Homosexuality. How many of you will stop reading after that word? This one-word controversy has sparked heated debates from the living room to the classroom. State Rep. Stacey Campfield's proposed bill prohibiting homosexuality references in pre-k to eighth grade in Tennessee school systems has been effectively killed in Tuesday's House subcommittee.
For the wise few of our society, a collective sigh of relief was exhaled with the ending of Campfield's bill. When Big Brother can dictate the educational system of our youths, we are putting out trust in the hands of an inevitably corrupt organization with the ability to mold the minds of the next generation.
According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, the bill "would allow for the teaching of heterosexuality." When teachers teach an issue with multiplicity, like sexual orientation, teaching only one side of the argument is like giving a child only half of his or her education.
The ultimate argument with homosexuality is not if it should be taught in school, but that it is an issue at all. Organizations like the Ku Klux Klan are rooted in the crisis between society and one group of people. The same principle applies to this modern version of the civil rights movements.
When individual thought can be overshadowed by an illogical principle of segregation, based on race, gender, sexual orientation or for any reason at all, it is wrong. The number one fear is public speaking, but I find it scarier when a microscopic perspective becomes the prevalent dogma in society.
To teach the next generation only heterosexuality is to condemn them to an unfair prejudice.To those who cannot be open-minded enough to accept the differences in people, they are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our history. You are condemning yourself to a pitiful, half existence when you are unable to accept people for themselves. The hate and fear evoked by homosexuals in narrow-minded people is based on an irrational fear of what they do not understand.
As the generation gap broadens and the next generation, my generation, comes into its own time, I am glad to see people's views are more considerate of what is different.
People fear what they don't understand - they fear change. Our parents' generation went through the counterculture of the Vietnam War era, but as they come to face the gay movement and modern day counterculture, they shy away from tolerance.
Is heterosexuality a conscious decision? Do you get up every morning thinking you will only check out females or males, respectively? For a homosexual, their sexual orientation is not a choice.
Obesity is a chosen disease; homosexuality is a predestined innate trait. To teach the next generation only heterosexuality is to condemn them to an unfair prejudice. To remove sex education in school is a disservice to human nature. Children need to be explained, at some point in their life, the infamous life lesson of "the birds and bees."
In the course of education, questions of sexual orientation will occur; it is an inevitable conclusion when dealing with hormonal youth and a forbidden topic. Teachers need to have the ability to address these questions, because if your education has been anything like mine, teachers have invariably taught me more than the textbook curriculum they all prescribe to.
The voices of teachers around the world are the voices of reason that shape the minds of our youth. The wall between a living room and a classroom is paper-thin. Parents are the greatest teachers of their children and teachers are substitute parents during the nine to five workday.
The construction of our school curricula should be left to the local school boards of the area. I just hope that whoever holds the power to create the curriculum is tolerant of change, individuality and acceptance.
Comments
Katie commented, on February 22, 2008 at 5:29 p.m.:
Get your facts straight. Obesity is not always chosen. There are several metabolic disorders and other illnesses that cause obesity. Of course for the majority of overweight people the cause is behavorial, but not always. Don't be guilty of what you are lecturing others for - intolerance.
100111 commented, on February 23, 2008 at 7:40 a.m.:
While there are metabolic disorders that could cause weightgain, a large percentage of obesity is caused by one's own fault. I believe the author is making a generalization here, although it could initially come off deragoratory, it doesn't say that obese individuals are evil or should be treated differently, just that they have to work extra hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle (a health issue, not so much one of intolerance)
Katie commented, on February 23, 2008 at 9:31 a.m.:
No, what she said is that "Obesity is a chosen disease." Like I said, I agree with you that a majority of obesity is caused by behavior. But if you take those who already have metabolic disorders and say they chose that then you add to their difficulties.
I do think that the author was just looking for an example. In trying to be supportive of one group she accidentally slammed another.
If you think that obese individuals aren't treated differently then you haven't thought it through. If you are honest with yourself if an obese man/woman asked you out on a date your primary concern or objection probably wouldn't be his/her health would it? At least, that is how most people are. The world, as the author pointed out, is an intolerant place.
Ft commented, on February 23, 2008 at 11:57 a.m.:
I am just shocked at those people calling homosexuality a disease, etc. Plus, I think many people have no idea that there are more than two sexual orientations in the first place. It's really sad to see so many people not willing to open their minds. Whatever it is that pushes these people to think like that, I think that's the real disease here.
KnoxTN commented, on February 28, 2008 at 9:19 a.m.:
Where should the line be drawn? You know this is the exact same case NAMBLA makes, right? Not far off from grassroot bestiality, necrophilia and sadomasochism movements, either.
This is not to say that the point you're trying to make is wrong, or that gays are related to any of the other movements.
The problem is the argument you're making, and many courts are making right now leaves the door open for ANY future movement to gain legal rights.
If one can't chose to be gay or straight, is the physical attraction any different for a pedophile or any other pervert?
The fact of the matter is that all of people are probably born with a natural inclination to be attracted to whatever they are...but that's irrelevant when making laws and judging morality of actions.
Attraction is uncontrollable, actions are chosen.
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