade.
They stood in the back of a pickup truck, arm-in-arm, smiling warmly despite the rain.
"People were so excited for us," Gatewood said of the couple's victory, announced a few weeks ago. "We were a little surprised, but Davis ..."
"Is a liberal town," interrupts his boyfriend of four months, Raphael. "Go 10 miles in any other direction and you'll get some other feeling."
Indeed, the news might surprise few in Davis, a city embraced and, at times, mocked for its liberal leanings.
But students and adults cheering on the boys recognized their election as a meaningful milestone.
Lai-San Seto, advocacy coordinator for the San Francisco-based Gay-Straight Alliance Network, said the Davis Senior High homecoming election is not the first case of gay students bucking tradition.
But it remains far from the norm, Seto said.
And usually by the time she hears about such things, they've become a controversy within their community.
"It's a sign that LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgenderand queer) people are getting recognized everywhere," she said. "LGBTQ are considered vital members of the school community and are able to participate in school events in the same full way that their straight fellow students are able to." Seto applauded the Davis Senior High student body for their acceptance — and the school administration for being "open-minded."
In the weeks since officials announced the homecoming court, there's been no public outcry — not by campus leaders, not by students and not by the community.
Students said they were encouraged that the election was not an issue for campus administrators. They said they were less surprised that a gay couple would win than they were that officials allowed it to happen.
"I thought the administration would have more to say about it," Raphael said.
Principal Michael Cawley declined to comment on the boys' election, saying only that he hoped to keep the issue "low-key."
Students, however, were eager to talk. They piled atop floats and lined the parade route to show their school spirit, armed with air horns and fistfuls of candy.
Some have been celebrating their friends' landmark victory for days.
"I think it's just such a good thing for our school. Just knowing that the other kids recognize them as a couple and would vote for a gay couple to be prince and prince of homecoming. ... I don't know, I just think it's awesome," said senior Chandler Fox, co-president of the campus Gay-Straight Alliance. "I want people to know about it so maybe it can happen at another school."
Decked out in Davis Senior High's colors of blue and black, sophomore Charlotte ter Haar and two friends agreed that the election was significant because it came straight from the students — Raphael and Gatewood won in a write-in ballot election.
Couples could campaign for their class titles — king and queen for seniors, prince and prince(ss?) for juniors, etc. — but no names appeared on the ballot. Students wrote in their own candidates.
"The students voted for who they wanted to win," ter Haar said.
Parent Lorna Bernard said she was taken aback by the news — only because in her day, a gay couple stood to be harassed by their peers, not elected.
But Raphael and Gatewood, she said, are "not just accepted, they're popular — popular enough to be elected as homecoming princes."
And that, she said, is "really cool."
As for the boys, they said they campaigned hard in anticipation of the election. But their goal, they said, was not to make a political statement.
"We wanted to be nominated and win," Raphael said.
Added Gatewood: "Just like anybody else."
That makes sense - You got to throw and catch the cheerleaders. Sounds like a good job.
I just never saw it in Bama or Ohio, until I got to College..
Would not bother me in the least if God brought judgement upon the San Fran area. You are right my friend, if that did happen, he would not apologize and it would certainly not be a joke.
I thought you were going to comment on the “campaigning hard” wording.
I couldn’t think of anything that wouldn’t get my post deleted.
Typing “nice pun” wouldn’t serve it justice.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Our nation’s most serious threat is NOT islamofascism. It is communism/Marxism.
We can survive a nuclear suitcase bomb but we will **NOT** survive if the Marxists who have complete control of our colleges and universities and our K-12 schools succeed in indoctrinating the next generation of voters.
Our K-12 schools and universities and colleges are the Marxists most important weapon. Why on earth are freedom loving people ASLEEP? ( yes, I am shouting! Is anyone out there awake?)
Yes, occasionally Sean Hannity will do a report on some outrage in the government schools, but he has NEVER ( to my knowledge ) identified for what it truly is! It is an attempt by MARXISTS to destroy our freedom!
Rush almost never reports on schools.
What is even more sad it that our most influencial talk hosts rarely use the words that fit: Marxism and Communism. How can we win this philosophical civil war if we do not call the enemy what he is ????
The enemy in this philosophical war are NOT liberals, leftists, socialists, or progressives! They are MARXISTS!!!!
The solution for deactivating the Marxists most important weapon ( the schools) is the following:
1) Remove your own child from K-12 schools.
2) Encourage your neighbors and friends to do the same.
3) Then organize a MASSIVE tax revolt to defund government K-12 schools and state colleges and universities.
4) Work like crazy to shut down or reform private colleges and universities.
5) Create new colleges and universities.
While standing in line at the concession stand some of the members of the public school bands began mocking and ridiculing the kids wearing the uniform of the Christian school. One of the public school kids said, “you might as well be wearing a Satan outfit.”
I have to say that as a former public high school teacher, the thinking and behavior of public school kids is no longer any surprise.
Public schools have become the front line tool for debasing American culture.
Just a matter of time.
Not if the future of the nation is our youth. Impressionable and confused kids teetering on the brink of succumbing to the homosexual propaganda see this as an endorsement of a perverted lifestyle and risk taking the plunge that does irreparable harm to their bodies and souls. I see this event as an assault.
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