Erotic Ramblings

Why Schools are the real Battleground

In the fight of what is right, of good versus evil, the main battleground lies in the classrooms of schools the world over. It is in those classrooms, those halls of learning where today’s leaders learn valuable lessons, but it is also where the Osama’s of the world learn to hate, learn to distort reality.

Whether it is the Pontiff or a Republican State Assemblyman, or a Democratic Nominee for President, it is in the schools where the real war against good and evil are won or lost. Right now, in the United States it is being lost hand over fist. With archaic notions that raging hormones can be bested by teaching Abstinence, by altering the truth about life and about differences, the fight for good is losing.

“Youngsters have always used insulting language with their friends and it is perfectly normal.” (story)

Nations like Canada, the United Kingdom get this salient point. They know that bullying, that ignoring the homophobic comments of other kids is not going to solve problems, but is going to ascerbate them over time. They know that bullying today among kids, leads to worse things when they are grown ups. It is why gay bashing IS a Hate Crime in Canada.

Why isn’t it in the United States?

Because in schools today, peer groups to teach that differences are not threatening, are denied, if they talk about homosexuality. They are forced into long drawn out legal battles just to get heard, and the argument against them, is from those who are sworn to protect ALL CITIZENS. Only in America and other DICTATORSHIPS does homophobia not rate protection.

Just like Muslim Immans teach that to hate is okay, that GOD supports them in murdering innocent people because they are Jewish, or because they Americans, just like Popes who spew their own venom against governments that take protecting all citizens seriously, schools across America today teach racism, intolerance. To deny children ALL THE FACTS, is no different than keeping them at home and not teaching them how to read, simply because you have decided they will drive a tractor and have no need to read anything.

Fact is today, that kids are being abused, and not just by parents or friends, but by the very government sworn to protect them. Oh sure they pass nice laws, like 2257 or such, but do they really protect kids? Hell one of the architects of the latest round of child protection laws, the Adam Walsh Bill,  is in rehab now, hiding because he tried to seduce young boys. These are the people who are saying that Homophobia is just a phase, that send signals to young children that hate is okay, as long as it is against Queers.

Drugs are rampant and violent crimes are common place. Solutions to problems bring discourse and acrimony, all because there is no balances. Schools no longer provide safe haven for kids, no longer nurture the independent spirit of man, instead they show daily that hate is good, that racism is preferred over equality. This is what is happening, because some belief that GOD hates Queers.

Why Do They Do It?

Maybe the question should be, why does anyone do drugs? I wish I had an easy answer to it, because then maybe things in the world might be different. See I have this notion that you need to treat the Cause not the symptom. Guess that makes me odd because even in medicine today it isn’t that way. They treat symptoms more than what causes it, like say High Blood Pressure. They give you a pill and monitor the BP and that’s about it. Goes up later on, well they up the dosage of pills, but then that seems how we approach things today.

Kids are seeing it and today the studies say drug use among teens is down, except for prescription medications. Course I wonder, how accurate is this study? I mean seems to me more kids are shooting up schools, arrested for plotting to bomb their schools, than ever. Seems that you hear about more people being raped while under the influence, more frat houses suspended for rowdy parties or such. Yet the study says illegal narcotic use is down a bit across the board. (story) Like where do these kids live that are responding?

In the Vatican City State?

I shouldn’t be surprised though. I mean Illegal Immigrants come in aren’t effecting wages one bit, plus they do jobs the average citizen supposedly won’t do. So how come there is unemployment? I mean it does exist, so obviously there are able bodied people not working, so guess this is just another example of politicians justifing their inaction. And I wonder, is that also why this study shows continued decline in hard drug use, except for prescription and over the counter drugs? (story)
When schools advertise for Joe & Jane Average to finance text books, and then a study comes out saying drug use is down, I have a hard time buying it. I just don’t see it, and given the constant barrage of news reports talking about drug deals going bad, of tons of drugs entering the country almost daily, I find it hard to swallow that this study is even close to reflecting reality.

What gets me though, is why do we do it? I mean it isn’t just the kids turning to drugs, but many adults as well. It is in fact a major industry of its own, but why? Are we looking for cheap thrills, or do we somehow think it makes us perform better in life? in the sack? Is it to fit in or does it go deeper than those superficial explanations?

For myself, I believe it is deeper. I think it comes from dissatisfaction from our lives, from our own inabilities to advance ourselves, or as an edge to advance. Whether it is to get ahead in our career or to have unrealistic goals set for us, we feel the need to get an edge, by the use of drugs. Sure it might be shown to us from our role models and peers, but surely we have our own ethics? Or do we? Are we so enamored with the hype created by Madison Avenue that we have forgotten the principles that truly do mean things? Have we traded our self respect for a shiny new car with 8 sub speakers and a dvd player?

Is this perhaps the real legacy we are living and about to pass on to the next generation? One of being sheep and followers of those who shout the loudest? Is it even possible to change back or have we lost our way too much already? I don’t know but when I look at kids today, at the essentials they claim to need, I cower a little. I mean kids today can barely figure out if they got the right change from MacDonalds, assuming the kid behind the till can figure out the cash register system to make change.

Schools have a lack of books, but does it matter? I mean most can’t read anyhow so why spend money on books. Teachers say they’ll teach better if they get paid more, but they agreed already to do that last contract time. What messages is that sending our kids? Or when Politicians and Religious leaders line up and say you can’t have sex until you are married, but 95% say they had sex before marriage. So was it that bad that now they don’t want anyone else to do it? or was it that good?

Perhaps it is this double standard, this total lack of consistency that has confused an entire generation. Perhaps it is this mantra that in protest of politicians voters will stay home, that has the next generation tuning out and turning on. Is it their way and ours too, of relieving the stress of living in a society of total hypocrisy or is there more to it? Is it a lack of hope that they can make a difference when they see voting machines fail but results are unaffected?

The elders of society, the brains and leaders talk about family values, about ethics but refuse to limit campaign contributions or support those who are under invetigation by giving them key appointments. It makes no sense when they shout how someone can’t do this or that, then turn around and say it should be discussed.

Maybe the question shouldn’t be why do they do it, but why don’t they do it sooner.

What Does It Take?

Shake your head a little and ask yourself, what does it take for people to understand that anyone persecuted, bullied, or vilified, is deserving of protection and that if schools fail to teach tolerance, to teach differences, how can society survive? Seriously, you can hate me because I am gay, you can believe I will burn in eternal damnation even, but that does not give you the right to attack, to bully, to denegrade me or others like me.

I am different, so?

Another battle looms in the court system of whether a GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) club can be formed in a high school. The School says no, because well they are mandated to teach abstinence and that marriage is about a male and female. Like that might be the sex education requirement from some neanderthal government, but it isn’t nature.

But school district attorney David Gibbs says that the Equal Access Act can’t be used in the case of a GSA and furthermore Florida law requires schools to teach abstinence, “while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage.” (see Story)

Schools are supposed to be about learning, not about repeating what some zealot believes or thinks. It is about educating kids and to show them that what might be their view, their belief, it doesn’t always make it right or what others might belief. It is through that quest for knowledge, for what makes the differences, that bridges gaps, that allows for hatred to diminish and for understanding to flourish.

This isn’t Iraq or Tehran, it is North America. Surely in todays world, hatred because of religious beliefs should not be allowed to impeach the ability of schools to teach. Those times supposedly ended in the Middle Ages, but it appears that they are making a comeback. Personally I have no problem with these people demanding abstinence, but I do have a problem with those who deny me the right to offer an alternative. It doesn’t bother me that someone believes I will rot in Hell, because in my own heart I know they are wrong. I could be, but that belief of mine, it doesn’t hurt them or me.

Denying the meeting of groups like the GSA while allowing Christian Groups to meet only foster racist attitudes and views. It shows clearly that one is superior to the other, and that isn’t Democracy or even Freedom. That is tyranny and hatred and when did schools become teachers of those traits?

The school allows a number of extracurricular clubs – including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Key Club, and the Rodeo team – to meet regularly on school grounds. (see Story)

Have you ever wondered why there is so much hatred in the world? Ever think that it is because when we should be building bridges, we are instead burning them? This is one of those, burning the bridges issues, and last time it happened, it led to a lot of Cross Burnings.

Wonder what they will use this time around? 

Remembering

The world is remembering that AIDS is a killer, and it is not going away. In fact, some studies are showing that perhaps AIDS and HIV are on the rise as people become complacent. Another cause too is the growing lack of understanding. You would think that after 25 years leaders would understand that to simply ignore this disease puts everyone at risk. It also increases an already heavily burdened health care system under immense strain.

Whether you have National Health or not, the cost to all taxpayers exists because the so called Religious Right deem this illness to be a moral issue. One many conservatives like Bush embrace and so as a result, we fail the next generation in not just teaching them math skills, but in teaching them how to survive diseases like HIV and AIDS. By making ‘abstinence’ the only proper sex education tactic, we ignore the reality of life. Kids are becoming more active sexually at an earlier age.

Despite the concerns some parents have about their middle school child being taught about sexually transmitted diseases and safe sex practices, Harmon said it’s necessary because children are becoming sexually active at younger ages. (full story)

As we mark this day, maybe we should do more than Light A Candle or even Make A Donation to the National AIDS Fund. Maybe, we should start listening to what we know is right. Perhaps we can start with ourselves even. Maybe instead of using lame excuses that condoms don’t feel right, we should embrace them until a 100% safe method is found. Instead of hiding, we should go out and be TESTED to make sure we aren’t passing this disease on to our sex partners.

Sure we can’t be held accountable for what others do. However, we can and should be held accountable for what we do. So yes it means we go get a jab by some needle every six months and we wait nervously for the results. Still, it is better to know than not. Least with all the advances in medical science being diagonosed with HIV isn’t as it used to be. We can still lead normal and productive lives, if we choose. But only if WE KNOW!

Tags: abstinence, AIDS, disease, education, illness, killer, needle, Religious, teaching, TESTED, understanding