Let's teach our kids how to hate homosexuals!

[Panacea]

The problem with this pamphlet is it dehumanizes people who are homosexual. When you dehumanize someone, you make it very easy to marginalize them and deny them their civil rights. This opens the door to all kinds of abuse from verbal to physical.

That's why the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled the organization that wrote the pamphlet (Mission America) a hate group.

[draco664]

[beyond the polite tactic of not mentioning someone's child is on death row during tea].

I'd pay ten bucks to see that!

[Aethian]

Not sure about jaguars but... big cats are often legal to have as pets. As long as the owner is following proper care etc.

I think that depends on where you live. Cause I don't think the county I live in now allows any type of large breed exotic animal as a pet. You have to get a special license to have one of those "feral" house cats of which I can't remember the name.

[PepperElf]

Well, now, I wouldn't go that far: if my next-door neighbor were keeping jaguars as pets, I'd share my opinion (and not just with them, but with animal control or whoever else would listen) whether it was asked for or not

Not sure about jaguars but... big cats are often legal to have as pets. As long as the owner is following proper care etc.

Now sure some may say it's a "safety" issue, but saying "safety" doesn't necessarily mean the other person is doing something wrong.

[HYHYBT]

That's legality. It and manners generally do not cross paths [beyond the polite tactic of not mentioning someone's child is on death row during tea].

No, it's safety. Something illegal but reasonably harmless, if it's not too blatant, I might be inclined to pretend not to have noticed.

As for the post immediately above this one... the great thing is that many children raised to believe such things don't, and many who start out with that view nonetheless retain the ability to learn, growing out of it as they come to know real people different than their parents. And their parents will teach them what they believe whether they have a pamphlet to aid them or not.

[smileyeagle1021]

People like these are the hardest to deal with. They sound like they are well meaning, but at the end of the day, their ignorance will lead to harm. Let's not dance around the issue, this is what they are teaching to children. Those children will be raised to believe that homosexuals chose to be gay, that they chose to reject "God's law", that can be changed. Will they see it as discrimination to refuse to hire someone who is gay? After all, it isn't discrimination to refuse to hire someone who is lazy, and what is a gay person but someone too lazy to overcome their 'gayness'? Will they see anything wrong in voting against equality laws? After all, it's not as if gay people actually feel love. And I don't think it is going to be homosexuals that are going to be the most hurt by this, those children will no doubt face problems in their life because of how they were raised. When that child discriminates against a homosexual because they believe that is what God wants, that same God isn't going to save them from facing the legal system that will likely by then have universally banned discrimination against lesbians and gays.
Though, I actually do see some hope in that pamphlet, I really actually do. "When a boy kisses another boy it just seems wrong." At least now they are admitting that really it comes down to "we think it's icky."

[Ladeeda]

That's legality. It and manners generally do not cross paths [beyond the polite tactic of not mentioning someone's child is on death row during tea].

[HYHYBT]

Well, now, I wouldn't go that far: if my next-door neighbor were keeping jaguars as pets, I'd share my opinion (and not just with them, but with animal control or whoever else would listen) whether it was asked for or not

[Ladeeda]

I object to these pamphlets because they teach poor manners. It's not anyone's place to criticize or correct another person unless their opinion is sought or they are the parent/guardian/personal responsible for the person they are correcting.

That follows for manners, grammar, sexual identity, eating habits, clothing choices, career, choice of school, choice of pet, nail polish, and more.

Few people want to spend time with a busybody. These folks are just grooming their children to be social outcasts.

[PepperElf]

I'm sorry, I don't see how it is a "hate" pamphlet. Just seems like another religious pamphlet one can find in any church that shows their beliefs. I do like, however, that it does say (basically) not to bully and to still stick up for someone who is being bullied. I don't care if someone is gay/straight/both/none/other, but like HYHYBT said, this is really mild.

Now, if it was something along the lines of "shun the faggots and dykes" that is more, IMO, a "hate" pamphlet.

Probably just semantics on my part.

I have to agree with this.

We're suppose to be a country where everyone is free to think what they want. But these days, it's popular to try to criminalize people's beliefs by calling it "hate speech" if we dislike what they think.

[Andrew B]

Rogers and Hammerstein pointed out that hate has to be taught in South Pacific. "You got to get them while their young." Looks like that message still hasn't sunk in yet.

[LewisLegion]

Agreed. Even given all the scientific, psychological, and personal evidence to the contrary, some people are just absolute sticklers for the idea that 'it's a choice' or 'it's a lifestyle' and will not hesitate to scream that falsity into every face they come across. I think it's denial. If they accepted the scientific evidence that it's not a choice and in fact an inborn trait, then they'd have to face the fact they've been stupid judgemental dickwads and treating other people like garbage.

My favorite 'theory' is the idea that people fall into homosexuality because it's 'addictive'...they experiment and they get hooked on it, like a drug. Funny thing is, they don't like it when I point out that you cannot actually be an alcoholic or a heroin addict if you have never tasted alcohol or heroin to begin with.

I'm a virgin who hasn't so much (yet) as kissed another girl. I am gay.

Explain exactly how I became addicted to something I haven't even had yet?

[HYHYBT]

Even if one believes homosexuality is a sin, they cannot ignore the fact that it's not something someone chooses to be

Of course they can ignore that fact... and when they can't ignore it, they deny it flat out.

[TheHuckster]

It's suggesting that being overweight and being gay are similar because "people shouldn't be bullied for being overweight but they also shouldn't be encouraged to overeat."

Even if one believes homosexuality is a sin, they cannot ignore the fact that it's not something someone chooses to be, and when one tells someone else that they, in so many words, have to stop feeling homosexual thoughts, those are especially hurtful comments because even if they wanted to stop, they can't.

[AdminAssistant]

It may be mild, but it's still hate. Bullying a gay kid is wrong, but telling them they're going to hell is okay? Considering the high suicide rates among LGBT youth, the one thing those kids need to hear over and over again is "gay is okay." So is being overweight, for that matter.