Sex Toy or Weapon Of Mass Distruction?

I found an article in the Chicago Sun-Times and figured I had to share it with you.

Here’s the story.

A young man and his mother who were on their way to Turkey on August 16th, and ran into an unexpected problem at the airport. Seems the young man was carrying a penis pump in his carry-on luggage. When the female airport security guard found it in his bag, she held it up and asked the young man what it was.

Ok, the kid’s embarrassed. He was just caught with a sex toy by airport security and in front of his mother too. So, the young, embarrassed man, silently and nervously told the agent it was “a pump”. Unfortunately, the security agent thought she heard the word “bomb” … so all hell broke loose.

The kid’s court process has already started, although his next court date isn’t scheduled until September 13.

(What Americans Know … Part Two)

The day after I posted What Americans Know, I came across these… Yeah, I know, they’re about six years old … but I figured what the heck … I’d post them anyway. They appear to be from some Canadian show (I’m getting the impression this guy is something like our own Jon Stewart) … and they don’t need much explanation.

Unless … that is you don’t know the first thing about Canada. (Like … they don’t all live in igloos … there are oceans on either side of them … Saskatchewan is in Canada and not the Middle East … stuff like that.)

Talking To Americans - Part 1

Talking To Americans - Part 2

Talking To Americans - Part 3

Talking To Americans - Part 4 

Talking To Americans - Part 5 

What Do Americans Know?

I used to believe that Americans were pretty smart. Now, I think that Robert Heinlein had the right idea when he penned, “Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.”

Recently, I came across this article from the Washington Times. The headline, “Superman Tops Supremes” got my attention … and of course my imagination went wild with images of Diana Ross being hurled into outer-space or being disintegrated by the laser vision of some dude wearing a blue spandex suit with a red satin cape. (No, I don’t have anything against Miss Ross, as long as I don’t have to listen to Con Te Partio one more time – I am sure she could slap superman silly like he was some airport employee, or something.)

The sad part is that I’ve been seeing a lot of articles like this lately. And, I get it. We know more a lot more about pop culture than we do about academic subjects. I assume that I am like most Americans, my idea of fun is watching a movie where things blow up, rather than researching the capitols of African countries. I would much rather spend time listening to Britney Spears (ok, maybe not) than listening to C-SPAN.

I also assume that most people can relate with me when I remember that I used to know stuff that I can’t remember now to save my life. When I was in high school, I could easily recite all the state capitols. When I was in College, I could tell you the side effects of most psychotropic medications. When I lived in Denver, I could tell you how to get from the Capitol Building to Six Flags. When I lived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, I could tell you which exit of the Circle Freeway I lived near. Today … well, I feel lucky if I can remember what I ate for lunch yesterday. (I had a cheeseburger. No, wait … I had a burrito. I think. Damn!)

Every time I read an article like this, my personal thought is that that we remember more about pulp culture because we’re almost always connected with it in some way. We get in our cars, and turn on the radio. We go out to the movies on Saturday night to see the latest blockbuster. We walk down the street and see billboards with the Desperate Housewives on them. And, I swear that I see Paris Hilton every time I step foot outside my house.

On the other hand, I rarely have a use for information like who the current (or former) Court Justices were … I rarely need to know who the Prime Minister of South Africa is. Or, if Train A leaves New York City at 4am and travels 55 miles per hour, while Train B leaves Kansas City at 5am and travels 65 miles per hour, and I want to know which one will get to Chicago first, I’ll just look at the train arrival board like normal people.

Personally, I don’t think reports like this are fair … I don’t think they take into account the whole picture. Sure, saying that more Americans can name the seven dwarves than Supreme Court Justices sounds interesting, but can you honestly tell me that’s all there is to it? (And what about those of us who thought the seven dwarves includes Sleazy, Sneaky, Sneezy, and Smurfette?)

However, having said all this – I still think it raises a valid point. (Kind of.)

In my opinion, it isn’t so much what Americans know (or rather, what we don’t know) – I believe the issue is more about what Americans care about. Why should the average American know how to find Bolivia on a map? Unless I’m a Jeopardy! Contestant, why is knowing who the fifth President of the United States was important?

Personally, I think it is important to know this stuff. (Even though I understand some of the reasons we don’t.) Or, at least be able to recognize it when we come across it…

…’cause if you’re not paying attention … ’cause if you don’t know the difference between Bin Lauden and Saddam Hussein … some of these news stories might actually make sense. (sigh)

The Time To Speak?

One of my new on-line acquaintances, David Shelton, recently posted in his blog about one of the candidates running for Mayor of his home-town of Clarkesville, TN. One of the candidates had, earlier this year, written a letter to The Leaf-Chronicle (the city’s newspaper) criticizing them for writing an article about this year’s gay pride parade, and asking them to not “give impression gay lifestyle is healthy” [sic].

Like David, I am also saddened every time this rhetoric is hurled from the pulpits, every time the Bible is used to justify bigotry or condemn anyone who might share different social values. But, we have to remember that this is nothing new - just look throughout history over the past couple thousand years and you’ll see examples that will make your head spin. The Bible has been used as justification for genocide - just look at the history of the Crusades - anyone of non-christian faiths (like the Muslims, Pagans, etc…) were slaughtered; even Christian Sects like the Cathers were pretty much wiped out, all justified by what was written in the bible. The Cathars were, obviously, an important part of history - a portion of history that will forever be lost because … well, there ain’t none left to tell their side of the story.

Throughout history, the bible was used to justify slavery. The bible was used to justify the oppression of women, even today, remnants of this can still be seen. How many times have we heard that women can’t do something because of Eve’s involvement during the events in the Garden of Eden.

Even in the modern day, the Bible has been used to justify everything from hate groups (like the Klu Klux Klan) - Timothy McVeigh used the bible to justify his actions in blowing up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City - or, how about how the bible has been used to justify the murder of abortion doctors or the bombing of clinics where abortions take place.

I do not want this post to sound like I am anti-Christian, although I know that a lot of people will think that. I am not attacking Christianity, but rather the actions of certain (but not all) Christians.

I firmly believe that one of the great things about living in America is that we have a right to voice our opinions, as long as it is done in an appropriate manner. I do not fault Clarksville Mayoral Candidate Mark Hiehle for voicing his opinion. Even though I do not agree with his opinion, I’m glad he was able to voice it.

But … where are the voices that oppose that line of thought? How many letters were sent to the editors of the Leaf-Chronicle praising them for the story they wrote about their gay pride parade? Where are the voices that say there is nothing wrong with the gay lifestyle? Where are the voices that say it might be a sin according to your religious beliefs, but not to mine?

Why haven’t we heard more from these people?

Or, how about those out there who don’t support gay rights, but don’t believe in condemning it either? Where are those voices?  And where are the voices reminding us of passages such as Matthew 7:1? (Judge not lest ye be judged.) Or, how about John 8:7? (So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.)

I, for one, would like to hear more of those voices…

What Are We Teaching Kids?

I’ve been hearing a lot lately about the attack on free speech coming out of California. Recently, the California Supreme Court refused to hear a case involving a high school student named Tyler Harper. There has been so much talk about this issue - it’s actually kinda hard to tell what’s really going on.

If you listen to most of the blog posts I’ve read on the subject so far, you’ll think this is a case of Christianity coming under fire by the United States Court Of Appeals For The Ninth Circuit. Or, maybe you’ll think it’s about Christianity and homosexuality. I’ve heard about how the constitutional right to free speech doesn’t hold anymore if you’re a Christian.

They want to make this an issue about morals and principles - and in a way I agree with that. I just don’t think it’s about the same morals and principles.

Tyler Harper attends Poway High School in Southwest California. The school itself is no stranger to controversies. In 2003, the Gay-Straight Alliance held what they called A Day Of Silence, intended to teach the students tolerance of others, especially on the basis on sexual orientation. The day saw several altercations between students resulting in several suspensions. Then, a group of students decided to hold a Straight Pride Day, in which several students wore anti-gay T-shirts which led to more incidents and a few more suspensions.

The following year, 2004, the Gay-Straight Alliance petitioned the school to hold another Day of Silence, but before they could do so, the group had to sit down with the principle in order to “problem solve” ways to prevent altercations and reduce the tensions felt the previous year.

On the April 24, 2004 Day Of Silence, student Tyler Harper wore a T-shirt saying “I WILL NOT ACCEPT WHAT GOD HAS CONDEMNED” on the front, and “HOMOSEXUALITY IS SHAMEFUL, ROMANS1:27” on the back. The following day, he wore the same t-shirt, except the message on the front of the shirt had changed to, “BE ASHAMED, OUR SCHOOL EMBRACED WHAT GOD HAS CONDEMNED”. (The message on the back remained the same.)

A Teacher saw this shirt and overheard several students talking about it. Remembering the altercations from the year before and explained to Harper he thought it was “inflammatory” and that it violated the school’s dress code. Harper was directed to the principles office, who asked him to remove the shirt because he also found it violated the school’s dress code. The principle explained that it wasn’t because of his views on homosexuality, but because it “created a negative and hostile working environment for others”, and that there were less threatening ways to get his message across, even coming up with some different ideas. All of which Harper turned down, asking to be suspended from school.

Harper spent the rest of the day in the school conference room, but was later visited by a Deputy Sheriff, Hubert, who acted as the School’s Resource Officer. He was at the school that day because the principle asked him to come in for the day after someone claiming to be a parent called the school, stating complaining about the school’s condoning of homosexuality and threatening that they “would be doing something about it.” Hubert sat down with Harper trying to understand the situation, the two discussing their viewpoints on homosexuality, religion, and the Bible. Harper contends this amounted to him being interrogated.

The Assistant Principle, Giles, also sat down with Harper. The two attended the same Church, and shared the same faith and beliefs about homosexuality. Giles expressed he knew where Harper was coming from, but wished that he could express himself in a more positive way, urging him to organize something with the school’s Bible Club.

On June 2, 2004, Harper filed a lawsuit in district court alleging five causes of action - violating his freedom of speech, violating his right to free exercise of religion, violating the Establishment Clause, violating the Equal Protection Clause, and violating the Due Process Clause. On June 22, 2004, the school filed a motion to dismiss the charges, and on July 12, Harper filed a motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to stop the school from violating his constitutional rights.

On November 4, 2004, the courts granted the school’s motion to dismiss the equal protection and due process claims and denied the motion for the first amendment claims (free speech, free exercise of religion, and establishment of religion). The court also denied the preliminary injunction. Harper then filed in the appellate courts.

Last week, the Appellate Courts declined to hear the case.

After reading the history of the case, it becomes clear this isn’t really an issue of Christianity v. Homosexuality - as a lot of people are claiming. Many of those involved in the story shared Harper’s views on homosexuality and religion, expressing concern that Harper’s T-shirt had gone too far. Harper’s failure to even consider alternatives (as well as Harper’s asking to be suspended because of this) made it clear to me he was out more for the political statement than the religious values he says he’s for.

In my opinion, it’s more of a moral outrage to create a hostile environment for other people - which appears to be Harper’s main plan of attack.

Is this what we are teaching our kids? If you don’t like someone, or if you don’t like a group of people - it’s ok to degrade them, belittle them, and create a hostile environment for them? If you don’t agree with someone’s religious beliefs or political views, it’s ok to harass them?

Sorry … but I don’t think so.