Life The National Day of Silence Is Upon Us
posted by on April 25 at 11:13 AM
Today brings the National Day of Silence, the annual protest against the bullying and harassment of gay and lesbian students.
This year’s Day of Silence—the 12th since the day’s grassroots debut in 1996—is particularly dramatic for a couple reasons.
1. Lawrence King, the 15-year-old boy in Oxnard, California, whose tragic death in February sent a chilling reminder that even in this day and age, where gays have attained an unprecedented degree of normalcy in American culture, some American kids still think it’s okay to fatally shoot an openly gay classmate in the their middle school’s computer lab.
2. Ken Hutcherson, the former linebacker, current pastor, perennial anti-gay warrior, and likely chronic traumatic brain injury candidate, who’s led a campaign against observance of the Day of Silence at Mount Si High School, where Hutcherson’s daughter is a student and where Hutcherson was booed at this year’s rally for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. After unsuccessfully lobbying for the cancellation of the Day of Silence—hated by Hutch for its foisting of alternative sexuality on students, who are so rigorously protected from his beloved Christianity, thanks to the separation of church and state—Hutch organized a counter-protest to the official day of protest, and a group of Snoqualmie Valley community members have organized a counter-protest to the counter-protest, hosting a press conference “to address misconceptions being perpetuated regarding the annual Day of Silence” beginning at 11:00 this morning. (Like, twelve minutes ago.)
Good luck to everyone involved, except for Ken Hutcherson, who remains a complete boob. (Confidential to Hutch: The discomfort your daughter experienced following the MLK Day debacle had nothing to do with “anti-Christian harassment” and everything to do with her dad making a headline-warranting ass out of himself. Come talk to me after a middle-school student is gunned down for wearing a “WWJD?” t-shirt.)
ken is the exact definition of douchebag
You need to add an h in your "More Evidence of the Dangers..." link.
Also, I wouldn't care if Ken, or his daughter, or his wife, or all of them, died. At all.
I'm not sure of the point of a National Day of Silence.
Sounds like we still need to be screaming Bloody Murder....
It is my beloved Christianity as well. I know that homosexuality is not incompatible with Christian teachings and the ministry of Jesus Christ. The ministry of Christ was one of compassion and care for those who are marginalized in society - precisely what the Day of Silence exists to celebrate. Don't imply that Hutch's foul interpretation represents anyone who is a tolerant and loving Christian, thats just not appropriate.
It is my beloved Christianity as well. I know that homosexuality is not incompatible with Christian teachings and the ministry of Jesus Christ. The ministry of Christ was one of compassion and care for those who are marginalized in society - precisely what the Day of Silence exists to celebrate. Don't imply that Hutch's foul interpretation represents anyone who is a tolerant and loving Christian, thats just not appropriate.
I wouldn't grope Ken Hutcherson even if he wore the green button.
David,
Can we expect Stranger coverage of the events and press conference later today?
mcFly, it is the sensitive feelings of mainstream Christians that gives extremists the cover they need to encourage prejudice and wink at violence. If you don't like it that Hutch makes Christians look bad, you take up with him.
"God thinks all gay people are sick, or why would He make anal so painful and smelly?"
McFly: I want to respond to your comment(s), but I don't know where to start. You start by alluding to my description of "Hutch's beloved Christianity," claiming it as your beloved Christianity as well. Then you end by ordering me to "[not] imply that Hutch's foul interpretation represents anyone who is a tolerant and loving Christian"--which I didn't do, but you kinda did. Juh?
Still, I get what you're going after, and I know all Christians can't be painted with the same brush. But I'm not enlightened Christianity's PR person, and if you want to distinguish your Christianity from other's "foul" Christianity, that's your job. (Weighing in with support for the Day of Silence is a great way to get this job done; thanks for fighting the good fight.)
we have, but no one seems to listen - compassion and helping the poor doesn't sell soap for the news agencies, unfortunately. It is the same ignorance that makes people assume all Muslims are terrorists or gays are all promiscuous. Ignorance, not Christianity is the real issue. Don't fall into that trap of labeling "mainstream Christians" as spokesmen for the whole faith. They are not mainstream - Hutch is just loud, not respected.
McFly, I think Leviticus 18:22 is pretty clear on this: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination." Why would a god include this kind of thing in his book to give assholes like Hutcherson a biblical mandate?
Evolved and enlightened Christians need a new name, or at least some sort of qualifier.
I try to help the cause by referring to Hutch-types as conservative Christians or fundamentalist Christians, but I don't always remember. (See instigating post.)
If there were a different name for non-insane Christians, that would help.
Most stereotypes are true, McFly. Most gays are promiscuous, most Muslims are terrorists, and most Christians are bigots.
Deal.
Schmader,
You once again demonstrate your sexism (outside of your bullshit love of that stripper movie).
Using "boob" as a pejorative is offensive and sexist. Please consider a choice of words to reflect a less insensitive and sexist comment on womens bodies. They are not there for you to objectify nor are they there are sources for you amusement (in this case, making fun of your political opponents).
Grow up, please.
I'd be out there on the pro-day-of-silence side, if I could have gotten off work.
I don't mean to start a flame war. I get it.
I just want to make sure that people don't label Christians as intolorant. My Beloved Christianity is about my unending love for God. Thats all. My favorite part of the bible (Matthew 22)is the simplest of Jesus' ministry.
"“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ "
Thats a pretty trancendent statement, you gotta admit, whether you are Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, or even a Deist.
Dudes have boobs, too, you boob.
I want to get the word out about the Day of Silence, but I can't -- silence, you know.
I'm not too good at silence.
But I fully support anything that draws any kind of distinction at all between hate-mongerers like Hutch and decent human beings.
Yeah, male boobs,
thats what everyone is talking about when the mention boobs...
You scrot...
And, McFly, Mr. Poe has a hard-on for Tim Gunn. But's not necessarily bad.
Calling someone "a boob" is particularly insulting to women who have undergone mastectomy.
Schmader's sexism and anti-cancer bigotry must be stopped!
I have reason to believe Schmader is KKK.
great post and follow-ups posts, david.
And a yay to the Times for a great profile of a former Mt. Si student, with a nice photo of him standing in the middle of the town's main street sporting skewed collars and hair akimbo. He had a bitch of a time at that fucking school, sounds like.
e.c.:
You once again demonstrate your sexism (outside of your bullshit love of whatever it is you love).
Using "scrot" as a pejorative is offensive and sexist. Please consider a choice of words to reflect a less insensitive and sexist comment on mens bodies. They are not there for you to objectify nor are they there are sources for you amusement (in this case, making fun of your ideological opponents).
Grow up, please.
But, Comte, EVERYONE makes fun of scrota. It can't be helped. That's just the way it is.
Back to the original subject: I wish I could have attended the counter-counter-protest. Hutcherson does not speak for the majority of people in this area. He doesn't even speak for the majority of religious people, or Christians. Why in the name of God (yes, possible pun intended) would anyone think that Jesus would be AGAINST treating all people fairly and decently?
Christians are supposed to live by the Gospels. You know, the Gospels - the words of Christ. And here's everything He ever said on the topic of homosexuality:
...
...
...
*crickets chirping*
...
...
...
On the other hand, he had a whole HELL of a lot to say on the topic of greed and smugness. He wasn't for 'em.
ken h called for 1000 prayer warriors in his ad. latest report shows he's 900 shy. ha ha ha!
@13 - Just call them True Christians. Doesn't get more accurate than that.
Hey look - we had our own counter-protests here in Lincoln, Nebraska.
http://journalstar.com/news/local/doc4811ffac73748622779709.txt
The comments section is particularly fun. Interestingly, it's about twice as positive as I would have imagined it would have been.
The closest you get in Jesus' ministry to anything sexual is, and this is a stretch, divorce. And you can't make the leap to sexuality from there without being an experienced pole vaulted.
#26 is right, about the Gospels. If we lived by the Old Testament, we would be required stone adulterers and wearing cotton-poly blends would be just as abominable to God as homosexuality.
I'd like a moment of silence for the 14 acres (yes, acres) of prime downtown real estate that won't have buildings ranging from 8 to 46 stories built in it, now that the backers have pulled out.
And for the outgoing publisher and managing editor of the Wall Street Journal in which it was published, about to be turned into a Tax Cuts Are Good news operation, instead of just on the useless editorial pages ...
I know I'm coming to the party late, but I'm 100% with McFly (yes yes I get the joke about our usernames, though I have no way to convincing you we are not the same person......) I try to be a loud tolerant Christian, but when was the last time you saw a movie like "Jesus Camp" depicting moderates? Hmm... never, even though more churches than ever are accepting homosexuals.
Also, as moderate Christians, we get the Bible tossed back at us (@12.) You're quoting it right; but you're taking it totally out of context (don't we love context?) For one... it's from the Old Testament. Picky, I know, but in the Christian faith, people before Jesus' time (aka the Old Testament) were tarnished. They have no savior to die for their sins, so they had to try to prove their devotion with certain acts; like not eating shellfish and sacrificing goats. There is also a cultural context here: in Jewish traditions, families are incredibly important. A man lying with a man meant he couldn't lie with a woman and make with the babies; homosexuality took focus away from the family, because two men could not procreate.
With the New Testament, here comes Jesus, who becomes humanity's sacrified goat; no longer do we need to eat shellfish, because by his death, Jesus has paid for all of our transgressions. Ironically, Jesus could also be trumpeted as the person who made alternative lifestyles (within the Jewish tradition, anyway) acceptable. It was St. Paul, his discipline, who encouraged chastity... and like homosexuality, chastity doesn't exactly equal babies, but it was seen as a personal choice of faith. A recent History Channel show also discussed how single women joined with Jesus' followers instead of getting married, an act which also did not equal baby-making.
Hell, in the early Christian traditions in Europe, becoming a nun was seen as the best way to escape patriarchy; as a woman, you now had to control over your body (no more sex for me!) and you could own land.
Okay, long post. Apologies, I have no idea how to do a text edit in a post. The point is, it is incredibly easy to rationalize why Christianity should ACCEPT homosexuality (there are quite a few awesome books on it.) A few bad apples just ruined the bunch.
@32 - There is a very small documentary about a camp run by an organization called The Naming Project that is for teens who are GLBT and Christian. It was released pretty much nowhere, however. The organization exists, though, to help teens deal with what it means to be both GLBT and Christian - not to convert them or deny their sexuality. This is their website:
http://www.thenamingproject.org/
Can someone explain what exactly the point is of the day of silence? Are they seriously expecting high school students to not talk all day? And what does that have to do with sexuality?
@34 here you go
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Silence
Every time Hutch says a prayer Jesus cranks up Judas Priest on his I-Pod and says to St Peter and John the Baptist "You guys let me know when that fat douchebag is finished and says Amen."
The ideological purpose of the Day of Silence is to intimidate, undermine and muzzle all Catholic, Evangelical and Orthodox, and Jewish students whose Scriptures identify sodomy as sin. Public schools have no business conducting such projects of ideological indoctrination.
The postings above reveal something about the advocates of sodomy. So many have filthy minds and venomous tongues. Some are potential murderers who want to kill activist Christians like Hutcherson.
The day may come when Christians and faithful Jews in America are butchered for their faith by some of the hate-filled contributors to this page. Postmodern secularism, by despising Judeo-Christian tradition, unleashes demonic barbarism. Although the forces of chaos can destroy millions, it will not ultimately triumph. Jesus Christ will return to this earth and set up his kingdom of righteousness. He said so; you can count on it.
mr. poe: most muslims are terrorists? and you get your statistics on this from where? your ass?
Pilgrim -
Your potential demonic barbarism is just that - potential. In the meantime, some of your more "activist christians" are actual murderers. So instead of speaking of what might be, according to your own warped and twisted world view, why don't you talk about what actually is happening right now?
P.S> Love does not equal sodomy, not that there's anything wrong with sodomy. Think about it.
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