you're wrong, wrong, so damn wrong!!!

mood: very very content.
state i'm in: resilient.
tune: incognito "this thing called love".


i picked up the courier mail on sunday. no, i didn't buy it, i say "picked up" literally, it was on the floor. that's probably the best place for it, other than out of print. front page story was "FAILED! The schoolgirl who refused to write about living with gays". naturally it was typical redneck fodder, the likes of which the courier mail seems to excel at churning out.

a year nine student was failed for refusing to complete an assignment designed, in the words of an education queensland spokesperson, "to encourage students to think about diversity, culture, and belief systems". to my knowldege, there are many topics schools can choose from, using scenarios based on living as one of various minorities, based on ethnicity, sexuality, religion, etc. the school at large chose one pertaining to living as a heterosexual in a homosexual society.

heres what some of the people cited in the front page article had to say:


year 9 student at the centre of the story:

"i didn't want to do the assignment because i don't believe in homosexuality."


the student's mother:

"she was being challenged, but she should not be challenged like that at her age."


federal education minister julie bishop, who is intent on wresting control of curriculum content from the states:

"this is another example of a politically-correct agenda masquerading as curriculum. ...parents need to be confident their children are receiving a high quality education that is also consistent with their values."


state opposition leader jeff seeney:

"(the) system tries to tell kids what to think instead of teaching them how to think. it is not the job of our schools to politicise our children. it is their function to provide our kids with the basics, like reading, writing, and maths."


christian lobby state director peter earle:

"the assignment was not about education, rather a teacher or school pushing their agenda on young minds. the subject matter was totally inapropriate."


my familiarity with the EQ program, whilst certainly not complete, is that this is an assignment with an interest in promoting tolerance, acceptance, the virtues of diversty, and egalitarianism - a.k.a. promoting basic human rights. not, as those quoted above would have you believe, the pushing of "a politically correct agenda".

little miss year 9 doesn't believe in homosexuality. what exactly does that mean? either a parentally indoctrinated bigot in the making, or a young lass in denial of homosexuality's very existence. her mother cries "she shouldn't be challenged like that at her age". news flash sweetheart - there are likely homosexual children in your daughter's class; perhaps she is even one, denial is a hallmark after all! the pollies and lobbyists claim this is the pushing of an "agenda" onto young minds. their claim is that this is unfit to be spoken about. get fucked!

perhaps had they have completed the assignment themselves, and taken the time to appreciate what it is like to be (not even considering growing up as an adolescent who is) gay, or ethnic, or disabled, they might realise the merit such a project has. take the blinkers off people!


----------


from here, i suppose i will get a little emotional. all of this just reinforces a feeling that constanly burns low at the back of my mind. i am not unstable, nor am i depressed, nor do i feel even slightly lousy about who i am. but i get annoyed.

there is always many people there to tell me i am "wrong". how i live is "wrong". my beliefs are "wrong". by views on morals are warped, "wrong". my ability to raise a child is inept, "wrong". my capacity to fulfill many responsible positions in society is inadequate, "wrong". the thoughts in my head are "wrong". the places i sometimes go to socialise are "wrong". i will be judged harshly in the afterlife because the way i behave is "wrong". how and who i love is deranged, "wrong".

but i am not "wrong".

it is others who disprespect one's autonomy. it is others who display maleficence, and fail to show beneficence towards others. it is others who deprive who they can of justice. (thanks to my medical education for the big words.) i wish they wouldn't, for it hurts those people. that is not in anyone's best interest.

i strive to do the right thing by my family, by my friends, by my society (howsoever undeserving it may seem sometimes!). i work hard at my studies, i care about those close to me, and would go to lengths to ensure their happiness and safety. i uphold strong principles about how one ought to treat others, and their environment - tread lightly people. i maintain the dream that if each of us was to put into our society more than what we take, as much more as we can muster, our society would be immensely enriched. how powerful would we be together.

but still they claim i am "wrong". they are not the only voices out there, perhaps not even the majority, but they are nonetheless loud. "wrong" they say, over and over. a weaker person might fail under their relentless pressure. but i won't.

for i am "right"!!