My goal with myspace was to meet friends and ask questions about my own views, question my own beliefs and values and find answers to questions I have.
I have always been of the opinion that you are much better shouting your views from the rooftops no matter how ill-informed, so long as you always listen to others and are ready to change if someone comes out with a better more informed argument.
Too often we dont bother listening, because we're busy doing the shouting, and occasionally we cant be bothered to correct others because we dont want the confrontation.
Yesterday and today I have been lucky enough to find people in direct contradiction to things I have believed in. They appear at the moment to be intellegent, well researched and respectful. I hope they will listen to me as much as I intend to listen to them.
As I come to conclusions I intend to write them on here for others to argue and add.
But today, I'm writing about Sally Kern.
It's difficult to know where to begin, as there is so much you could say.
Sally Kern is an Oklahoma State Legislator (the equivilent to the oklahoma houses of parliament) and has been for 4 years.
She is one of the writers of recent oklahoma law which states
A school district shall treat a student's voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint, if any, on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner the district treats a student's voluntary expression of a secular or other viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject and may not discriminate against the student based on a religious viewpoint expressed by the student on an otherwise permissible subject.
In other words...
If you ask a student how old the planet is, they can say 3000 years old (adam and eve), and you have to mark them correct as it is their religious belief.
The US has a very clear protection of religious rights with it's first ammendment, so the issue as to whether the citizens of Oklahoma need this law is in doubt anyway, but the problem I have is that kids are easily influenced and quick to catch on. And if I knew I could not bother with my geography homework on the corrosion of rock because I didn't believe it. Well lets say i'd have had less homework and more A's.
Also as an adult, if I dont like what you have to say I can leave, but a student required to be at school, and therefore required to listen. So if my teacher decides not to teach me about Darwin and evolution, and instead tells me there's no such thing, I have to stay there!
Imagine in every school assembly being told there is no such thing as an ice age.
I'm talking about creationism, and in case you think it's an american problem, we have 3 creationist schools in the UK.
Sally Kern's views on homosexuality can be found on the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFxk7glmMbo
I found it surprising that in both texas and in oklahoma voters allowed people like this to be their representatives. I imagined they had kept their religious elitism to themselves, but unbelievably, the protests that marched against her comments were dwarfed by the crowds that gathered in her support later that same week.
SHE SAYS BEING GAY IS WORSE THAN BEING A TERRORIST!
Now i'm sorry, but I suspect if I had the choice of a son that was gay, or a son that blows buildings up and kills people, I know which I would choose.
Have you forgotten 9/11 Sally Kern or do you just not care?
If you are from the US and you aren't embarrased by her, just consider this.
The rest of the world, including your closest allies are seeing your country's governments more and more like religious fanatics. And the fact that you dont appear to care is just arrogance.
In a recent comparison on yougov, expressing UK and US opinions, 40% of the UK population questioned said they believed in a god. 90% of americans believed in god. So you can imagine how comments like these based on an interpretation of religious scripture goes down.
I have tried very hard not to argue her individual points even though I believe her to be completely wrong. I think she is entitled to her opinion albeit misinformed. I object to the use of provocative words in her rhetoric, it comes very close to breach a law here about inciting public gatherings to action, a law that I dont agree with, but that we recently deported the muslim Abu Hamsa
I believe she should have a right to say whatever rubbish she chooses to, but my right is to reply on here and wherever I want. Tomorrow I'm taking a banner to the US embassy asking that Sally Kern is escorted back to the institution she escaped from.
I hope to see you there.
I'll be the one with the hat.
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