A group of students at Rio Linda High School in California exercised their first amendment rights by wearing t-shirts that condemned another student effort to highlight the struggles of homosexuals. One protestor’s t-shirt said “Sodomy is a sin” and had passages from the bible, while other students wrote “gay pride” on their bodies. However, only students against homosexuality were suspended. It seems everyone is treated equally at the school but some are treated more equally than others. Homosexuals have free speech rights but religious activists are suppressed.
The principal asked the protesters to remove their t-shirts and those who refused were suspended for two days. The principal said the protesters were suspended for disrupting the school and disobeying authority. We’re all still waiting to learn why people writing “gay pride” on their bodies is less disruptive than wearing a t-shirt.
While the protest was staged in the school, another handful of students protested outside of the school. The police monitored the protest outside but did not intervene.
Once again, our neighbors have used the government schools/indoctrination centers to promote one point of view instead of a discussion about a topic. The mini-totalitarian principal at Rio Linda could have allowed both point of views but instead sided with one over the other. Fortunately, a few students recognized the hypocrisy of the situation and refused to remove their shirts.
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Free speech is limited to the speech that does not harm or intimidate others, and hate speech in particular is not protected. Students wearing religious t-shirts, or writing “heterosexual pride,” or even “one man-one woman” would likely not have been punished. The issue is that items like “Sodomy is a sin” pass judgment on other students. I would be interested in knowing what Bible passages got students in trouble before I got too upset by this case. It is likely that this is a case of enforcement of anti-hate policy, not an administrative bias.
A better test of the relative bias would be to see if students who wore gay pride oriented materials that were also derogatory would be punished. For example, “Even Jesus thinks lesbians are sexy.” or “Bible readers: Just Plain Wrong.”
This issue is important, sensitive, and frustrating to those involved, so I’m sure I’ve offended someone by my response– nonetheless, best to all parties.
There is noting derogatory about saying “Even Jesus thinks lesbians are sexy.”, such a statement is merely amusing. “Bible readers: Just Plain Wrong.” while ambiguous as reading something does not necessarily mean what is read is believed or disbelieved, it is also not derogatory, merely stating an opinion on the bible, that is is wrong, which is in fact very likely.
Let me go on record as saying I fully support Gay Rights, with that out of the way I believe it was wrong for the Anti-gay protesters to be punished but not the Pro-Gay's.
While I don't agree with the Anti-gay protesters message I fully and 100% support their right to say it.
If they were punished then the pro-gay's should be punished all the same.
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