The Peter can not count

Pam's House Blend

Check out Alvin's post at Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters on Peter LaBarbera's claim that homophobe pastor Ken Hutcherson "led a full one-third of Mt. Si High School students OUT of school Friday to protest the pro-homosexuality "'Day of Silence'."

For the record, Hutcherson did not lead one-third of the students out of the school. His protest only had 100 people, which was one-tenth of the number of people he wanted to be there (Hutcherson was asking for 1,000 attendees for his so-called prayer vigil.)

The school reported that 495 students did not attend school, including 85 athletes, who were excused for personal beliefs.

Mount Si's gay-rights Day of Silence is far from quiet

By Lynn Thompson
Seattle Times Eastside bureau

More than one-third of students didn't show up for classes Friday. Principal Randy Taylor said 495 out of 1,410 students weren't at school, including 85 athletes whose parents had asked that they be excused for their personal beliefs.

About 100 people joined the Rev. Ken Hutcherson, a prominent anti-gay-rights activist, in prayer and song that questioned the dedication of a school day to what they said was a controversial political cause.

Snoqualmie police placed yellow crime-scene tape between Hutcherson's supporters and about 40 counterdemonstrators, including some former students, who tried to drown out the pastor by beating drums and chanting, "Go home."

Earlier, about 80 parents and supporters of the event, sponsored by the school's Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), stood quietly outside the school as students arrived in the morning. Some wore tie-dye scarves, and a former student waved a rainbow flag.

"We want to let students in the GSA know they have support in the community," said Lucinda Hauser, a Mount Si parent and member of the local Methodist church.

Members of the group of supporters said they did not want to confront Hutcherson or his supporters and left about 8 a.m.

The national Day of Silence was observed Friday by more than 200 high schools around the state and more than 7,000 school and colleges nationally. It has been observed nationally for the past 13 years.

Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, last week called for 1,000 "prayer warriors" to join him outside the school Friday.

He and his wife also took out a half-page ad in the Snoqualmie Valley Record calling on residents to join them.

full article

Ex-student returns to Mount Si to support Day of Silence

By Lynn Thompson
Seattle Times Eastside bureau

Neil Lequia will be watching the protests and counter-protests at Mount Si High School today with more than a little emotion.

As a gay teenager growing up in the Snoqualmie Valley, he remembers "the bullies," popular, athletic boys vamping in the hall and pretending to flirt with him. He was part of the school's first Day of Silence in 2006, in part to call attention to the harassment.

Nineteen now, and two years out of high school, Lequia said, "Even being in the closet was hard there."

Lequia, who now lives in Seattle, says insisting that students and teachers talk on the Day of Silence defeats the purpose. He tells the story of a friend from Seattle's private Lakeside Academy whose Spanish teacher on the Day of Silence started a movie about violence against gays in Mexico — and then left the room.

"These are the experiences you take away from high school. They stay with you more than any one exercise in class," Lequia said.

full article

related article

2015Place.com Silent for Lawrence King, Day of Silence

In observance of the Day of Silence, this blog will be silent Friday, April 25, 2008.

Silent for Lawrence King:
Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I am participating in the Day of Silence (DOS), a national youth movement bringing attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence, which is caused by anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment. This year’s DOS is held in memory of Lawrence King, a 15 year-old student who was killed in school because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. I believe that ending the silence is the first step toward building awareness and making a commitment to address these injustices. Think about the voices you are not hearing today."

VIDEO: Larry King speaks about Lawrence King and DOS

Larry King speaks out in support of the Day of Silence.

In the video he states "all students should be free to be themselves without the fear of name-calling, bullying or harassment. "

He ends the video with "every student deserves to feel safe in school".

Day of Silence creates Turmoil

It amazes me to see the amount of turmoil developing over a single day of silence.

This year a fellow student killed an eighth grade gay student! If this does not send up red flags and alarms to people in our society then people simply are not listening.

The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. This year’s event will be held in memory of Lawrence King, the California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression.

BUT, there seems to be some who don’t want safer schools (perhaps the fact it was “just a gay kid” who was killed?).

The American Family Association issued an Action Alert advising parents to contact administrators of schools to protest the Day of Silence.

CNS News issued a boycott: Boycott Homosexual 'Day of Silence,' Pro-Family Group Says

Then the “parrots” started coming out:

Homosexual sponsored "Day of Silence" in Public Schools
Day of Silence Scam Places Children at Risk
Fighting the gay agenda in schools

They’ve even come up with the Day of Truth in attempt to directly counteract the Day of Silence.

As a rebuttal to the Day of Truth, this video was created.

THANKFULLY, there are more who do want safer schools.

• GSA Network
• Sun Sentinel
• 365Gay
• GLSEN
• PFLAG
• Pam’s Houseblend
• Many YouTube videos
• “Day of Silence” on myspace
• School principal in complete support

As a side note, I will not be making any posts this Friday in observance of the Day of Silence.

California: National Day of Silence

Local high school Gay-Straight Alliance groups and the Stanislaus PRIDE Center will mark this year's National Day of Silence with two consecutive evening events at the King Kennedy Center, 601 N. Martin Luther King Drive in Modesto. Both events will be at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $2 for students and $5 for adults.

Thursday, the traveling youth performing arts group, YouthAware, will perform its new play, "Outspoken." There will be a post-show question-and-answer session with the cast and director. Friday, a GSA-led "Make Some Noise Rally" will take place. The rally will feature students from local high schools, who will bring a close to National Day of Silence activities. The event is sponsored by Stanislaus PRIDE and the King-Kennedy board of directors.

National Day of Silence is a student-led day of action in which concerned students, from middle school to college, take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to name-calling, bullying and harassment experienced by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students and allies. This year's events will be in memory of Lawrence King. Police say the California eighth-grader was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression.

full article

VIDEO: Lance Bass' PSA for Day Of Silence

The PSA, which began its viral distribution earlier yesterday, was made in support of the 11th Annual National Day of Silence. Taking place April 25, the event commemorates those lost to antigay violence and encourages students throughout the country to take a vow of silence in protest of the intolerant among them.

Arizona: Gilbert schools want off Day of Silence list

Two principals in the Gilbert Unified School District have asked that their schools not be listed as participants in the National Day of Silence by an organization opposing the event.
MissionAmerica.com's Web site listed Desert Ridge High and Gilbert High schools as participants in the Day of Silence, which is sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

The schools' principals asked that MissionAmerica.com, a Christian group, remove the school names after pressure from the family members of some students.

Desert Ridge's name has since been removed, although Gilbert High was still on the list as of Monday.

The school district has no "official" position regarding the day, said Dave Allison, associate superintendent. But if students choose not to participate and not talk in class, the consequences are up to the individual teacher, he said.

Matt Heil, co-chairman of the Phoenix chapter of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, said students who choose to be silent are asked to get permission first, and if they can't participate by not speaking in class, to choose to be silent between classes or at lunch

full article

Day of Silence

The 6th annual Day of Silence falls on Friday, April 25, 2008.

This year, the event will be held in memory of Lawrence King.

Those of us in the GLBT community know what it is like to silence our thoughts and feelings. Most of us do so daily!

The Day of Silence event attempts to highlight this.

I know this is a difficult concept for some who are not part of the GLBT community. It’s difficult for them to see that everyday of our lifes we are bombarded with the message “you should be heterosexual”.

TV, radio and everyday chatter denigrate those of us in the GLBT community. For the young in our community, who are not in a welcoming household, the situation is often traumatic. Sadly, the trauma is often held in silence causing untold turmoil within.

I won’t be making any posts or comments on April 25. I will be making a small card to carry with me that day. On the card will be a simple statement “today is the Day of Silence”!

I hope my brothers, sisters and allies join me in honoring Lawrence King and the Day of Silence on Friday, April 25, 2008.