"Your Such a FAGGOT!" (HOMOPHONES SUCK!)

 I debated how to start this post.  At first I told myself "Mike...don't even use the word!"  Then, later, after some thought, I said to myself, "You know.....in order to make this an effective post, you have to use the word!!  Your readers will be shocked ... and maybe you will be able to make impact."

I have heard this story over and over...and it has REALLY gotten under my skin.  It seems that Bristol Palin and her sister Willow really have some unkind words to use when it comes to describing people.  One excuse is that Willow (Bristol's 16 year old sister is 16 and "too young to understand the power of words")  I DISAGREE.  

Two things bother me about this.  FIRST....the inability of young people to use contractions.  (It's YOU'RE not YOUR...and is YOU ARE) but mostly (and secondly) it's the use of the terms GAY and FAGGOT in both Bristol and Willow's Post on FB (which has been posted far and white -- before Willow deleted her account).

This speaks to two things.  (1)  Bullying comes in the form of words (and I had just posted on this; and (2) I have to wonder WHERE these young people got their language skills -- surely their mom (who has had her own faux pas with the use of language -- and who, herself, hates the use of the word "retarded") has had some influence on the girls.  You, m'am should never be in public office again!

SHAME ON THEM ALL.  Here's a great discussion from the Joy Behar Show.  Keep in mind that Joy (and another guest) are both comediennes.  To me, though, this is no laughing matter!  STOP THE HATE!

 

Comments

[Sharon @ What Is Sharon Doing Now?!]

Isn't it getting out of hand? I had a substitute in my classroom yesterday and the first thing I noticed on my board this morning was someone had written a name with "is gay."

The bullying and meanness is out of control. The other day I had two girls ask to sit at a vacant table in front and I told them they could both move to see the board better. One girl out right says, "No, I don't want to sit with her." Believe me, I put her in her place. Or so I thought but then I heard her say something again the next day.

In another class, I had a student re-focused on cleaning tables since I can't get him to do anything else and I heard a girl say "because he's practicing to be a janitor."

In both these cases it's not just the words, it's the attitude put behind them. Why do they think they're better than somebody else and who gave them that right to feel that way?

I was discussing it with my mother yesterday, whom has worked in an elementary school for almost 20 years. She notices that she now has to use her "4th grade scolding tone" on kindergartners, where in the past that tone would have been too much on the little ones.

[MikeyMike]

I hear you, Sharon. I am glad, HOWEVER, that colleagues (such as yourself and many others I work with) are taking a stand and making it known that bullying is NOT an option on school campuses! I have been very impressed as of late that there seems to be a shift in how diligent we are all to immediately addressing issues with students! That's a good thing!