So much for civilized discussion
In his attempt to speak out against bullying at the National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle, keynote speaker Dan Savage, founder of the It Gets Better Project, criticized and attacked the Bible. Savage said everyone should “ignore the bullshit” the Bible teaches about homosexuality. He also encouraged ignoring biblical teachings concerning virginity, masturbation and menstruation. This caused many students and advisers to leave the room. Savage later referred to the “Bible people’s” actions as “pansy-assed.” What happened to his anti-bully message?
This is outrageous. Savage is entitled to his opinion, but to bully others — especially at an anti-bully rally — is wrong.
One of the underlying problems with Savage’s rant was that he was not acting as a responsible adult should toward younger people. Instead of promoting civil discourse, Savage spouted off like a teenager. His argument was not respectful of other beliefs and, as a result, he offended and hurt many people in that room.
Additionally, Savage did not apologize for his remarks. According to Billy Hallowell, writer for The Blaze and the National Scholastic Press Association, Savage apologized only for his language, nothing else. Is that the mark of a responsible adult?
High school students who attended the speech are young and impressionable, and Savage’s remarks and actions will affect how they go about discussing and acting upon other controversial issues. Seeing him as a role model, students might think such “rebellion” is cool, which would be a problem.
We should encourage teens to stay away from such dissident measures and speak their minds in a civilized fashion. Savage’s apology would help achieve that goal. He would take up the mantle of responsibility by doing so and, hopefully, help encourage those and other students to be responsible for what they say and do.
This is a lesson we can all learn from. We must remember to be respectful and kind to one another, even if we vehemently disagree with each other’s beliefs. That is the way adults should behave toward one another, especially since children of all ages look up to us as role models. If we behave irresponsibly, then our children will behave similarly, and so on down through the generations. Let’s take responsibility for our actions and set a shining example for future generations.
Andrew Jenson can be reached at arg-opinion@uidaho.edu
Tags: Dan Savage, Free Speech, sex
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Dude, you really can’t be bothered to read Savage’s response to the criticism he’s gotten from this? Instead you just cite some other dude (wrongly) reporting on the story? Savage did apologize for calling the walkout “pansy-assed”, and here it is:
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/04/29/on-bullshit-and-pansy-assed
I’d invite everybody to read Savage’s side of things, where he clarifies his remarks in the face of a number of articles that have totally mischaracterized what he said.
For instance, he didn’t claim the Bible was bullshit, just that there’s a lot of bullshit in the Bible, such as restrictions on eating shellfish and trimming beards and slavery and divorce. These are all thing we just ignore because the text was written in a totally different time. Savage is calling on people to ignore the nonsense in the Bible that (supposedly) condemns homosexuality just like we ignore all that other stuff. He did this at an anti-bullying speech because young LGTBQ folk are harassed to the point of suicide by their peers, families, parents, communities all over the country. So, for anybody who still wants to condemn the feelings of a teenager, I invite you to “take responsibility for our actions and set a shining example for future generations” by acknowledging this problem of harassment and supporting legislation that protects people from this.
You claim that “if we behave irresponsibly, then our children will behave similarly, and so on down through the generations.” And I agree, so please support our young LGBTQ population and help stop the discrimination and harassment they face. The best way to do this is stop condemning their feelings that they can’t help but have because the Bible (supposedly) does too.
Greetings,
I have often wondered why no one ever bothers to referrence the Koran.
Several of us University of Idaho Alumnies, Latah County residents, and University of Idaho students past and present, are wondering why during this economic crisis, is the U of I allowing a far-left radical like Dan Savage speak, USING U of I Student FEES, to pay this eco-germ-terrorist, $15,000????
What does the U of I President say about using Student FEE funds of 15 gran, to pay a “sick” individual who has admitted on RECORD, of licking doorknobs when he worked on a political campaign, (that he specifically admits to joining, just for the opportunity to create bio-warfare on not only the candidate but all the voluntary campaign workers, when Dan Savage had the flu???
He has admitted to licking the door knobs and soda cans just to make innocent campaign volunteers and a candidate sick with his flu virus.
He went after Rick Santorium, saying on National T.V. he wanted to have “rough anal sex with him.”
Mr. Jenson can I say…you ROCK!!!! This is one of the best articles that I have read in the Argonaut. You reveal the truth…and you write so well too, by the way. God Bless you Andrew for writing the truth!!! This is what people need to hear whether they like it or not! Disregard the first comment posted…he doesn’t understand, which is sad. The Word of God is the Bible and saying that a certain part of Scripture is bull***…it makes me angry but at the same time sad. That’s the world. Blessings to you and good luck on finals! Keep writing ARTICLES!!!! I’ll be back to read them!!!
Great article, Mr. Jenson! You have a great voice and present the truth in a good, Christian manner.
His speech was extremely outrageous, even more so since he was at an ANTI-BULLY rally. I accessed the link that the commenter provided in his first post, it didn’t seem he really apologized. He says “I wasn’t calling the people who left ‘pansy-a**’, just their actions”. Really? That doesn’t sound like much repentance. And he says parts of the Bible are bull****…wow, that really makes me feel so much better that you didn’t mean the WHOLE Bible (sarcasm). If we’re going to be “learning” how to ignore parts of the Bible, we might as well ignore all the Bible, you know like God’s Mercy and the forgiveness of sins. If we start ignoring those parts of the Bible, and take out all the morals and values in it, where is our society going to go? God maintains order, if we take His Word out, everything will be chaos.
Adults should and need to take responsibility for their actions, because they are the role-models for future generations…younger generations are going to look up to them. They need to set good examples, and teach the morals and values that are in the Bible.
The message I’m trying to bring out is that, yes, we should NOT bully people who are gay because that is their sinful weakness…I’m not saying we should go up to them and say “you freak! Repent or die!”. No, we need to confront them with their sin in a good, Christian manner and tell them what the Bible says. We would only be helping our neighbor. If they refuse our help, we should just leave and hope what we have said has made an impact. We don’t try and force our religion down their throats. This is why it is so outrageous as how Savage came out and presented himself…at an ANTI-BULLY rally!
Mr. Jenson, keep writing. These articles you have been writing are wonderful and bring a good conservative message out…you bring the TRUTH out! Stay firm and continue in your successful writing. You rock! Good luck on finals!
Whatever Brendan…….if Savage had said the same exact lines in reference to Quran and their “pansy-asses”, he would have been bit in the ass by so much bad media that he would have been ostracized. But since its Christianity and most in the room are on his side about the religion, then its okay for him to “bully”/insult. How convenient it is to be a popular bully…..