Where to start? There's so much begging for comment in that article that I don't know where to start.
Umm, how about just re-read the last sentence of the article and pass without comment after all- that sentence pretty much says it all.
thomas tucker | 05.29.03 - 1:34 pm | #

Sorry- this belongs in the comments box for the post just below.
thomas tucker | 05.29.03 - 2:05 pm | #

Now here's what I don't get: Massachusetts is an overwhelmingly Catholic state. Why doesn't Catholic moral teaching count for anything there? For instance, Utah is an overwhelmingly Mormon state and something like this just wouldn't happen there. It would be so far outside the pale that it wouldn't even come up. Nor would it do so in your states where Baptists are the majority. Yet Catholicism - which is derided by our critics as being so authoritarian and repressive - seems to be a rather toothless force in society. Maybe this is more of a sociology topic, but does anyone have a clue as to why this is?
WRY | 05.29.03 - 3:23 pm | #

We must be getting close to a vote on school vouchers. If not, they should pull this article out when the time gets close.

Can we safely say that theirs is a religion that can best be defined as the "Cult of Sexual Deviancy". If so, I am ready for a little separation of chhurch and state!
Paul Scheibmeir | 05.29.03 - 3:24 pm | #

WRY:

Because too many Catholics are tribal Catholics -- i.e., Catholics by virtue of their ancestory only. As a group Mormons are more likely to live their faith; Catholics just write "Catholic" in forms and *perhaps* go to weekly Mass. Very sad really.
Mike Petrik | 05.29.03 - 3:33 pm | #

Mike,
I realize that, but why is that the case? Mormons are the overwhelming majority in Utah, and there they no more "choose" their Mormon faith than Catholics do in Mass. In each case people simply grow up in a faith. Yet look at the difference.
WRY | 05.29.03 - 3:59 pm | #

Paul:

Those responsible for this abomination will point at their work as a reason why there shouldn't
be vouchers. Can't have kids going to those closed-minded religious schools where they'll learn to be homophobes.......
Dave Pawlak | Homepage | 05.29.03 - 4:02 pm | #

Do gay priests and bishops buy into this?

Are they telling us they don't? If not,why not?

Are straight priests and bishops telling us they don't buy into this? If not, why not?

Old timey discussion questions.
caroline | 05.29.03 - 4:03 pm | #

Hmmm. I dispute that this makes the case for "home schooling," just because both my children go to a Catholic school with which we are very pleased. Maggie and Dave have been very well catechized, and it is part and parcel of their education and the entire environment. Dave just had his First Communion, and took it *very* seriously. They are in a Catholic environment, and that is frankly beyond price.

In short, I think community is very important, and I think the home schoolers miss out on that point. (Yeah, I know they get together on alternate Wednesdays for band, or whatever.)

Of course, I'm completely on board with the premise that public schooling has become a hotbed of lunatic ideas.
Mike Koenecke | 05.29.03 - 6:11 pm | #

This makes me exeedingly glad that I have no hostages to fortune at present.
But what makes you think that Catholic schools and homeschoolers will be allowed to escape when the gay agenda comes into its full power?
Sandra Miesel | 05.29.03 - 8:02 pm | #

The vast majority of boys and girls are heterosexual. The vast majority of boys and girls have common sense. Therefore.....

Listen to them on the playground, on public transportation, on street corners--wherever you can. You will hear common sense prevail on these matters no matter what propaganda they had to listen to in school today and will have to parrot back tomorrow to please the adults.
caroline | 05.29.03 - 9:03 pm | #

This article focuses mostly on Massachusetts, but it also mentions California -- including Hale Middle School in Los Angeles, where I went to junior high.

A friend of mine has a daughter there right now. I sent him the article and said "Is this true?" His response:

[My daughter] says no, that's BS.

They got the "Where Did I Come From?" and "What's Happening To Me?" animated
videos, but nothing like what the article describes. And no, nothing on
how to hide condoms.

She asked, "Why? Did they find some?"

Yes, there are serious problems in the schools, but there are also alarmist voices that exaggerate the problems.
Lawrence King | Homepage | 05.30.03 - 3:13 am | #

WRY,

Utah is more overwhelmingly Mormon than Massachusetts is Catholic. Moreover, Utah was founded by Mormons and has a completely Mormon culture. The Utah elite are for the most part Mormon. Massachusetts was founded by anti-Catholics and at best has a Catholic sub-culture. Massachusetts' elite used to be run by Unitarians and Congregationalists who took a dim view of Catholics. Over the years, the protestants' numbers have dwindled, but their culture perseveres; unfortunately, in order to join the elite, many Catholics have become as anti-Catholic as their protestant predecessors. Ironically, Massachusetts now has a Mormon governor who has proven to be just as susceptible to pressure from the left: he has changed his postion on abortion and is now officially "pro-choice."
John Sheridan | 05.30.03 - 11:58 am | #

Just to provide some persepctive for the benefit of those here who are not total anti-gay loons --

The article linked is little more than hysterical nonsense. The gullibility of religious/conservative people when confronted by this kind of homophobic raving never ceases to astonish me!

First, we do not choose to be gay, no matter what perople like Marjorie King claim. Sexual orientation is for all practical purposes innate and unchanging. Just because geneticists and others have so far not been able to expalin how orientation is determined doesn't mean that we choose it (any more than straights do). No serious researcher disputes this -- only religious ideologues who start with the idea that there's something wrong with us, and then try desperately to "prove" what it is.

Clue: We're just as normal as you are.

Second, gay organizations are trying to gain for us equality and first-class citizenship. IOW, they are not trying to "queer the schools" or "undermine heterosexuality." The whole idea is ridiculous. Nor do they encourage "experimentation with homosexuality" by straight kids. They most certainly do encourage kids who realize they are gay or bi, or who are confused or questioning, to explore the idea -- in age-apprpriate ways. That -- obviously! -- does not include encouraging young kids to have sex of any kind -- homo or hetero. Again, I never cease to be amazed by the extent of hysterical carrying-on people like King engage in -- and the reception it gets from people like the commenters here.

Third, while leftist "queer" academics may make good copy for homophobic raving, they are far, far out of the gay mainstream. They certainly don't represent the vast majority of us. And to equate GLSEN's efforts to gain equal treatment and protection for young gays in school with "queer studies" is a real stretch. (And just BTW, most of you have absolutely no idea just how badly young gays need protection and support in schools.)
Thomas | 05.30.03 - 5:39 pm | #

John Sheridan:
My home state was the only Catholic colony. It is about as liberal as Mass. Old Yankees in Mass. had about the same moral code as Catholics. I think the clincher for modern Mass. is that it has so many bloody universities and so more exotic liberals have a more entrenched establishment.
Mark R | 05.30.03 - 6:15 pm | #