"The proposed bill would amend the state’s current anti-bullying laws to specify that the anti-bully policy should “not be construed or interpreted to infringe upon the First Amendment rights of students and shall not prohibit their expression of religious, philosophical, or political views" as long as there’s no physical threat or threat to another student’s property."
I mean seriously folk, if Christianity is all this love that so many people tell me it is, why would they need to have explicit protections spelled out in anti-bullying laws? If they were all so loving, why would they think that any bulling law might infringe on their rights?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2012 01:20AM by MJ.
It looks like the law is saying that it's okay to proclaim that God hates gays in front of gay students. That's not a threat, right? I think Tennesee lawmakers are a few ribs short of a full barbeque.
"A few ribs short of a full barbeque"......that's my quote of the day ;) Speaking seriously, yeah this just literally makes me shudder. LD$ Inc's anti-gay bigotry is disgusting, but this seems on a whole other level. Jesus. I truly feel for any LGBT kids (and adults) who grow and live in such a toxic environment. Thankfully, things are slowly getting better, but still. :- /
I was reading about this in the Chattanooga-Times this week. Christian fundamentalism runs rampant here at times.
Several years ago a state legislator drove by a youth soccer tournament on a Sunday morning on his way to church. He proposed all Sunday morning sports activities be banned in Tennessee. I don't believe it ever made it to a vote, but this demonstrates the mindset.
The extreme views of the fundamentalists affects the Mormon church here as well. There is a great deal of intolerance and bigotry here. It has improved in the 25 years I have lived in Tennessee however. Now with European firms, Volkswagen and Wacker moving here, articles have been written for the locals to help them understand or at least comprehend there are cultures other than ones centered around church. South Eastern Tennessee is becoming more diverse. It is a slow transition.
It appears from what I am reading, without taking into consideration anyone else's commentary, that the law is meant to protect the first amendment right of free speech and does not target any particular group (gay, Italian, Jewish, democrats, etc.).
It implies that no one group has any advantage over any other group of people. For example, I have a particular accent (Old English mixed with Texan) which is different from the local dialect. When I have spoken, I have been stared at and ridiculed because of this accent. I refuse to change it despite peoples' reaction to it. The situation has never gone physical. I would treat that type of situation differently. My accent is part of who I am.
But I was talking to a guy at work who doesn't agree with it either but said he kind of understands the "free speech" aspect.
So I gave him this scenario (which is one that actually happened). An Evangelical Christian family transfers to North Utah Valley, Utah from the Southeast for work. They have a very cute, smart, religious daughter in high school. The local girls saw this new, cute girl with the Southern accent as a threat. She's constantly taunted and called a Jesus Freak and feels out of place because she doesn't go to seminary. Prom comes along. She has no trouble getting a date. Her date picks her up and is in shock because her dress only has thin straps over the shoulder. He asks her if she has something she can cover up with. Her mother tells her it's a beautiful dress and not to worry about it. She goes to the dance and realizes she is the ONLY girl whose shoulders show, let alone the top of her arms. However, there was never a published dress code for the dance. Later that week at school she was bullied and taunted and called an immoral slut who doesn't know how to dress modestly. The "slut" talk continued even after her parents went to the school about it.
I asked my co-worker if that were his daughter if he'd just be telling her, "oh, they just have free speech, it's no big deal, get over it," when his daughter was so distraught and didn't want to go to school.
Here in Tennessee the people are just like Utah Mormons, only the name of the religion has changed. They think the whole country is just like Tennessee and if it isn't, it should be. We start opening up this can of worms, that's it's OK to bully in the name of religion, it can come back on them too. But they never think of it that way because, as with Utah Mor(m)ons, they're safe and secure in La-La Land.