Florida's "Don't Say Gay" Law, And Its Political-Legal-Cultural-Psychological-Educational Implications

(The chonology of this correspondence is reversed. You may want to read this post from bottom to top.)

Dear Willard,

Thanks for your thoughtful email.

My view of early education is strongly influenced by the Waldorf Educational Method which posits that - above all  children (through fifth grade/onset of puberty) - should be given unlimited opportunity to be children, which is to say they should explore creatively and playfully. (Maria Montessori, Italy's first woman doctor, who - mirabile dictu! - wrote a book on the Eucharist, had a very similar view of focusing children on playful exploration and creativity. During my last visit to Chicago, I was surprised to drive by a Catholic Montessori school.)

So, yes, I think it is advisable to avoid "political" indoctrination at a young age, although we do confront the ever thorny issue of being a democracy (however vestigially) in which people are free to make bad collective choices.

And so, to avoid over-regulation and red-meat grandstanding by politicians through heavy-handed legislation, I propose that Floridian parents should make their wishes known through the procedural process already in place when their school boards meet annually to review curricula.

Here is an interesting "on topic" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Guve7Y856kY

And here is (practicing Catholic) Stephen Colbert's monologue shtick on this same video clip: https://www.businessinsider.com/stephen-colbert-donald-trump-and-rudy-giuliani-drag-video-2016-8

Thanks again!

Hasta la proxima!

Alan

On Fri, Feb 3, 2023 at 9:51 AM WB

Hola Alan!

Thanks for your Email.

I may have mislabeled the topic we were discussing.  I had meant to comment on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law which address parental rights over what is taught in schools.  The bill prohibits instruction in LGBTQ/sexual orientation in grades kindergarten to 3^rd (ages 5-8).  On the flip side, the LGBTQ activists and liberal press stress that the legislation discriminates against LGBTQ people and the students who ae potentially in this class (but don’t quite know it or are afraid to “come out”).  And, some argue that it violates “free speech”.  There are various commentaries on this subject and all you have to do is Google “Don’t Say Gay”.  Interestingly, there’s a NC Sente bill about this topic seeking limits on LGBTQ/gender orientation for K-4^th grade.

What distresses me most are the attacks on any legislation/discussion because it “might” create problems for a minority class.  I believe it’s important to educate our children about equality, respect for all groups.  But, I don’t think they should be indoctrinated at an early age – before they reach the “age of reason”.  You might say indoctrination is a bit strong!  But, remember children 5-8 years of age are quite impressionable and view their teachers as an authority figure.  They could, in my opinion, be persuaded that they are or should be a member of the LGBTQ community.  Especially if the teacher is gay, trans gender, etc.  Personally, I’m not willing to accept this risk.

As a parent I would say I would ignore arguments about legal status or freedom of speech for a minority group if such actions would harm or jeopardize my child. 

While I don’t advocate teaching this topic to young children (K-3/4 grade), I believe it would be necessary/beneficial to include it for students reaching the age of puberty (12 years and beyond).

“Nuff said!!”

 

P.S.  Have you ever noticed how some special interests groups advocate for equal rights, and, once they have attained a semblance of equality they now seek “special treatment”??

 

Sent from Mail for Windows

 

From: Alan Archibald
Sent: Thursday, February 2, 2023 11:39 PM
To: Willard Budzinki; Norma White; Byron Howes
Subject: Arizona Republicans approve bill to criminalize ‘evil’ drag shows

 

Queridos amigos,

 

I have started research on Florida sex education, and have discovered that for some years now, there has been NO specified sex ed curriculum in the state.

 

In fact, every year school boards all across the state are welcome — in fact, encouraged — to review their sex ed curriculum with an eye to changing it.

 

And so, even under the status quo, there is no impediment to any of Florida’s school districts changing its curriculum from one year to the next.

 

Why isn’t that enough?

 

Why is it necessary to have a law?

 

I don’t have the pertinent links at gand, but in recent years research has proven that conservatives frighten more easily than liberals. (I a happy to supply these links if any of you would like.)

 

And so, it is not surprising that - in recent years - conservatives have focused on “weaponizing childhood” as the easiest way to inflame the conservative base.

 

There does not seem to be much realistic threat to childhood (except the predictable degradation of unbridled “cowboy capitalism”) while there is, in fact, a super abundance of scaredy-cat fear-mongering.

 

As Byron pointed out in tonight’s Tertulia… Conservatives often seize upon issues that sound HORRIBLE (Antifa and M-13 immediately come to mind) but always with a calculating eye to use such trumped up, grissly-inflated issues to broaden the scope of their attack on civil liberties.

 

I bet y’all are just like me… I have never met - nor do I know anyone who has ever met - a card-carrying member of Antifa nor an M-13 gang member.

 

It’s “all“ political kabuki with virtually no foundation in reality.

 

That said, all of this inflammatory right-wing posturing serves the real purpose of setting the stage for America to drift ever deeper into authoritarian repression.)

 

Read the article below about the potential criminalization of drag shows.

 

Really?

 

Screw lifting the debt ceiling so that Republicans mught be the responsible people they’ve always claimed to be.

 

Hell no!

 

Don’t pay the debt, but do suck up to Donald Trump while he calls for troglodytic parents to be in charge of hiring school principals.

 

And then — in keeping with the expansive nature of authoritarian/absolutism/fascism —why not empower parents to hire-and-fire college presidents.

 

And while the yahoos are at it, why not insinuate themselves into all hiring practices. After all, Jesus is on their side so they can do no wrong.

 

While this generation of so-called conservatives does actually prioritize any authentic policymaking, they dedicate themselves to such nonsense as ensuring that drag queens can’t strut their stuff.

 

Why?

 

Because before you know it, every conservative child in America will be groomed to be gay.

 

https://www.rawstory.com/arizona-republicans-approve-bill-to-criminalize-evil-drag-shows/

 

Let’s not forget…

 

Just a decade before Hitler rose to power, he was homeless on the streets of Vienna.

 

But Adolf did have a certain charisma, coupled with a keen instinct for conjuring fears as his first step to capitalizing on them.

 

To me, it is crystal clear that fully 1/3 of America’s population craves an iron-fisted, jackbooted leader, and to that end, would happily trash democracy, so long as they can replace it with chauvinism, jingoism, and the flag-waving trappings of “showcase democracy.”

 

It is an inconvenient truth that millions (maybe tens of millions) of right-wing Americans - primarily white Christian nationalists - actually pray for God to unleash Armageddon so that Lord Jesus will come back and put everything in its proper place.

 

And in the process, He will exempt devout “Christian“ “conservatives” (who are neither) from doing anything that even vestigially responsible citizens would do.

 

More to come.

 

Hasta pronto

 

Alan