…and the ludicrous decision by Washington University to reward her lifelong commitment to homophobia and misogyny by way of an honorary doctorate, our good friends at Queers United have information on the official protest this coming Friday, May 16 — including what you can do to help, as well as links to the Facebook protest group, university and trustee email addresses, and other resources you can use to protest (and, we hope, stop) this travesty:
Looks like all you have to do to get an honorary doctorate at Washington University is devote your life to harassing gay and lesbian Americans (after spending the 1970s crushing the Equal Rights Amendment).
It’s stuff like this that makes honorary “degrees” as worthless as the “degrees” you can buy online. Kudos to Washington U. students for protesting; if the school goes ahead with this, the graduates should walk out on their own ceremony:
PFLAG Urges Washington University to Reconsider Honorary Doctorate for Phyllis Schlafly
Controversial Activist Has Long History of Anti-GLBT, Anti-Woman Positions
St. Louis, Missouri — Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) has joined calls by Washington University students and faculty, urging the school to reconsider its plans to honor controversial activist Phyllis Schlafly with an honorary doctorate at the school’s May 16 commencement ceremonies in St. Louis. Schlafly, founder of the conservative advocacy group The Eagle Forum, has been an outspoken opponent of equal rights measures for the women’s and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. In addition to her opposition to marriage equality for the GLBT community, Schlafly has also sought to block public school curriculums which present honest portrayals of GLBT people.
“Phyllis Schlafly has spent much of her life on a crusade to roll-back opportunities for millions of people, including many of the students at Washington University,” said Dr. Dean L. Rosen, president of PFLAG’s St. Louis chapter. “She has consistently opposed full equality for women and for gays and lesbians, and has pushed her anti-equality agenda in our schools and our state houses. As parents and allies of GLBT young people, we are alarmed that Washington University would honor someone who has such a long track record of attacking our children.”
In 2005, Schlafly, whose son is openly gay, wrote, in opposition to a proposed curriculum in Montgomery County, Maryland, public schools that, “Some teachers hang pro-homosexual posters in their classrooms, discuss their lesbian lifestyle in class, and refer students to gay, lesbian and bisexual organizations, while not allowing posters celebrating traditional families.” She has also opposed adoption rights for same-sex couples and allowing GLBT Americans to serve in the armed forces.
“Mrs. Schlafly has one of the longest track records opposing equal opportunity of any activist in America,” said PFLAG executive director Jody M. Huckaby. “She would gladly embrace any measure to block progress for gay Americans, including her own son, and she would welcome a world where some students are considered less than others. That’s unacceptable, and renders her unworthy of this honor. We encourage Washington University to find a more suitable person to applaud.”
Students and faculty have not asked that Schlafly be disinvited as a speaker for the commencement, but only that she not receive the proposed degree. A Facebook group of those united in opposition to honoring Schlafly now has more than 1,000 members, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. For more information, visit www.pflag.org.
Fired Teacher Calls on Calif State University to Change ‘Loyalty Oath’ Policy
People For the American Way Foundation has taken up the case of fired Quaker teacher Wendy Gonaver, insisting that the California State University restore her to a teaching job and allow her to state her religious and free speech concerns about the language of a “loyalty oath” required by the state. After being hired to teach American Studies and Women’s Studies courses at Cal State Fullerton last fall, Gonaver was dismissed when her religious beliefs as a pacifist rendered her unable to sign the required “loyalty oath,” which could be construed to require her to take up arms in defense of the Constitution.
“It’s beyond ironic that a woman who was planning to teach a course on American studies, including a section on McCarthyism, was fired for not taking a loyalty oath,” said People For the American Way Foundation President Kathryn Kolbert. “The University system should restore Wendy’s job, and make the appropriate changes to the policy so this does not happen again.”
“I’m shocked that this happened,” said Gonaver. “I fully support the Constitution and remain willing to sign the oath, but it’s important to me that my religious views and my right to free speech are recognized. I hope that we can find a solution. I’m really looking forward to returning to the classroom.”
People For the American Way Foundation is also launching a petition for Californians to call on the university system to adopt a policy allowing employees to attach an explanatory statement when they have religious or other objections to the oath.
“Freedom of speech and freedom of religion are two of our most fundamental rights. Law-abiding citizens like Wendy, who love and respect their country precisely because of those freedoms, must be able to exercise those rights, and certainly should not lose their jobs for doing so.” said Kolbert. “This is not a question of loyalty. It is a fundamental question of basic American rights.”
You can read People For Foundation’s letter, along with Gonaver’s proposed addendum and proposed policy allowing faculty members to attach addendums to the loyalty oath in the future, here.
Hat tip to Daniel Gonzales of Box Turtle Bulletin. He has created this wonderful video that lays bare the ugly truth behind the Day of Truth, the RRRW’s “answer” to the Day of Silence. It’s the day they push anti-gay propaganda on LGBT students, their allies, and everyone else. Fortunately the real truth is on our side, and here is just one piece of ammunition.
We’d love to know what these folks would say about this jerk using “short people” as a pawn in his cruel attempt to mock gay Coloradans — and make a mockery of the law as well:
The debate on the Senate floor over a bill that would expand the prohibition of sexual orientation-based discrimination became personal and emotional this morning after a senator offered a rhetorical amendment to ban discrimination against short people.
Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, withdrew the stunt amendment after arguing that there is no need for the bill because he has not seen evidence that gays and lesbians are discriminated against when seeking a job or a home.
“What I’m talking about is economic discrimination, political discrimination, employment discrimination,” Brophy said. “I find no pattern of any of those.”
Brophy’s comments outraged Democrats, who took turns at the lectern denouncing his argument with angry and sometimes shaking voices.
“It must be nice,” said Sen. Jennifer Veiga, a Denver Democrat who is sponsoring the bill and who is gay, “as a white male to sit back and mock the real discrimination that occurs in our society, especially on the basis of sexual orientation.”
Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, came close to tears when recalling the ugly fights surrounding the state’s Amendment 2, which prohibited laws protecting gays and lesbians and which the U.S. Supreme Court later overturned.
Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, spoke about his son, who is gay and who moved to Oregon to be a prosecutor several years ago because he felt Colorado was not accepting of him. …
And Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver, said he was disgusted by Brophy’s amendment.
“Discrimination is a practice that has gone on in this country too long,” Groff said. “It is the birth defect of this country. And I think it’s time we deal with that.”
Of course, a handful of other Republicans tried to shoot down SB 200, which would prohibit discrimination “on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, places of public accommodation, consumer credit, labor unions and school enrollment, among other areas,” using the same old, tired, brain-dead arguments about crippling “a free society” — you know, the usual transparent idiocy the Wrong Wing parrots every time they’re threatened by the possibility that we homos might actually be recognized as human beings under the law.
The good news is that SB 200 passed a voice vote; it “still needs a final vote in the Senate before heading to the House.”
Let’s hope Colorado hasn’t forgotten the lessons learned from that travesty called Amendment 2.
In the meantime, we suggest some enterprising Democrat in the state legislature introduce a bill prohibiting discrimination against ugly people.
That’s right, ugly people. While we certainly see no pattern of “economic discrimination, political discrimination, [or] employment discrimination” against ugly people — like Sen. Brophy; after all, his rubbery visage, evil-clown smile, beady little eyes, and criminally awful haircut didn’t impede his political career, did it? — the more we look at that mug of his, the more we think that’s not a face every employer would want greeting customers in a store, or peering out from behind the desk of a hotel concierge. So why not pre-empt anti-ugly discrimination before such unfortunates as Sen. Brophy ever feel its sting?
We think somebody so butt-ugly as Sen. Brophy would appreciate such a bill.
No doubt by now most of you are aware that the Day of Silence is April 25th (and the “Day of (un)Truth” follows on the 28th). Lance Bass, formerly of *NSYNC, has contributed his time to this wonderful PSA for the DOS.
As you may be aware, GLSEN’s Day of Silence is on Friday, April 25th. Since the bigots must fight any house of cards erected by the LGBT community with a bulldozer, Alliance Defense Fund will be holding their “Day of Truth” on Monday, April 28th. Needless to say they’ll be using their version of the truth.
They have prepared talking points so students faced with any “hostile questions” (read: logical questions anybody would ask bigots) can pawn off their “deeply held religious beliefs” as fact. There’s also a propaganda sheet that will ensure the bigots can recite by rote the 10 top reasons gay people deserve to be treated like crap. But thankfully Wayne Besen has ammunition. Watch and learn.
Now you’re armed and ready to fight the forces of evil. Go get ‘em!
