Scottsdale’ Alliance Defense Fund holds ‘Day of Truth’ about gays
April 25th, 2008, 2:31 pm · Post a Comment · posted by lawngriffiths
Friday was the national observance of Day of Silence when students in schools were displaying their solidarity and support of gay and lesbian, as well as heterosexuals, in their stand against bullying or harassment of homosexuals. Some 275 apparently signed up to take part in it at Gilberts Desert Ridge High School, while about 250 may have skipped school in protest to there even being a Day of Silence, which is not sanctioned by the schools.
Now Monday becomes the nationwide observance of Day of Truth, the fourth annual event sponsored by the Scottsdale-based Alliance Defense Fund. They will be able to present a different viewpoint than what students in districts nationwide were doing Friday to show unity with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Day of Truth has annually come the next school day after Day of Silence.
The Tribune Web site has seen a fierce debate on the issue following the posting of stories and blogs related to the Gilbert firestorm. Readers seem unrestrained in arguing for both sides
Silence doesnt teach anything, the ADF says in its materials. An open, honest and respectful discussion, however allows truth to rise to the surface. It says the consequences of making decisions with inadequate information can be severe. Students cant be expected to make good, well-informed decisions if theyre only hearing part of the story.
Its Web site, http://www.dayoftruth.org/main/default.aspx, shows a 38-second video with the sound of a ticking clock and a couple male students with duct tape over their mouths. One rips his tape off and walks into the school with the words: Its time for an honest conversation about homosexuality Break the silence. Share the truth about homosexual behavior.
The ADF said that on Monday, in schools around the country, students will be wearing Day of Truth T-shirts and hand out cards outside of class time with this message: I am speaking the truth to break the silence. True tolerance means that people with differing even opposing viewpoints can freely exchange ideas and respectfully listen to each other. Its time for an honest conversation about homosexuality. Theres free to change if you want to. Lets talk.
Gay web sites are harsh in criticizing ADF and Day of Truth for being shallow at addressing the realities of homosexuality and that they have one solution, a spiritual one, turn to Christ and be transformed.
Linda Harvey, founder of Mission America, based in Columbus, Ohio, has been a leading force to get schools to stop Day of Silence observances in schools. Her letter on Tuesday to the Columbus school officials notes that she was once a liberal whose ideas changed when she became a Christian in the early 1990s. .for the first time, (I) really grasped the moral disintegration of our country, I was at first concerned, then alarmed and now I am basically overwhelmed at the speed with which radical, high-risk misinformation on homosexuality and gender change is being accepted and disseminated in our nations public school systems, and how responsible, accurate information is often deliberately withheld.
And she debunked the notion that bullying of gays is pervasive. There is no validity to the claim that homosexual kids are being bullied because conservatives and tradition-minded families oppose these questionable behaviors, she said. Overweight kids are bullied, too; does this mean that support for healthy nutrition is to blame? Such invalid linkages unfairly stigmatize moral values and bring confusion to the table.