From the La Crosse Tribune, La Crosse, Wisconsin, March 21:
In 2004, about 400 people signed a petition asking that speakers on gay, lesbian and transgender issues not be included in [Viroqua High School’s] Diversity Day. The school board cancelled the event, but it was reinstated after spring elections changed the board’s makeup.
Let’s be clear: The petitioners in 2004 were asking that Diversity Day be less diverse. They were insisting that a pro-tolerance event be intolerant.
That battle partially succeeded. Two years later, antigay activists tried a new tactic: Instead of weakening a pro-tolerance event by silencing others, they sought to weaken the event by adding voices presumed to be intolerant.
Once again, Diversity Day has been cancelled — this time because of a complaint by the Liberty Counsel.
Scheduled speakers included Hmong, Jewish, Muslim, American Indian, African American, Latino, Buddhist, gay, physically disadvantaged and economically disadvantaged people.
But it was called off late last week after a legal group raised a potential challenge to include a formerly gay or Christian viewpoint.
The Legal Counsel faxed a letter to the school district on March 8.
The fax pointed out a federal court in Michigan had ruled unconstitutional a similar exclusion at Ann Arbor Public Schools event.
“By excluding the Christian and ex-gay viewpoints, the (Viroqua) District violates the Establishment Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee of equal protection,” the Liberty Counsel argued in the fax.
The Counsel’s demand for inclusion of a Christian voice to balance other scheduled religious voices seems sensible to me — provided that the Christian were a Quaker or an Episcopalian. However, the demand that an exgay activist be permitted to speak against a previously scheduled gay couple raises suspicion.
The Tribune article does not specify which exgay activist would have been invited, but it’s mighty difficult to find exgay activists these days who support tolerance and diversity.
I am curious to know whether the gay couple really refused to participate with any exgay — or whether the couple simply understood that few exgay activists exhibit accurate information and live-and-let-live attitudes toward gay people.
As for the school district: At first glance, its board’s willingness to stand firm in support of diversity does not appear to be very strong.
Discuss here.
Technically, when you have programs on diversity, you are exhibiting communities other than the majority community. The vast majority of people in this country is Christian, and most people in attendence probably fall into that category. At my school, I asked that there be a Christian on the diversity council, but it was largely a move to stay away from controversy. The exgay thing is ridiculous because aren’t exgays supposed to be straight in presentation. Most people are going to be straight anyhow, so I think that is unnecessary, unless exgays are claiming that they are a new sexual orientation (which would probably go against scripture or something). When the majority want a voice at the table, typically it causes tension because the majority members will fight tooth and nail to assert themselves. I know because I have been involved in various diversity things where the majority members freak out and create problems. If a Muslim is explaining his/her religious beliefs, it tends to be about info. If a Christian does, it becomes a nasty argument/fight. I am stereotyping, but this is based solely on my experience in the matter. I have been on so many councils, presentations, etc. that I have seen the nastiness that results. For example, there was a white student who set up a table on diveristy day charging different prices for bakery goods to students based on race. That was not good. This same student tried to set up a Christian club that would keep out non-Christians and homosexuals. Of course, this has caused controversy–all in the name of diversity. Then, anytime someone objects, they say, “Well see–diversity and tolerance are not accepted here.” They want to rain on everyone’s parade.