To have all your work turned back on you.

[Mouse]

I was doing some research tonight on behalf of the fact that again, tomorrow, I'll be visiting the LGBT youth group I went to last week.
(See: HAVEN.)

And for the first time since I took part in the National Day of Silence (See: Day of Silence) last year I've been taken to the edge of my limits as far as opposition from other groups and organizations.

There is an organization that has teamed up to produce this heaping pile of dog shit: (See: Day of Truth) called the Day of Truth. And to be honest, it's (truthfully!) one of the stupidest things I've ever seen in my entire life. The complete, unrestricted stupidity of some people never ceases to amaze me, and it's people like this that almost make me vomit with disbelief.

Here's what they say:

Participating students are encouraged to wear T-shirts and pass out cards (not during class time) with the following message:
I am speaking the Truth to break the silence.
Silence isn’t freedom. It’s a constraint.
Truth tolerates open discussion, because the Truth emerges when healthy discourse is allowed.
By proclaiming the Truth in love, hurts will be halted, hearts will be healed, and lives will be saved.

Sounds like an excellent argument, right? The Truth (with the first letter capitalized for emphasis!!!!) is being silenced!! Seriously!! They said it is!!

The Day of Truth is scheduled for April 27, 2006. This is the day after GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Educational Network) will sponsor the "Day of Silence." GLSEN’s Day of Silence encourages students to remain silent throughout the day. It is part of their overall strategy to change how our society perceives homosexual behavior. But the Day of Silence is a misnomer, because what is truly being silenced is the Truth.

Now, other than the fact that no one hates anything more than a fanatic Christian babbling on about something for hours on end I think it's ridiculous that they think that this is a good thing to do - supporting their cause or for whatever reason. First of all, the Day of Silence is not directed or intended to hurt ANYONE. It's accepting, it's open, it's not interruptive - it allows people that don't wish to participate to ignore it if that's what they really want to do. See, the only way that anyone will KNOW what we're being silent for is if they ask (and, well, if they're not already aware of the event - but most people really aren't, at least, they weren't last year). After which we hand them a card calmly stating what we're doing, why we're doing it, and who we're doing it for.

Not only is this Day of Truth shit imposing on the rights of other students by telling them that the way they live, what they believe in, and who they are is WRONG - but they are doing it in a disruptive, rude way as well.

They have a page on there titled 'hostile questions' (which is shocking, because nothing they're doing is hostile in ANY way </sarcasm>):

Aren’t you just causing trouble and trying to generate confrontation?
No. We are simply exercising our constitutionally guaranteed right to freely and publicly express our religious viewpoints. We are trying to counter organized efforts to legitimize and promote the homosexual agenda in the public schools. We are participating in the Day of Truth not only to exercise our right to free speech, but also out of our love and compassion for those who are struggling with their sexual identity and to provide them with hope through the love of Jesus Christ.

Isn't that a favorite thing? It's alright to call someone a faggot (because we have free speech we can call people faggots but the second someone calls me a radical hypocritcal Christian I'm going to have a lawsuit!). Which is basically the jist of what they're doing (You're a faggot and you're going to hell!). And they love us SO much that they want to remind us of this constantly by holding things like this.


And here is their explanation of the Day of Silence:

What is the Day of Silence?
The Day of Silence is a national program of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Educational Network (GLSEN), which asks students to remain silent for an entire day to express their support for the promotion of the homosexual agenda in the public schools. Unlike the Day of Silence, the Day of Truth does not encourage students to engage in activities that are likely to disrupt the school’s academic mission.

Uh huh. Because going on about how much Jesus loves you is less disruptive than, say... not talking? I think someone's logic filter exploded during the strategizing of THAT one.

There are other things on that website you can laugh at yourself - I hate to hog all the fun.

Basically, what infuriates me most is the fact that I've worked my ass off the past year and a half to try to get something positive out there. To try and encourage other kids at my school to be less shitty to others. To judge people less. To be more accepting, to care about people other than themselves and to respect other people's beliefs even if they happen to disagree with them because it's the only way we can function as a community (yes, the entire community - there are about 3,000 kids in my school - if we don't get along on some fundamental level then we're all going to be fucked up the ass.) And here comes along this group that is totally trying to turn all of my work backwards on me and everyone else that has worked hard at this.

But here is the best part. The Day of Truth fuckers go on and on about how horrible and disgusting the Day of Silence is, but not once does anything on the Day of Silence page mention anything negative about them.

Last year on the days following my participation of the Day of Silence, I had the living shit beaten out of me on two occasions. My hopes, for this year, were maybe I'd only have the shit beaten out of me once. You know. That's progress. But as long as there are people like this around I suppose I can look forward to three smack downs next year. Because rest assured people, I'm doing this painful DoS shit still. I don't have much in my life to fight for and I'll be fucking damned if they're going to take this away from me, or from my friends, or from anyone else that has decided to do the Right Thing (which, though capitalized for emphasis like Truth, actually has some meaning).

[Oceanbeach]

Dear Jaser,

You always impress the hell out of me.  When I read your posts, I have a hard time believing you are 15.  You stand up for your rights and fight hard for what you believe in.  You are an Activist and a force to be reckoned with.  I pity the person who stands in your way.  Have the best day
Michael

www.Commission-on-AIDS.org

[jkinatl2]

Last year on the days following my participation of the Day of Silence, I had the living shit beaten out of me on two occasions.

When I read that statement from a non gay Christian who participates in the Day of Silence out of solidarity, I might begin to rethink my views regarding Xtianity.

[alisenjafi]

Is this happening in your school? is it a public school?-

First off why don't you see how legal it is for people to claim you are living a lie while promoting a religion.  Make sure when you talk with legal persons that you are not arguing their right to xtianity but they are spreading hate.
Second go on line to some atheist  sites and google "incest in the bible"
make copies and on the day of truth pass out copies of what a sick perversion  their bible is.
In fact they can't say anything because the bibles says it!

http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/lewis/lewun07.htm#TOC

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/

http://www.atheists.org/
cheers
Johnny

[ndrew]

We tend to forget that in a democracy we not only have (ideally) "the freedom to" (speech, get together with others and practice out beliefs, live life and love however we want, etc.), but also the "freedom from" (having others hegemonic religious beliefs forced upon us or fears and actions of emotional abuse and bodily harm).  This is why we must preserve separation of Church and state (and separation of corporation and state for that matter...)  You might want to check out Cynthia Kaufman's- Ideas for Action and Relevant Theories for Radical Change. 

Remember, these people are themselves themselves oppressed by archaic religious beliefs that that have been perverted to serve a political agenda based on fear that continues to replicate hatred and violence.  I don't recall Jesus advocating "beating the shit out of anyone," so this is less about religion and more about a fascist/violent ingrained cultural politic, fabricated as a political tool my a majority who benefit by a polarity of gender and sexuality.

I am VERY concerned about your being hurt.  Please document your experiences with images, witnesses, call the police, file assault and battery charges, and look into restraining orders and lawsuits. 

We must confront the assholism with the fact that these are not christian practices, but regimes of violent hatred, meant to scare, dominate and control.

Please know that I stand behind you 100% and will do anything to support your work.  It is quite a sorry indication that adults in our society allow young people to treat each other this way and even send them off in a state of youthful ignorance to die in foreign countries (what do 18, 19 yr olds know of the value of life- pretty convenient for the fat old white men on capital hill.  We would have world peace if we sent them to do the fighting...)

So to end this rant (and restraining myself from telling the Christians to shove their self-created and serving bastardized version of Christ deeply up an orifice)  I want to say that one, we cannot allow your school to let you be abused this way and two, you have some pretty big balls.  Don't forget it is the little things that people like us do that bring about change.  Women got the right to vote only 78 years ago.  We are still in the dark ages of social justice, but it is the grains of sand that make the beach.  I wish you the best and feel free to contact me.

Best,
Andrew

[newt]

Well, I reckon the cover boy for the DoT t-shirt looks kinda unhappy, like he needs a good shag or sommat

[Mouse]

Well, I reckon the cover boy for the DoT t-shirt looks kinda unhappy, like he needs a good shag or sommat

 

You win at life.

[Mouse]

Oh, and Jonathan - this is for you:

I have a Christian friend named Andy who I spoke to today:

madeFREEinCHRIST: A Day of Truth?
madeFREEinCHRIST: Okay, in itself, that's awesome... to recognize persecuted Christians.
madeFREEinCHRIST: But... to have it in opposition ot the Day of Silence...?
madeFREEinCHRIST: That's dumb.
madeFREEinCHRIST: I participated in Day of Silence, Thank you very much.

Jase pwns AIM: its not to recognize persecuted christians
Jase pwns AIM: at all
Jase pwns AIM: its a protest to the day of silence
madeFREEinCHRIST: Right.  That's what's stupid.
madeFREEinCHRIST: The day of silence isn't a bad idea.
Jase pwns AIM: like the day of silence is like
Jase pwns AIM: accepting to everyone

madeFREEinCHRIST: YEAH!  OMG!  ACTUALLY I'VE READ UP ON THE DAY OF SILENCE ENOUGH TO "GET" THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GAYS, BUT ALSO ABOUT THOSE WHOSE VOICES HAVE BEEN TAKEN... BE THEY WOMEN FORCED TO WEAR VEILS, HURT CHILDREN, HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS...


I swear Jonathan there are good Christians out there. My Grammy is one, too. She is cool because she loves PEOPLE. Andy is cool because she loves PEOPLE. They are GOOD to other people because they know it's the RIGHT thing to do. They stand up for people that cannot stand up for themselves.

Me and Andy NEVER fight and we get along PERFECTLY. And it's bizarre but so perfect because I'm gay and athiest and she's straight and heavily Christian (look at her username even!!) but like. We can still get along and we stand up for each other all the time.

People like her make me have hope for the world.