NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, at school, there was this quote on the chalkboard in tiny print in a corner. It said:


Homosexuals: What rightwing groups blame everything on, now that blaming witches, jews, and blacks is unpopular


So should the person who wrote that be suspended?

No, because it's funny and true. If you threaten someone with suspension over that.... then something's really badly wrong.

edit: der... perhaps I should clarify my own point. I'm assuming the right-wing meant "extreme right"... the ones with a history of blaming witches, jews, and blacks. Other than that, I still find it funny, even if it isn't entirely accurate.

Yes, considering the moronic and uneducated viewpoint suggested by that quote shows poorly upon the school that student attends.

It is inflammatory, but seems true enough to me.

It is inflammatory, but seems true enough to me.

kinda messed up to suspend him

if he added swear words to it, then you MIGHT have a case.

Ok, at school, there was this quote on the chalkboard in tiny print in a corner. It said:



So should the person who wrote that be suspended?
no grow up, its the truth.

Yes, because it's deliberately intended to incite an argument between students who should be spending their time learning.

As a member of a 'rightwing group', I find this comment to be, how shall I say it, "bloody stupid", one of my friends is a homosexual, and the only thing I blamed on him was knocking my soda over during lunch.
Likewise, I havent blamed anything (Unjustly) on witches, blacks, jews, or any other minority you care to name.

for Dontgoneartthere or whatever dumb name:
A person is smart, people are stupid.

Homosexuality is the current scapegoat. As a whole, homosexuals are the big problem causer: what is one reason Bush won: the rightwing of this country are afraid of gays.

The comment is highly incendiary and judgemental. But it isn't worthy of a suspension.

As a member of a 'rightwing group', I find this comment to be, how shall I say it, "bloody stupid", one of my friends is a homosexual, and the only thing I blamed on him was knocking my soda over during lunch.
Likewise, I havent blamed anything (Unjustly) on witches, blacks, jews, or any other minority you care to name.
Read Jordaxia's post.

And to answer the question: no.

you must go to a pretty tight-assed school for that to be a suspendable offense. what do they do to kids who use swear words? expulsion? what about those who get into fights? execution?

Homosexuality is the current scapegoat. As a whole, homosexuals are the big problem causer: what is one reason Bush won: the rightwing of this country are afraid of gays.

You're absolutely right. Bush's victory didn't have anything to do with the fact that people liked his policies, or approved of what he's done. It just those damn Christians, always messing everything up.

:rolleyes:

Yes, considering the moronic and uneducated viewpoint suggested by that quote shows poorly upon the school that student attends.

So if you disagree with an opinion it is moronic and uneducated and uneducated people need less education?

Personally I think no, it may be inflamitry and cause contraversy, but that's no crime any more than being a moron.

You're absolutely right. Bush's victory didn't have anything to do with the fact that people liked his policies, or approved of what he's done. It just those damn Christians, always messing everything up.

:rolleyes:

I don't think Reaper mentioned Christians in his post, but since you bring it up (and I doubt that anyone disagrees that Bush has a strong base among Christians, especially the Evangellicals) I agree with reaper, it is one of the reasons the reasons the right got so solidly behind Bush.

what is one reason Bush won: the rightwing of this country are afraid of gays

Ok, at school, there was this quote on the chalkboard in tiny print in a corner. It said:

So should the person who wrote that be suspended?

Definitely.

I don't think Reaper mentioned Christians in his post, but since you bring it up (and I doubt that anyone disagrees that Bush has a strong base among Christians, especially the Evangellicals) I agree with reaper, it is one of the reasons the reasons the right got so solidly behind Bush.

Of course he has a strong base among Christians; Republicans don't make a habit of criticizing Christians all the time.

Of course he has a strong base among Christians; Republicans don't make a habit of criticizing Christians all the time.

That and GWB seems to support them whole-heartedly.

Do Democrats criticize Christians all the time? Excuse my ignorance, I'm foreign.

Phear Homosexuals!!!

J Edgar Hoover was gay, a witch, and the debil!!

Ok, at school, there was this quote on the chalkboard in tiny print in a corner. It said:

So should the person who wrote that be suspended?
Yes. Regardless of whether they are correct or not, they used a public, government-run forum to promote their viewpoint.
(It was a public school, no?)

Phear Homosexuals!!!

J Edgar Hoover was gay, a witch, and the debil!!

I doubt he was any of those personally.

Ok, at school, there was this quote on the chalkboard in tiny print in a corner. It said:



So should the person who wrote that be suspended?
No. It's not emotional rant (like I'm sure you're assuming).

Yes. Regardless of whether they are correct or not, they used a public, government-run forum to promote their viewpoint.
(It was a public school, no?)

So if they wrote "I like Chocolate" or "America is great" on the blackboard would you also suspend the sudent for using a public, government-run forum to promote their viewpoint? :rolleyes:

So if they wrote "I like Chocolate" or "America is great" on the blackboard would you also suspend the sudent for using a public, government-run forum to promote their viewpoint? :rolleyes:
No, but then those issues are not political, and the original issue mentioned for this thread was.

EDIT: By the way, I love your handle.

No, because it's funny and true. If you threaten someone with suspension over that.... then something's really badly wrong.

edit: der... perhaps I should clarify my own point. I'm assuming the right-wing meant "extreme right"... the ones with a history of blaming witches, jews, and blacks. Other than that, I still find it funny, even if it isn't entirely accurate.
Didn't the witch hunts ocurr in Mass.?

That and GWB seems to support them whole-heartedly.

Do Democrats criticize Christians all the time? Excuse my ignorance, I'm foreign.

No. Some democrats do, some of the time. But there are lots and lots of Christians who are also democrats. It's difficult to understand all the players in America without a program. ;)

Seriously, just because someone is a democrat doesn't mean they criticise Christians.

Didn't the witch hunts ocurr in Mass.?
Or Mars.

Didn't the witch hunts ocurr in Mass.?

Yes.

As I'm sure you all know, them homosexers is gonna gets you! Start buying guns 'cus it's a new terrorist plot, they's gonna set the homosexers loose and kill all of us! Not only is homosexin' a disease, but so is not being christian! We need to spreat christianity to the world so that the homosexers stop homosexin'! If we don't stop the homosexers, the terrorists win!

No, but then those issues are not political, and the original issue mentioned for this thread was.

"America is great" isn't a political statement? Tell that to someone who dislikes the effects of American actions. Honestly, if the kid had written "Slavery is/was bad/good," or "Martin Luther King was an anti-government element," "Rose Parkes was a hero, so was George Washington" or even "Nixon was a crook" or some similar political rhetoric such as "I like Ike," would you still suspend him? These are all political statements that used a public, government-run forum to promote their viewpoint.

The witch hunt happened in a little hick town filled with puritans called Salem.

As I'm sure you all know, them homosexers is gonna gets you! Start buying guns 'cus it's a new terrorist plot, they's gonna set the homosexers loose and kill all of us! Not only is homosexin' a disease, but so is not being christian! We need to spreat christianity to the world so that the homosexers stop homosexin'! If we don't stop the homosexers, the terrorists win!
*lol*

You're absolutely right. Bush's victory didn't have anything to do with the fact that people liked his policies, or approved of what he's done. It just those damn Christians, always messing everything up.

:rolleyes:
I think what they were referring to was the gay marriage bans up for a vote in several swing states. It got out a lot of people to vote that wouldn't have voted otherwise, but went to the trouble just to set civil rights back ten years and figured they might as well cast a vote for Bush too while they were there. It pushed hime over the top in a couple states, and narrowed the margin in several others.

EDIT: By the way, I love your handle.

Aww, shucks! Thanks love!:D I was tempted to call myself 'devil's advocate' but I thought this was much more apt.;)

"America is great" isn't a political statement? Tell that to someone who dislikes the effects of American actions.
Not at all! It's an issue of patriotism, which boils down to being about as opinionated as one could be.

The witch hunt happened in a little hick town filled with puritans called Salem.
Wasn't it thought to be caused by either a bunch of girls "experimenting" out in the woods and hallucinatory shrooms? Possibly a combination of both?

Ok, at school, there was this quote on the chalkboard in tiny print in a corner. It said:



So should the person who wrote that be suspended?

I'd say yes. Insulting a group of people is one of the actions you can get suspended for, and this is no different.

I'd say yes. Insulting a group of people is one of the actions you can get suspended for, and this is no different.
But what about freedom of opinion?

But what about freedom of opinion?

You don't have freedom of opinion when it's a direct insult of a person/group.

Well, let me rephrase that--you're not allowed to speak your opinion if it's a direct insult of a person/group. You're still allowed to think that way.

But what about freedom of opinion?

No laws against that whatsoever. :)

You don't have freedom of opinion when it's a direct insult of a person/group.

Well, let me rephrase that--you're not allowed to speak your opinion if it's a direct insult of a person/group. You're still allowed to think that way.

Does that mean the ultra far right will stop saying insulting things about homosexin?:D:p

You don't have freedom of opinion when it's a direct insult of a person/group.

Well, let me rephrase that--you're not allowed to speak your opinion if it's a direct insult of a person/group. You're still allowed to think that way.
I disagree; at least in Canada, you are guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (included in our constitution) to be able to speak such things.

No one has to listen.

Wasn't it thought to be caused by either a bunch of girls "experimenting" out in the woods and hallucinatory shrooms? Possibly a combination of both?

Actually, the girls were caught by the pastor dancing, and rumors got around, and he descided to use said rumors to further his own powers. The hallucination thing was actually about a witch hunt in europe a long while before Salem. The grain started producing a type of mold with hallucinogenic properties.


You don't have freedom of opinion when it's a direct insult of a person/group.

Well, let me rephrase that--you're not allowed to speak your opinion if it's a direct insult of a person/group. You're still allowed to think that way.

WOW. So that's why it's called freedom of speech.

Punishment? Yes, as this quote could have offended people (remember, schools are obsessed with political corectness). Suspensioin? That's an overreaction.

for Dontgoneartthere or whatever dumb name:
A person is smart, people are stupid.

Homosexuality is the current scapegoat. As a whole, homosexuals are the big problem causer: what is one reason Bush won: the rightwing of this country are afraid of gays.
I could comment on your name, but I dont want to be petty.

Please clarify "A person is smart, people are dumb", has to do with this, are you saying that the person who WROTE the comment is part of the dumb side of the liberals, or that my side of the political spectrum is generaly dumb

I dont think anybody has blamed poverty on homosexuals, or the Iraq war, or terroristm. Im not afraid of gays. I live in Arizona, my area is pretty Republican, but somehow gays walk the street happily, most of them are pretty vocal about their sexuality, and yet we have a lack of burnings-at-the-stake, lynch mobs and KKK parades.

Read Jordaxia's post.

And to answer the question: no.
I posted before his edit, you will notice.

Y'all blind or somthin'? Them homosexers is a problem! We got to stop them! I say that we publicly exicute all the folks who ain't rich white christian non-homosexer texans! Sure, y'all can have yer "freedom of religion", as long as it's christianity. You can love who ever ya want, as long as they ain't the same sex as you. Now let's all go two-step. Wher in tarnation is my ten-gallon hat?

The witch hunt happened in a little hick town filled with puritans called Salem.
:rolleyes: Because, as we all know, the place that is most famous for an event always has a monopoly on it.

Witch hunts were a very widespread phenomenon. Heck, before making their way to the Americas they swept across Europe. :fluffle:

homosexers -> :fluffle: :mp5: <- homosexer exicutors
A little di-o-gram so all y'all can see my great plan for makin' this the great christian nation it needs to be. Only then can we be The United States of Texas. No, The United States of Jesus!

Please clarify "A person is smart, people are dumb", has to do with this, are you saying that the person who WROTE the comment is part of the dumb side of the liberals, or that my side of the political spectrum is generaly dumb

S/he wasn't commenting on you individually, or any other individual right winger outside their realm of experience. At least I don't think so. My interpretation is that they mean the figurehead conservative political figures, who tend to voice the opinion that homosexuality is a degenerate lifestyle. While the politicians themselves don't blame gays for everything, a lot of vehement zealots whose support they accept do.

I dont think anybody has blamed poverty on homosexuals, or the Iraq war, or terroristm. Im not afraid of gays.

Um, good for you? I'd hate for you to be too intimidated to respond. But seriously, have you never heard of a woman named Ann Coulter?

I live in Arizona, my area is pretty Republican, but somehow gays walk the street happily, most of them are pretty vocal about their sexuality, and yet we have a lack of burnings-at-the-stake, lynch mobs and KKK parades.

Bigotry isn't always blatant. I've been on the recieving end a couple times, and it isn't pleasant. The thing is a lot of bigots won't do anything about it unless they think you're in their space. But just because you haven't got lynch mobs doesn't mean you're in the clear. Comments and condemnations, nasty names, subtle policies of discrimination, all those are forms of homophobia, and none are acceptable. Sexist men don't always go around beating up women. Most genuinely like women, they just don't consider them their equals.

WOW. So that's why it's called freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech applies to the laws a government can pass. A school is different, and can establish it's own set of rules. There's no law against wearing whatever clothing you want, for example, but schools have dress codes, and some have uniform policies. Likewise there's no law against saying whatever you want, but that doesn't mean the school can't have rules against it, so long as you are made aware of those rules. If you want to speak out against any group, political, religious, or ethnic, you can do it on your own time, but not in the school. It's pretty simple. If such speech is to be punished by suspension, according to the school's rules, then that's fine. If it's something that's left up to a teacher or administrator's discretion that's an entirely different matter. Now, do we know which one it is?

So wait, let me get this straight. A comment was written in small letters on a chalk board in chalk, and somebody is getting suspended for it? You could just, you know, erase it. If you don't feel like thats harsh enough you could erase it and then say, don't do that again.

Is it really such a complicated issue? How is it even worthy of attention by the school? I've seen things much worse than that printed out on every peice of paper in a computer lab and no one was even punished, even then the worst they would have gotten was a few detentions.

S/he wasn't commenting on you individually, or any other individual right winger outside their realm of experience. At least I don't think so. My interpretation is that they mean the figurehead conservative political figures, who tend to voice the opinion that homosexuality is a degenerate lifestyle. While the politicians themselves don't blame gays for everything, a lot of vehement zealots whose support they accept do.

Um, good for you? I'd hate for you to be too intimidated to respond. But seriously, have you never heard of a woman named Ann Coulter?

Bigotry isn't always blatant. I've been on the recieving end a couple times, and it isn't pleasant. The thing is a lot of bigots won't do anything about it unless they think you're in their space. But just because you haven't got lynch mobs doesn't mean you're in the clear. Comments and condemnations, nasty names, subtle policies of discrimination, all those are forms of homophobia, and none are acceptable. Sexist men don't always go around beating up women. Most genuinely like women, they just don't consider them their equals.
The Republican zealots make up quite a small percent of the party, same as the chain-yourself-in-the-street variety of Democrats. As for the figureheads, its their JOB to sound extreme, ever heard of Michael Moore? Rush Limbaugh? Wanna bet that half of what they say is BS designed to get viewers?
Ann Coulter doesnt represent my views, or very many other peopels for that matter. Do you agree with everything Kerry says/does?
LIke it or not, bigots are here. They arent leaving, because humans generaly need somebody to hate, while it is indeed not a pleasant thing, its unavoidable. I hate to make excuses, but there it is.
Subtle descrimitation in policies is also unavoidable, unless you have a huge sprawling buerocracy where hardly anything gets done. Personal views are reflected into what a person does, conciously or not.
And, like it or not, freedom of speech is a two way street. If you want to be allowed to preach gay rights, your going to have to take abuse from the anti-gays, homophobes are entitled to their opinions, provided they dont try to do physical harm, slander, blah blah blah.

Its 11:00 here, Im signing off for the night. Please excuse any bad spelling or strange arguments, rest assured they make sense to me in this state.

So if you disagree with an opinion it is moronic and uneducated and uneducated people need less education?

Personally I think no, it may be inflamitry and cause contraversy, but that's no crime any more than being a moron.

First of all mr. flamebait, your first sentence makes absolutely no sense whatsoever...although I realize what you're trying to say. An opinion I disagree with is not automatically moronic and uneducated. It just happens that this moronic and uneducated opinion is also one that I happen to disagree with. Also, a three-day suspension isn't going to ruin this person's school career.

The fact is, a school is a place to learn, not to have controversy. The controvery itself distracts from the learning. Kids have enough distractions already.

But seriously, have you never heard of a woman named Ann Coulter?

Have you ever heard of a lying fatass named Michael Moore? There are radicals on both sides of the political spectrum. Their job is to get the uninformed all up in arms about how mistreated they are. Tell me she's not having that effect on you.

For once I'll be serious. Sure, republican zealots make up a small percentage of the population, but they make up the vast majority of congress, the senate, the president's cabnet, and let's not forget that our president is one as well. Bush and his lackies are devoted to cramming their morals down everyone's throats, and spreading christianity to everyone. Not just any christianity, oh no. Their christianity. The hypocritical type. To them, abortion is wrong, but it's perfectly alright to kill over 100,000 people over a lie. Violence on the television is wrong, but violence in real life is fine. Pretending to kill is immoral, but if you kill in real life, you're "liberating" or "spreading democrocy". Nudity on the television is evil. Stripping a prisoner of war is commendable. Yes my fellow Americans, and world citizens (as people from around the world are participating in this forum) America is being run by hypocracy. Not morals.

So should the person who wrote that be suspended?

No. It may not be entirely accurate, but it is close enough to make people think. The preoccupation with homosexuality has gotten way out of hand. Television can hardly show two close freinds of the same gender without being accused of promoting homosexuality. I live in a very right wing place, and have heard the most ludicrous things attributed to homosexuals/homosexuality (car accidents, the high divorce rate, crimes, even natural disastears). This is way out of hand and needs to stop.

No. It may not be entirely accurate, but it is close enough to make people think. The preoccupation with homosexuality has gotten way out of hand. Television can hardly show two close freinds of the same gender without being accused of promoting homosexuality. I live in a very right wing place, and have heard the most ludicrous things attributed to homosexuals/homosexuality (car accidents, the high divorce rate, crimes, even natural disastears). This is way out of hand and needs to stop.
I have to ask, car accidents? I mean I've actually heard the other accusations, but car accidents? I have to ask what they said in regards to this.

Yes. Anything that detracts from the learning environment shouldn't be tolerated.

WOW. So that's why it's called freedom of speech.

America does not have free speech, at least not the way you're thinking of it.

The 1st Amendment ensures the national government can't limit free speech, and the 14th makes that applicable to the states as well. But other than that, the only freedom of speech you have is what the person in charge says you have. Speak your true feelings about someone at work and you'll very quickly be fired. Insult your University Dean and see how long you remain there.

It was well within the school's power to suspend this student, because the school decided that it's students are not allowed to insult others. The writer of the quote obviously did, and he/she got what was coming to him/her.

Free speech can put you in jail if it's "fighting speech." You [i[can[/i] be prosecuted and jailed for provoking someone.

In other words people, watch what you say.

WOW. So that's why it's called freedom of speech.

Ones rights only extend as far as the boundary of the next person's. And I think one definitely has the right not to have ones rep maligned. Slander is not illegal, but punitive damages can be sought.

PS: I some of you would quit insulting Christians. A good deal of us are not all that radical, and as Eutrusca mentioned there are quite a few Christian democrats. But I am beginning to tire of repeatedly seeing attacks on my religion just because some nuts think Sponge Bob is gay, or that gay terrorists are ruling the world (don't believe I've ever heard this one.) I personally think ones sexuality should be private. Its nobodys business to pry about, and people shouldn't try to make it other people's business. I personally do not agree with homosexuality, but I don't don't hate gays, nor call for their (insert right infringement here.) But this whole sticky fight could be avoided if everyone would just quit hanging their laundry out in their neighbors yard, so to speak.

America does not have free speech, at least not the way you're thinking of it.

The 1st Amendment ensures the national government can't limit free speech, and the 14th makes that applicable to the states as well. But other than that, the only freedom of speech you have is what the person in charge says you have. Speak your true feelings about someone at work and you'll very quickly be fired. Insult your University Dean and see how long you remain there.

It was well within the school's power to suspend this student, because the school decided that it's students are not allowed to insult others. The writer of the quote obviously did, and he/she got what was coming to him/her.

Free speech can put you in jail if it's "fighting speech." You [i[can[/i] be prosecuted and jailed for provoking someone.

In other words people, watch what you say.

Its not necessarily your opinion, its how you convey it, that makes it an insult. For instance(keep in mind I don't think he should have been suspended), if the quote had read "Christians should practice more tolerance with homosexuals than they are and have in the past with other minorities" or "Christians should not blame homosexuals for the problems of this country" everything would have been okay. And see, the same opinion was conveyed.