Thread: Mississippi Prom Canceled b/c of Gay Couple

Originally Posted by Sesquipedalian

I again put my former statement out: As long as you do not negatively affect others (putting the school on the spot, and the canceling of the prom were factors on both sides) and force your beliefs onto me or others (having the school decide yea or nay, and the school forcing the students to not even have a prom) you are okay with me.

I'm guessing you are not holding the school to that same standard? The school board is forcing their beliefs upon the students, because two girls wanted to go to prom as the couple they were (which is, frankly, no concern of any other student or faculty member). The school wasn't "put on the spot." The school is the one that put them on the spot (either they don't go as a couple, or the prom is ruined for the entire school).

Originally Posted by Jeff777

I'd have to disagree. What you're essentially saying is the girls should have rolled over and kept their lesbian love a secret and just "casually" met up at the prom. Why? Heterosexual couples were registering together. Why should the girls have to roll over to appease the schools homophobia?

Decades ago in the south, blacks were made to sit in the back of the bus while whites sat in the front. Now, both racial groups made it to their destination at the same time but this was still unfair treatment. One could have said "Well.. you're going to the same place and getting there at the same time so it's no big deal really", but that would have been untrue.

Eventually, a quiet, peaceful black woman named Rosa Parks decided to take a peaceful stand by not moving to the back of the bus.. the south RAGED, but THAT was a pivotal catalyst for change to come about (well, that and the Emmet Till story). So all it takes is one person to go up to a hornets nest and swat it with a stick before a shit storm ensues. But sometimes that shit storm needs to happen in order to bring about change.

The prom story made national news. Considering 1/10 people in America are admittedly homosexual.. that's what... roughly 35 million people in America? The last thing the school wants is 35 million pissed off people raising hell in lil 'ole Mi'sippi. National coverage is the schools worst nightmare.

I think what the girls did, by taking a stand, was exceptional behavior worthy of being commended.

Originally Posted by Oneironaut

I'm guessing you are not holding the school to that same standard? The school board is forcing their beliefs upon the students, because two girls wanted to go to prom as the couple they were (which is, frankly, no concern of any other student or faculty member). The school wasn't "put on the spot." The school is the one that put them on the spot (either they don't go as a couple, or the prom is ruined for the entire school).

I totally agree with both of you. It's true, sometimes that shit storm just has to happen in order to nudge people out of their habits and pressure to conform.

Nice replies Jeff and O, that's just what I meant to say

The school sought of trapped the girls.

Originally Posted by Jeff777

Considering 1/10 people in America are admittedly homosexual.

I'm not sure that's accurate.

Originally Posted by ninja9578

I'm not sure that's accurate.

Nor am I. But I'd guess just a little less than that. Well, it would be around 1/10 if you consider bisexual people.

Originally Posted by ninja9578

I'm not sure that's accurate.

Well, gay people aren't the only ones who will stand up for themselves. There are also a lot of straight people who support gay rights, so if we're counting the number of people who will get/are pissed off at that school, it's more than 10%. I don't actually know that... But I sincerely hope that over 10% of the US supports gay rights.

What I am saying is that the school had 2 choices: Accept and risk being sued by other parents, or decline and piss the school off, but to little monetary expense. With the educational system the way it is now, schools CANNOT afford to be sued.

I not saying that they had to hide. I'm saying that they did not have to escalate this to national news. I'm personally fine with how they choose to live, but if they insist on going as an official couple, causing the prom to be cancelled, then I'm not okay with that. I know that the change will happen eventually, but using a school is probably not the best catalyst for it.

To be sure, I don't like this situation. The reason may be different, but that is my own opinion. Believe what you will. I will not denounce it. My opinion will not matter in history, anyway.

You're ignoring the third option the school had which was to allow them to go as a couple.








You know...



That thing they should have done anyway.

What I mean by accept is to let them go as a couple. There is bound to be some random parent that would be, well, horrified at this? It was already news at the time, I'm sure. Then they might sue the school for allowing their child to be exposed to this "sickness" firsthand. Either option could result in mass loss of money that they have precious little of.

Originally Posted by Sesquipedalian

What I mean by accept is to let them go as a couple. There is bound to be some random parent that would be, well, horrified at this? It was already news at the time, I'm sure. Then they might sue the school for allowing their child to be exposed to this "sickness" firsthand. Either option could result in mass loss of money that they have precious little of.

What?

No, seriously, what?

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

The old world would have stoned them to death. The Middle East would do it now.

X2. Really, it was the new world that changed the old world. If America hadn't existed, a lot of progress wouldn't exist, along with a lot of problems.

MY personal opinion is that they should be allowed to go as a couple, but not kiss or show other Public displays of affection. That should have solved the problems, as most kids who's parents would freak out because of gays wouldn't realize that they were a couple, as they would be sheltered from homosexuals completely. My church's official teaching on the subject of homosexuality is that you can love each other, but not... well... you know. If you manage to do that, your reward will be great. I live behind a gay couple, and they are very normal and nice people. They certainly don't have some "disease." A lot of people get a stereotype about gay people, simply because they had a bad experience with a gay person or are afraid of somebody different then them.

Originally Posted by YYNYM

MY personal opinion is that they should be allowed to go as a couple, but not kiss or show other Public displays of affection.

Why?

Why should a couple be forced into a non-public relationship because a vocal minority disapprove of their lifestyle. At the end of the day, it's not their choice as to who can date who, so why should they have any say in it?

Parents couldn't really sue the school, could they? And win, I mean.

Here's an ultimate FAIL quote:

Southside Baptist Church Pastor Bobby Crenshaw said he's seen the South portrayed as "backwards" on Web sites discussing the issue, "but a lot more people here have biblically based values."

people who are against gays obviously are insecure with their sexuality.