It is quite clear that the folks at Focus on the Family know they are up against a wall. After the dismal failure of the National Organization for Marriage last week, James Dobson went to the only place he thinks he still can: the children.
The newest effort to offset the gains toward equality made in recent weeks (years, decades) is to attempt to scare the hell out of parents. There is not even an effort to pretend that this is above board. This is “they are out to recruit your children” type of scare tactics.
The Web site is (why not?) “True Tolerance,” and in the “Social” section, subtitled “Giving Kids Unbalanced Messages,” they write:
We know from social science research, that children are still developing both physically and emotionally during the middle and high school years. So a significant percentage of kids experience sexual confusion during this crucial time period.
Clearly, schools shouldn’t be opening their doors to messages that push vulnerable children into prematurely embracing a sexual identity based on the demands of special interest groups.
Wow. In the “Legal” section, we are told:
Often, schools are told they must comply with these advocacy groups’ demands — such as mandatory “diversity” training or pro-gay curricula—or they could face legal liability for not making their school “safe.”
“Safety” is being used as a political arm-twisting tool to force an adult agenda into schools.
Unsurprisingly, the Alliance Defense Fund — well known for having no problem bringing lawsuits against schools in order to stop equality in the name of “protecting” religious viewpoints — has lent a helping hand to the legal arm of this newest effort, in which parents are urged in the “Take Action” section to download materials, “including a legal memorandum and fact-based responses to claims made by advocacy groups” and “a cover letter from the Alliance Defense Fund that you can print and deliver—or email—to your school officials.”
The letter includes the helpful information: “Please know that the Alliance Defense Fund stands ready to provide free legal assistance to help clarify any questions or concerns you may have.” Including, presumably, legal assistance for the parents downloading this letter.
A final note, Focus on the Family and The Alliance Defense Fund have a third partner in this new effort, Exodus International. Yup, the group with the tag-line “freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ” is a helpful partner in this effort.
Right, this is about true tolerance. Tolerance of heterosexuals and gays who are “blessed” with “freedom from homosexuality.”
Hypocrisy. Of. The. Highest. Order.
Surprise.
Tolerance. Fail.
Here’s the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which apparently is stuck in the crosshairs of this new effort. Visit them, and support their efforts if you actually believe in true tolerance.
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Chris Geidner is the senior political writer at D.C.'s Metro Weekly and has written for The Atlantic Online, Advocate.com, Salon and other publications, as well as at his blog, Law Dork. Prior to moving to D.C. in 2009, he served as an attorney on the senior staff at the Ohio Attorney General's Office and had earlier worked for a leading Columbus law firm. An extended biography can be found
I would speculate that such people on the right either don’t remember what it’s like to be a kid or have an inordinate amount of sexual confusion themselves. I think it is true that middle and highschool kids have sexual confusion; but, remebering back,I know I could have used more responsible guidance, not less — Someone to say it’s normal to think about this or that. And if someone said it is ok to be gay, I would have thought “wow, well that’s certainly not me,but I can imagine it would be hard for someone who is, but who feels abnormal.” Many people on the right seem afraid that heterosexual kids can be turned into homosexual ones. Who knows: perhaps that’s the case with some, but if it is, I don’t think such kids have far to go in the first place, and they would benefit from some support.
“Clearly, schools shouldn’t be opening their doors to messages that push vulnerable children into prematurely embracing a sexual identity based on the demands of special interest groups.”
I’m always puzzled as to why the parents of teenage girls don’t think that prematurely embracing a sexual identity that rarely involves getting knocked up wouldn’t be a net positive. As the LUG phenomenon demonstrates, the girls can always change their minds later once they are self-supporting.
More seriously, in response to Dan, once it is more acceptable to be gay or bi, more people will identify as such (rather than pretending to be straight) because it no longer will take as much courage. People like Dobson don’t care about people’s real identities, only “a face to meet the faces that you meet.”