Welcome to "WTF Wednesday"!

For our first installment of WTF Wednesday, I'd like to introduce you to Linda Harvey. Linda is a "radio personality" and part of a group called Mission America whose mission seems to be spreading the word that "OH MY GOD, THE GAYS ARE COMING AND THEY ARE AFTER YOUR KIDS!!!"

A couple of weeks ago, dear, misguided Linda advised her listeners to avoid letting gay healthcare workers be involved in the care of their children. Seems she thinks that a rainbow lapel pin is somehow going to turn your child into a gay, God-less heathen and you will instantly be swallowed into the fiery pits of hell for being such a horrible parent. Or something like that. She suggested filing a letter with your pediatrician that says, "Gay people scare me and I want to pass my fear and ignorance onto my children, so please keep the queers away from Little Billy." Or something like that. It's okay if it's an emergency she says. If it's a matter of life and death, the gays get a pass which is mighty generous of her, don't you think?

This week, she's on a new mission. She wants people to oppose anti-bullying legislation because she thinks it will indoctrinate the youth of America. She may have a point. If we don't let our children make fun of and ostracize people who are different than them, how will they feel superior? And how else will the homosexual kid know he doesn't deserve to be treated with dignity or respect? Forget the fact suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens, or that there is an undeniable link between kids who try to kill themselves (or do) and bullying. Never mind that gay teens get bullied two to three times as much as straight kids. Those are just silly facts getting in the way! Parents have an obligation to keep up the "dreaded "climate of hate"" (her words and scare quotes) because as any thinking individual knows, once a kid learns it's not okay to treat someone else like shit, they will automatically start loving Lady Gaga and ask for a subscription to The Advocate.

In all seriousness though, what the fuck? You hate gay people, we get it. Deny it all you want, quote the Bible, say it's about "protecting" kids, but at the end of the day, this sort of bullshit is nothing more than hate-mongering. If I had a sick child, I would want someone good at their job caring for them. How a parent could be concerned about someone who *might* be gay taking care of their sick kid boggles my mind. What are your priorities, exactly?

Her drivel about anti-bullying programs being, "a carte blanche for sexual-deviance promotion" is nauseating, sad and terribly ignorant. News flash: no one is trying to turn your kids gay. I promise. What we ARE doing is trying to protect innocent kids from being bullied to the point that they try to hurt themselves. Forgive me if I'm mistaken (because I AM a God-less heathen) but isn't there a guy in the Bible she hides behind who said bullying is unacceptable? Wasn't his name Jesus?

-Nic