MOTHER'S DAY ENDANGERED?
by Alex McRae

Here's a question you thought you'd never hear: "What does a gay student call his parents?"

If a new California law is passed, it won't be "mom" or "dad." At least, not on public school campuses.

Why? Because, according to the sponsors of California Senate Bill 777, references to "mom" and "dad" would "reflect adversely" on the homosexual lifestyle.

Say what?

Pardon my ignorance, but if children of gay parents don't call their parental units "mom" and dad," what do they call them? Bill and Bob? Susan and Sally? Y'all two?

The current SB 777 is much like a bill approved by California lawmakers last year but vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now that Schwarzenegger has come out of the liberal closet, the bill stands a better chance of becoming law.

Not everyone is happy, including a group called the Capitol Resources Institute. In a statement issued after SB 777 was introduced, a CRI official said, "SB 777 forcibly thrusts young school children into dealing with sexual issues, requiring that homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality be taught in a favorable light. Not only does SB 777 require that classroom instruction and materials promote and embrace controversial sexual practices, it also bans schoolsponsored activities from 'reflecting adversely' on homosexuals, bisexuals and transsexuals."

This is first-degree dumbness. First of all, you'd be hard-pressed to find a decent educator anywhere who favors punishing or demeaning homosexual students for their lifestyle. But while that lifestyle shouldn't be mocked at school, homosexuality shouldn't be promoted at the expense of traditional heterosexual institutions, like mom, dad and marriage.

Why has this even come up for discussion? It's absurd to even propose a law under which "mom" and "dad" would become dirty words that have no place in the campus vocabulary.

The bill requires other changes, as well, all designed to make schools (allegedly) less threatening to gay kids. CRI Executive Director Karen England said if the bill passes, the following would result: "Mom" and "dad" and "husband" and "wife" would have to be edited from all textbooks.

"Cheerleading and sports teams would have to be gender neutral. Prom kings and queens would be banned, or if featured, would have to be gender neutral so that the king could be female and the queen male.

"Gender-neutral bathrooms could be required for those confused about their gender identity. A male who believes he really is female would be allowed into the women's restroom, and a woman believing herself a male would be allowed into the men's room. Even scientific information, such as statistics showing AIDS rates in the homosexual community, could be banned."

Sounds like the bill includes everything but consideration of the feelings, desires and bathroom habits of the school's heterosexual students, who - even in California - remain a majority.

Acceptance, understanding and tolerance is one thing. Banning students from saying "mom" and "dad" in school is the height of politically-correct stupidity.

At this rate, saying "Happy Mother's Day" could soon be considered hate speech. All in favor of that, don your dunce cap and go to the corner. For good.

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