Gay Bullying Is "peer Pressure"

[kujo]

According to Tea Party Nation leader Rich Swier:

[quote]This is not bullying. It is peer pressure and is healthy. There are many bad behaviors such as smoking, under age drinking and drug abuse that are behaviors that cannot be condoned. Homosexuality falls into this category. Homosexuality is simply bad behavior that youth see as such and rightly pressure their peers to stop it. In Sarasota County over 70% of all HIV/AIDS cases are due to male sex with males.[/quote]

Source: [url="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tea-party-nations-anti-gay-campaign-continues-group-likens-gays-drug-addicts"]RightWingWatch.com[/url]

I tried to access the [url="http://www.teapartynation.com/profiles/blog/show?id=3355873%3ABlogPost%3A1022447&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_post"]original statement[/url], but I'd have to sign up for the website, and I'm not willing to do that.

So, what say you, Phamily?

[Brother Adam]

It is hard to say without context. We can say with certainty:

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

[dUSt]

I agree that homosexual acts are bad behavior which should not be condoned. I disagree that gay-bullying is healthy peer pressure--that seems kinda dumb.

[kujo]

[quote]2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial.[b] They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.[/b] [i]Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.[/i] These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.
[/quote]

The bolded part needs to be remembered by all Catholics and Christians.

The italicized part is an unfortunate wording, since it is surely the justification for many bigoted remarks and behaviors, who "justify" their hateful words and actions because they "stand for the Truth."

[Brother Adam]

You can take anything and distort it to fit your own meaning. That does not make the wording itself unfortunate.

[kujo]

[quote name='Brother Adam' timestamp='1309459670' post='2260982']
You can take anything and distort it to fit your own meaning. That does not make the wording itself unfortunate.
[/quote]

It's unfortunate, IMHO, because it is noticeably ambiguous and leaves the door open for that sort of behavior.

[havok579257]

[quote name='kujo' timestamp='1309459740' post='2260984']
It's unfortunate, IMHO, because it is noticeably ambiguous and leaves the door open for that sort of behavior.
[/quote]


seems pretty staright forward to me. don't know what's so confusing about it?

[dUSt]

[quote name='kujo' timestamp='1309459556' post='2260980']
The italicized part is an unfortunate wording, since it is surely the justification for many bigoted remarks and behaviors, who "justify" their hateful words and actions because they "stand for the Truth."
[/quote]
I think the wording is fine.

Just like the phatmass phorum guidelines, we say negative criticism is not allowed. [i]Negative[/i] criticism. I think there is a way to be constructively critical, or, in the case you cite, discriminate in a just manner.

For example, I think it's perfectly acceptable to consider the sexual preference of a person if you are considering them to teach a class on sexual morality, or say, hire them to be a trainer on an all male sports team.

[Brother Adam]

[quote name='kujo' timestamp='1309459740' post='2260984']
It's unfortunate, IMHO, because it is noticeably ambiguous and leaves the door open for that sort of behavior.
[/quote]

It is not ambiguous but has to be generalized because you just can't foresee every possible case in a catechism, just like civil and canon law can't possibly foresee every possible case that will be before the court. For instance, it is right to reject homosexual partners from adopting children, but never okay to make fun of them or bully them. If a Catholic befriends and counsels someone struggling with same sex attraction that is not bullying, but there are plenty of ways in which people can be mean to someone struggling with what could either be a mental illness, addiction, or other problem in their life.

[Papist]

I don't get why put the word 'gay' in front of bullying. I don't hear fat bullying, skinny bullying, acne bullying, etc. What make's the victim 'being' gay different?
Bullying and peer pressure are both wrong.

Edited June 30, 2011 by Papist

[Papist]

[quote name='kujo' timestamp='1309459556' post='2260980']
The bolded part needs to be remembered by all Catholics and Christians.

The italicized part is an unfortunate wording, since it is surely the justification for many bigoted remarks and behaviors, who "justify" their hateful words and actions because they "stand for the Truth."
[/quote]
How would you word it?

[kujo]

[quote name='havok579257' timestamp='1309460003' post='2260988']
seems pretty staright forward to me. don't know what's so confusing about it?
[/quote]

Hi Havok. Nice to see you haven't forgotten about me

I never said the following passage was confusing:

[quote]Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. [/quote]

Nothing confusing about it; however, there are a few words in there whose meaning could be misconstrued by those who would seek to provide a post hoc explanation and validation for their hateful words and deeds:

1) Unjust- There are a great many people who hide behind passages and excerpts from the Bible and the 2000 years of recorded history of the Catholic Church. Different words, different times, different meanings. Anything could be called "just" so long as you regurgitate enough scripture or Church documents.

2) Avoided- This word doesn't carry nearly enough weight because it leaves the door open for the possibility.

[fides' Jack]

Agreed. Bullying is bad.

[kujo]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1309460232' post='2260996']
I don't get why put the word 'gay' in front of bullying. I don't hear fat bullying, skinny bullying, acne bullying, etc. What make's the victim 'being' gay different?
Bullying and peer pressure are both wrong.
[/quote]

Bullying is kind of an umbrella term. Gay bullying is just one of the spokes. And there is ABSOLUTELY "fat bullying" and "acne bullying." Go to any middle or high school in America, and you'll absolutely find that there's a fat kid getting picked on, or someone with severe acne getting called names. I can tell you this because a) I was the fat kid (until I started playing football, in which case I became a "jock," which made it "cool" and acceptable to be overweight) and b) my sister was the acne kid (not anymore...she grew out of the stage and now looks like one of the models in those facial wash commercials!).

The point is that kids are mean, and will be mean about anything they can get their hands on. The insidious part of gay bullying is that, as opposed to weight or acne, these things cannot be changed. They can't hit the gym, join a club or take medicine and be un-gay; rather, they are being attack for something instrinsic to their identity. It's no different than racism, where someone's nationality or ethnicity is used as a reason to hate them.

[Papist]

[quote name='kujo' timestamp='1309460448' post='2261003']
Hi Havok. Nice to see you haven't forgotten about me

I never said the following passage was confusing:

Nothing confusing about it; however, there are a few words in there whose meaning could be misconstrued by those who would seek to provide a post hoc explanation and validation for their hateful words and deeds:

1) Unjust- There are a great many people who hide behind passages and excerpts from the Bible and the 2000 years of recorded history of the Catholic Church. Different words, different times, different meanings. Anything could be called "just" so long as you regurgitate enough scripture or Church documents.

2) Avoided- This word doesn't carry nearly enough weight because it leaves the door open for the possibility.
[/quote]
I think the people that are treating homosexuals in a bad manner do so regardless. I don't believe they look first to where they can justify it and then act out. So, I think it unjust to point the finger at the Catechism as a player in the mistreatment of homosexuals.