In his latest attempt to show the nation how morally upstanding and not gay he is, Tennessee state Sen. Stacey Campfield (R) did an interview with TMZ this past weekend to sell the latest incarnation of his “Don’t Say Gay” bill which includes not only a prohibition against teaching grade levels K-8 about the existence of homosexuality, but a threat to out children to their parents if they go to a teacher or counselor with doubts about their own sexual identity.
Hey Tennessee! Pull my finger!!
Go to the link I have above if you want to listen to the whole interview. It hurts. Did you know that homosexuality is a choice, so it deserves no government protection? Makes me glad we found the Jesus Gene decades ago, otherwise that whole argument would sound pretty goddamned stupid.
TMZ: If they’re going to engage in homosexual acts anyway, why not teach them how to protect themselves from [HIV]?
CAMPFIELD: You know, you could say the same thing about kids who are shooting heroin. We need to show them the best ways to shoot up. No, we don’t. Why do we have to hypersexualize little children? Why can’t we just let little kids be little kids for a while? Why do we have to have little kids be…?
Because, you idiot, the “little kids” you’re talking about are up to 14 years old and well into puberty by the time they’re in 8th grade. They’re sexually maturing, flooded with hormones, and naturally curious about their own sexuality. Without the proper education to help them make rational, safe, and well-informed decisions, these “little kids” will quickly start making “little kids” of their own, and you’ll be left wondering how the hell it all happened.
Actually I’m beginning to wonder if anyone’s ever sat you down for The Big Talk, since you’re apparently convinced that homosexuality consists entirely of non-stop buttsex. Oh hey, what am I thinking … public schools in Tennessee …
And another thing: if two people who loved each other very much were suddenly allowed to shoot up as much heroin as they liked with the blessing of their friends, family, and the church, then I might be able to make some sense out of the drug analogy you’re trying to make. Instead, you’re just creating a false equivalence between something that is inherently destructive and something that is not.
I guess it can be … if all you know is taken from “abstinence only” education:
TMZ: Do you believe in sex education period?
CAMPFIELD: …If you can show me where it works, great.
“Show me where it works” … you really are an idiot. All you have to do is look around to see the legacy of the “abstinence only” agenda. The Bible Belt has significantly higher rate of STD infection and unplanned (and obviously heterosexual) teen pregnancy. Why? Because combining comprehensive sex education with low cost BC works. It’s effective everywhere it’s been both implemented and properly funded. Just look at New York. Scientifically and medically accurate material presented to children in an age-appropriate context has shown to not only increase the chances teens will delay sexual activity, but use the protection made available to them when they finally do.
To deny them the right to understand not only human sexuality but their own without being beaten over the head with an outdated religious manuscript telling them it’s “wrong” is not just ignorant and misguided; it’s deadly. SB0049 (“Don’t Say Gay”) combined with abstinence only education legislation places ideology and outdated Bronze Age morality above modern public health and safety, and these kids whom you supposedly wish to protect are going to suffer the consequences.
PS – By the way, you did a great job responding to Telisha Cobb. Instead of just ignoring an email in which someone (rightly) called you out for being a shitty Christian, you took the opportunity to not only double down but do some trolling at the same time. Stay classy!
I really dislike my state government.
Come out here! We have OHSU. And sushi. No pizza, though, so you have to bring your own.
During my “personal social development” classes I was taught how various ways to do drugs are bad (i.e., sharing needles). They reinforced the negative side effects of drugs, never advocated it or taught us “how to shoot” up but that did not stop them conveying enough information to me that I can live a little safer if I decided to do such drugs.
That’s an excellent point, and something I had originally included in my post before thinking I was starting to ramble. Campfield’s attempts to link sex education with teaching kids proper drug use trivializes and misrepresents what *is* taught in some schools about safe drug use; specifically, the dangers of sharing needles, mixing drugs and drug types, etc. There are also clean needle programs in some cities and other countries that have demonstrated measurable reduction in the spread of disease among intravenous drug users. This doesn’t address or excuse drug addiction, but it is a benefit to public health and disease prevention nonetheless.
It’s no secret that many social conservatives is that real, safe, effective means of addressing modern problems directly conflicts with their morality. The problem with this mindset is that they almost always choose what is ideologically “right” versus what realistically works.
A zero tolerance policy might be morally appealing, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. The number of conversation on sex ed I’ve had where the ConChristian ended the discussion going “well condoms are only 99% effective. Abstinence is 100% if everyone stuck to it.”
I agree. We can also agree that they’re technically not wrong either; abstinence is the only 100% effective way to prevent pregnancy, and the most effective way to prevent STD infection if everyone stuck to it … and that’s obviously where the chasm is between reality and ideology. They can’t seem to wrap their heads around the fact that kids will engage in sexual activity no matter how many precautions we take, including their own precious snowflakes (Bristol Palin, I’m looking at you.) They have yet to come to terms with the fact that all we can do is minimize their exposure.