Americans For Truth President Peter LaBarbera
Peter LaBarbera has been a long time LGBT foe. Americans For Truth is a group that works to expose the "truth" about homosexuality, which basically amounts to some sensationalized sex stories and a whole lot of lies about how homosexuality can be "changed."
LaBarbera is this week's creep because of an April 1 press release from AFT regarding the April 13 Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network that highlights anti-LGBT bias in schools. According to GLSEN, "[Students take] a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment – in effect, the silencing – experienced by LGBT students and their allies."
In response, AFT has said that the Day of Silence doesn't "go far enough" and has called for a "Decade of Silence" for "pro-homosexual school activists" they claim are running rampant in our nation's schools. By standing up against the harassment and discrimination against LGBT students, AFT says, impressionable children are being harmed.
"Parents are sick and tired of pro-'gay' liberals using the trusted school environment to promote homosexuality and gender confusion as normal to impressionable children," LaBarbera said. "Most parents simply have no clue as to how much pro-'gay' propaganda has found its way into our schools – to the point where GLSEN is now targeting elementary school kids and promoting the bizarre notion of 'transgender youth.'"
Actually LaBarbera's claim that schools are just teeming with pro-LGBT resources and advocates is a far more bizarre notion. The Day of Silence wouldn't be needed if LGBT kids were truly and honestly respected and kept safe in our nation's schools.
Also quoted in the press release – and equally creep worthy – is AFT Chairman Michael Heath, who also heads the Christian Civic League of Maine and is actively working to repeal the state's recently passed non-discrimination law that includes LGBT people.
Heath said AFT would revisit the issue of "gay silence" in March 2014 after the Decade of Silence was over. "We would use the next 10 years of GLBT silence to survey the emotional, physical and spiritual damage on children wrought by years of unchecked pro-homosexual messages in our schools," Heath said. "For example, what about the many young men who chose to embrace an unhealthy 'gay' identity after being guided by a school counselor to 'accept who you are?'"
Actually the healthiest LGBT youth are the ones who HAVE accepted their identities and aren't plagued by feelings of shame and self-loathing. Self-destructive behavior isn't unique to LGBT youth, but it sure is common among kids who are isolated and have low self-esteem. Apparently that's how folks like Heath and LaBarbera want to keep it for LGBT youth.
Though AFT claims that the press release was "written in the spirit of April Fool's Day," they apparently aren't aware that jokes are supposed to be funny. Harassment and discrimination against LGBT youth is certainly nothing to laugh about.
Tell them you're not laughing by sending an email to [email protected] or [email protected].
