It seems like it took forever. But tonight bullied children in Ontario are finally a little bit safer.
And gay kids have the right to call themselves gay, and form Gay-Straight Alliances.
No matter what some Catholic School Boards have to say, or what grotesque homophobes like Charles McVety spew out of every orifice.
It's a great victory, and it took a lot of good people to make it happen. The Liberals and the NDP who supported the bill.
Kids like Taechun Menns and Leanne Iskander who took on their school board and came up with creative ways to defy the rainbow ban...
Even though they were threatened by school authorities, and one school board Chair compared their gentle alliance to a Nazi club.
The mother of a bullied gay boy who wrote this letter in response.
And so many others who supported the kids, including many good Catholics who don't follow the reactionary dictates of Pope Benny and his Vatican mob.
But sadly, there would have been no anti-bullying bill if two bullied kids hadn't committed suicide...
Mitchell Wilson and Jamie Hubley.
And since Jamie tried to start a Rainbow Club in his school only to be bullied to death.
I think he should have the last word on this night of VICTORY...
Down with the bullies and the bigots.
Long live the Gay-Straight Alliance !!!
Click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.
Excellent summary. The bill is not a magic bullet but it is an excellent first step to get these people who fear homosexuality to realize that they are people with as much wort and value as anyone else.
ReplyDeletehi anonymous...after so many years of trying to get bullying taken seriously, I am delighted at the progress that is finally being made. You're right Bill 13 won't cure the problem, but it's a big step in the right direction and I couldn't be happier...
DeleteNormally i don't agree with the Ontario Liberals and NDP on much of anything but in this case I must way bravo. It's about time! Sadly, there are still a lot of dickheads out there. I found a link to this piece of crap editorial on the bus ride in to work this morning.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.intelligencer.ca/2012/06/05/government-tyrants-pushing-gay-agenda
Respect and mutual tolerance of differences is always a good thing. The Catholic school board sorely needs to join the 21st century....and remember where it's funding comes from!
hi Way Way Up... I agree with you it's about time. And yes there are a lot of dickheads still out there. I just don't understand how they can get so worked up over a bill that will help protect children. It's frightening. But slowly but surely the anti-bullying message is getting out, and the bigoted Catholic School Boards will have to adapt to the times, or lose their funding. For the kids hopefully it's a new beginning, for the school boards it is their last chance to start acting like real Christians or be defunded...
DeleteJamie did not try to make a rainbow club , he succeeded . I am living proof that he succeeded . Get your facts straight before posting things .
ReplyDelete