Day of Silence and Day of Truth Options

[trunks_girl26]

So, tomorrow is April 26, 2006, also known as the Day of Silence. What the Day of Silence is (from their official website) is:

Now in its tenth year, the Day of Silence, a project of GLSEN® or the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA), is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bullying and harassment unacceptable in schools participate in events to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment—in effect, the silencing—experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and their allies.

My uni's GSA, of which I'm on the executive board for, is participating in the day of silence for the first time, so I was reading up about it. In my reading, I found what's called to be the Day of Truth, schedualed for April 27, 2006. Here's a quote from their site:

The Day of Truth was established to counter the promotion of the homosexual agenda and express an opposing viewpoint from a Christian perspective.

In the past, students who have attempted to speak against the promotion of the homosexual agenda have been censored or, in some cases, punished for their beliefs. It is important that students stand up for their First Amendment right to hear and speak the Truth about human sexuality in order to protect that freedom for future generations. The Day of Truth provides an opportunity to publicly exercise our free speech rights.

Interesting, ne?

So, I leave you fellow Matazonians with

Day of Silence

vs.

Day of Truth

(and maybe we won't turn this into a 'bash the rightwings' type thread)

Discuss how you'd like, though I am interested in also hearing which you think is more effective and why.

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

Day of Truth looses all respect for claiming their belief is true, I have no problem with what people believe, nor do I think their freedom of speech should be taken away (we have the freedom not to listen after all), but the sheer arrogance of calling it the day of truth and claiming they speak "the Truth about human sexuality" bugs me no end!

[Phyllis]

Day of Truth looses all respect for claiming their belief is true, I have no problem with what people believe, nor do I think their freedom of speech should be taken away (we have the freedom not to listen after all), but the sheer arrogance of calling it the day of truth and claiming they speak "the Truth about human sexuality" bugs me no end!

Not to mention that psychologists (particularly those involved in sex research) overwhelmingly disagree with them. Hmmm...who am I going to side with? Someone who has spent decades studying human behavior and learning the science of how our minds work....or someone reading from a text I don't believe in? It's not difficult to figure that one out.

[Astarael]

Day of Truth looses all respect for claiming their belief is true, I have no problem with what people believe, nor do I think their freedom of speech should be taken away (we have the freedom not to listen after all), but the sheer arrogance of calling it the day of truth and claiming they speak "the Truth about human sexuality" bugs me no end!

Not to mention that psychologists (particularly those involved in sex research) overwhelmingly disagree with them. Hmmm...who am I going to side with? Someone who has spent decades studying human behavior and learning the science of how our minds work....or someone reading from a text I don't believe in? It's not difficult to figure that one out.

The annoying refrain I hear about that one on other forums is that a handful of closeted gay psychologists somehow strongarmed the whole APA into declaring homosexuality not a mental disorder and the brainwashed them all into falsifying their results to reflect that homosexuality is in no way a choice. I have yet to see any proof of this that doesn't come in the form of a rant from a violently anti-gay website.
Anyway, I'd go with the Day of Silence. If I'd seen this last night then I probably would have participated. I don't see the day as being pro-gay, but rather pro-empathy. Part of the point is that GLBT teens are tired of the constant "that's so gay" and little jokes and barbs because people think they're okay. How is trying to get people to think a little before they spew insults such a horrible day of lies? I would completely approve of the Day of Truth if they kept it confined to an issue of free speech and censorship in schools, but they stepped over my mental respect line when they got to the "truth about human sexuality" bit.