Gay People Exist? Shocking!

The usual suspects are freaking out about the Fair Education Act, CA SB 48. They describe it as

Failure to notify parents of sexually charged discussion, which will be used to indoctrinate impressionable young children about high-risk behaviors[*], by praising adults in a high risk lifestyle (without mentioning the dangers thereof), is a blatant usurpation of the rights and responsibilities of parents to teach their own children about sexuality, as well as a thinly-veiled power play by homosexual activists, seeking to mainstream and promote behaviors which are not healthy, normal, admirable, or moral or conducive to a healthy self*, a strong family, or a healthy society.

Wow. That sounds like they're going to be showing gay porn to kindergardeners and insisting that high school students have at least one sexual encounter with a member of their own sex, film it and show it to the entire class.

That seems so unlikely, I checked to see what CA SB 48 actually calls for:

The FAIR Education Act would ensure that LGBT people are included in instructional

materials, which studies have shown is linked to greater student safety and lower

rates of bullying. The FAIR Education Act would require that lesbian, gay, bisexual,

and transgender (LGBT) Americans are included and recognized for their important

historical contributions to the economic, political, and social development of

California. Specifically, this legislation would add LGBT to the existing list of

underrepresented cultural and ethnic groups, which are covered by current law

related to inclusion in textbooks and other instructional materials in schools. This

inclusion will help to ensure that students get a fair and accurate picture of the

people and events that have shaped our society, and that fair and accurate

portrayals of LGBT people are no longer excluded from classroom discussions. The

FAIR Education Act will bring classroom instruction into alignment with nondiscrimination laws passed by the California Legislature and adopted by the State Board of Education a decade ago, by prohibiting the adoption of discriminatory instructional materials and textbooks.

Oh. So we'll be acknowledging reality then. That's certainly . . . the least upsetting thing I can think of. Gay people have always been and always will be a part of the human race, and therefore have shaped society and continue to do so. Acknowledging that should be about as controversial as acknowledging that the sky is blue and grass is green. And working against discrimination and bullying? That should be the sort of thing parents demand for their children.

Unless, of course, you're a homophobic asshole, in which case merely acknowledging that gay people exist is horrifying and ending the discrimination against them is an assault against the very core of their discriminating, bullying souls.

So vote yes on CA SB 48. Vote yes for acknowledging the really real world** and vote no to bullying and discrimination.

*Those are the original links from the post, not my links. I don't recommend clicking on them if you have high blood pressure, or other stress impacted health issues.

**That's right, I worked in a Crow reference.

I'm Fairly Certain "Debate" Is Not a Synonym for "Lie"

I could be wrong.

After all, I dropped out of the debate team in high school after one week*, and Chris Jeub flies all over the country with his (students') debate team. So I guess if debating could best be described as "liar, liar, pants on fire!", he is the expert.

The 25,000 Wisconsin teachers would have my support, perhaps, if they rallied for higher educational standards. But for benefits? Six-figure incomes for classroom teachers? This is what motivates them to rebel against their school district and their families and ultimately the children they teach?

Six figures, Chris? Is there any possible place you could have gotten an implied quarter of a fucking million dollars other than your ass?

Let's check. According to Teacher World, which Chris links to when called out on this on Facebook, the average starting salary for teachers in Wisconsin is $25,000. That's not much more than I make, and that's for people that have Bachelor's degrees, are required to keep up with continuing education and put up with other people's children all day. You would have to multiply that by 4 to get into "six-figure[s]".

Well, that's starting salary. What about average salary? Maybe they get some rockin' pay raises. Nope. Average salary is $46,000. You'd have have to get together 2 teachers and the spleen and liver of another to get into six figures.

Where ever did the Debate King get $100,000 (minimum)? Well, the highest possible starting salary is $68,000- still not six figures- but that's for someone with decades of experience and enough continuing ed credits to qualify for a PhD.

Chris Jeub, you are a liar. I'd recommend not wearing pants anytime soon.

*"Buncha arrogant pricks!" was my reason. And then I got a blog. And sometimes I think, "So . . . how am I different from from the arrogant pricks now? And then the part of my mind that handles self esteem pipes up with "It's totally different!" And I go with that, because life is short and I like blogging.

Oh, Yes, Christianity Isn't Misogynist At All

Hey, it's Biblical.

I lurve it when Christians deny what's in their own book. Genocide? Don't be silly! Incest? Well, that's not promoted or anything. Misogyny? Hah! Christianity did more for women than any other movement, including the feminist movement.

Oh, really?

I was unaware that "shut up when the men are talking" is a feminist message.

1 Corinthians 14:34,35

Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.

Well, that's a feminist message if I've ever heard one! No, wait . . .

Okay, that's one passage in a really big book, let's see:

Ephesians 5:22,23

Wives, submit to your own husbands , as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Huh. Submission to men. Not exactly doing anything for women. Okay, then:

1 Timothy 2:11-14

Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

Women are to blame for everything! And can't have authority. Or teach.

Look, if you're actually reading the Bible, it's deeply misogynist. Women, when they are even mentioned, and more rarely, named, are either entirely to blame for a man's problems, or praiseworthy for being silent and taking whatever they are given. Feminism, it's not.

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