The Scriptorium

3/22/2006

‘Diversity Day’ canceled over Christian Viewpoint

Filed under: — Jennifer Rast @ 10:10 am

Homosexual groups consistently accuse Christians of being intolerant, closed minded, and homophobic. But, as this article demonstrates, it’s really the homosexual crowd that is intolerant, closed minded, and phobic about being around anyone who doesn’t agree with them on every issue, especially Christians.

Amid controversy over a homosexual speaker, a high school in Wisconsin has canceled its “Diversity Day” event scheduled for tomorrow.

Speakers at Viroqua High School in Viroqua, Wisc., for the biannual event were to include Hmong, Jewish, Muslim, American Indian, African American, Latino, Buddhist, physically handicapped and poor people, the La Crosse Tribune reported.

The paper said, however, the event was called off late last week after the Florida-based public-interest legal group Liberty Counsel raised a potential challenge, insisting the program include the viewpoint of a former homosexual.

The last event, in 2004, initially was canceled by the school board after 400 people signed a petition protesting the inclusion of speakers on homosexual and transgender issues. The event was reinstated in the spring, however, when elections changed the board’s membership.

This time, a fax from Liberty Counsel stated local pastor Don Greven of Bad Axe Lutheran Church and the grandfather of a senior at the high school raised concerns about no Christian, or formerly homosexual, viewpoint being included among the speakers, the Tribune reported.

Liberty Counsel argued a federal court in Michigan had ruled a similar exclusion unconstitutional.

“By excluding the Christian and ex-gay viewpoints, the (Viroqua) District violates the Establishment Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee of equal protection,” the group said.

Greven, 61, told the paper diversity means, “in our understanding, that the various views are presented, and that was lacking.”

Gregg Attleson, a teacher on the Diversity Day planning committee, told the LaCrosse paper the intent is to introduce students to minorities and people with alternative lifestyles.

“Our students are not going to be living their lives out in Viroqua,” said Attleson. “They’ll be out and about in the world – in jobs, in the military, in the university – and they’re going to come into contact with people of different backgrounds. And we feel it would be real helpful for them in a nice safe place, like a high school, to have contact and be able to dispel some of the stereotypes.”

Attleson said the homosexual couple scheduled to speak refused to be on the program alongside an “ex-gay” viewpoint, saying they would be uncomfortable.

What hypocrites. They claim to champion diversity and want to expose the students to different backgrounds, and in the next breath they want to ban any viewpoint that makes them feel uncomfortable. As is usually the case, the intolerance and closed mindedness isn’t coming from the Christian side here.

4 Responses to “‘Diversity Day’ canceled over Christian Viewpoint”

  1. Doc Says:

    Hmm…This appears to assume that all of the children are straight white Christians, and they don’t have any minority, gay, or non-Christian classmates. Most peculiar; I thought that homosexuality was more widespread than that, according to their own assertions?

    (”Nice safe place” indeed, with all the sexual abuse going on in the schools! And furthermore, why don’t they simply teach the kids that your skin color doesn’t make a difference, and people have religious freedom, so get used to it, instead of brainwashing them?)

    By the way, did you notice the illiteracy inherent in that teacher’s comment? I caught about four grammatical errors in his statement; the only reason why it was punctuated properly is because the reporter has better English skills than a teacher. And furthermore: “…we FEEL”? What, they didn’t THINK about it? It’s just an emotional impulse? God help us if the teachers make decisions based on their feelings; what are they teaching the kids?!

  2. Jesus_is_Lord Says:

    They teach a lot of liberal rot, that’s what.
    Makes me so mad that I have to “deprogram” the kids after school every day and remind them of what is right and wrong.

  3. Doc Says:

    I intend to homeschool, myself. If nothing else, they’ll learn good manners. (Unlike their mother. *jab at myself*)

  4. Jesus_is_Lord Says:

    Hehe!! :-) Hey, I was raised in a barn and proud of it.