Sorry Kevin, this might take a few to explain...I definitely respect your question.

"Anthony, you're 'a fan'? A fan of what?"
Gay people. Homosexuality. The excitement of the possibility of being in my first gay wedding, or any wedding for that matter. I embrace the gay culture and have been known to participate in pride events around my town (I live in State College, home to PSU). For the heck of it, I've attended 2 gay pride parades since 2007. As I may have stated before, the great and vast majority of my closer/closest friends are gay men (and a few lesbians...but mostly gay men). I have a few straight girl-friends and maybe 2 straight male friends...but otherwise my 3 best friends among many others are the people I hang out with, do stuff with, and care about the most are homosexual men.

Some are masculine or "straight-acting", some are effeminate and "out and proud". For me, it doesn't seem to matter about how you act but about being yourself.

"That's an extremely odd word to use regarding such a divisive public policy/future of society issue."
-I never said that I was a fan of the fights on both sides, the name-calling, the psychotic "pastors" shouting word venom and hate from the pulpit and using the Bible to justify it, or the discrimination and prejudice LGBT citizens have to endure.
I'm a fan of homosexuals themselves. They honestly are unlike any other group of people I've known before, yet at the same time they're really just like us.

My first day in college as a freshman, in my elective "Intro to Theatre 100" in 2005, I sat down next to a very well-dressed stylish mid-20s-looking guy and paid him no mind, as I was hurriedly getting my notebook, binder, and a pen from my backpack, until he looked me over, up and down, and exclaimed, "WELL! Aren't YOU just a little slice of heaven!"
*Imagine the eyes of a gerbil bugging out when you give it a little squeeze...pretty sure that was the look on my face when having that just suddenly thrown at me without warning.

I had never had much experience being around gay people (the only 3 "out" kids in our school did their own thing), so having this 6'4 flamboyant giant just boldy and bravely spit out such a comment like that came as a shock to me...but it didn't bother me. Not even remotely. I was flattered, and confused, as I had put on about 40-lbs. and didn't see what he was talking about. We chatted for a bit, before, during, and after and decided to go for lunch at the student union. I was captivated by this outspoken, crude, and just all-around ridiculous guy with such a radical view of the world. We talked about politics (the ones we agreed on) and religion, our lives, our pasts, even some of our L-T goals or dreams. From that day on, a new friendship was formed, and before I knew it, I was catapulted into the gay "scene". Dinners (both out but alot of ties at respective friends' homes), movies, dancing and night life, new friends, new perspectives, and old perspectives I had always held dear to my heart.

Many of my closest and best friends over the years have come in various forms, but the gay community is the one that stands out in my mind the most. They're the ones I'm always with, always having meals or movies or just having fun. I treat them the way I treat everyone...with love and kindness, because to me sexual orientation means about as much to me as someone's skin color or music/movie taste. I've known many different kinds of gay people, not just in State College/PSU where I'm from but almost everywhere I've gone. Effeminate, "masculine", Asian, Black, white, Latino, you name it. Many of my friends are couples, like my 2 best friends whose engagement I just witnessed a few weeks ago. I know and have visited with same-sex couples who have small children, and their families appear as normal and boring as many heterosexual familes. I can see where those children come first in their parents' lives, but I can feel the love inside of their homes and around these families. So it's definitely difficult for me to see the opposing view of same-sex adoption.

Gay people have been in my life since that day in the fall of 05, and I've discovered and learned so much about the lives they've lived. What they go through day-to-day, with homophobia, conservatism running rampant, and even being torn apart because they appeared on an advertisement/billboard/commercial/YouTube video. How is that right? How is it right to put others below you and give them 2nd class status based on whether or not they like women or men? I once heard someone call homosexual love "a co-dependency". I've never "fallen in love" nor am I gay but I'm not stupid - I know love when I see it and feel it around me.

It has never, EVER offended me or made me feel uncomfortable or "sick" to see 2 men or 2 women kiss/make out, hold hands, a little peck on the lips, what have you. For some people, Public Displays of Affection (PDA) are offensive and "gross", but I see nothing wrong with expressing your feelings toward someone. If I pass 2 guys anywhere holding hands or each other I always smile when I walk by, because I'm proud of them for expressing their love or whatever romantic and emotional chemisty they experience.

So there you have it, Kevin Peet, a (not-so) brief on the reason I'm a "fan". Go ahead and smite me with Lev. or Rom. or Cor. all you want, but until you point out to me the EXACT WORDS Jesus Christ used to disparage homosexuality, or SSM/adoption/equal rights, etc., I will stand by my guns - and my gays - and whatever conservative Christian wants to accuse me of not being a true Christian, I will simply pray for them. That they know the Lord and Savior that I know. I never came on here to debate or argue anything...I made that clear in my last post or the one before. But you wanted an answer, Kevin Peet, and you got it. Not in a nutshell, but I just wish people would see how I can't believe this can be considered a "sin" when it is perfectly normal, natural, and found in hundreds of different known species around the world.

I did not jump on this thread to start a debate or discussion...I've enjoyed reading Megan's articles (some I agree with, some I do not) but this one I have more agreements with than others, and thought it was very well-written but brief at the same time.

Anthony, you're 'a fan'? A fan of what?

That's an extremely odd word to use regarding such a divisive public policy/future of society issue.

"Now, in this century, growing numbers of feminists realize that not only is abortion sinful, but it failed to improve women's lives. In fact, the opposite happened, thereby proving the "unevolved" pro-lifers were right."
-No disagreements here. I detest abortion.

"Similarly, I predict tolerance of homosexuality-and intolerance for orthodox Christianity-will ultimately backfire on homosexuals."
-Doubtful. At least for me, I know I won't give up the fight for tolerance/acceptance/SSM/adoption/gayness in general. I may not be gay, but I'm a huge fan.

Anthony Loreno wrote:

Could it be that an essay against SSM/SSA won't get the same amount of support because of the country evolving more towards acceptance/tolerance of homosexuality?

Soon after Roe v. Wade, America "evolved" to view the murder of children (abortion) as a "woman's right to choose." Naturally, anyone who dared to call abortion for the sin it is were mocked and marginalized.

Now, in this century, growing numbers of feminists realize that not only is abortion sinful, but it failed to improve women's lives. In fact, the opposite happened, thereby proving the "unevolved" pro-lifers were right.

Similarly, I predict tolerance of homosexuality-and intolerance for orthodox Christianity-will ultimately backfire on homosexuals. And those "unevolved" Christians who agree with the Bible's view of sexuality will be vindicated.

"But to your point about whether this topic is age-appropriate, I'd argue that any child who sees another child with same-gender parents is going to ask the "why" question, and deserve an answer."
~I missed this part in your post. This is an awesome way of looking at it, LeeQuod. Unfortunately, the problem stands, HOW do we explain it? Many parents I'm sure are asked this question in various forms by small children of different ages. While they do deserve an answer, having to explain it, no matter how you feel about the subject, is probably a delicate process. Using words and concepts they understand isn't as easy as it sounds.

For me it will be simple to answer this question if a child of mine came to me about it, but many parents, conservative or liberal, are probably taken aback and may not know how to react.

No worries, Jason, it's always a pleasure to chat with you :)

Despite the fact that I'm pro-gay/pro-SSM, I don't feel it's right to discriminate against someone if they were to write an essay against SSM. I'm about fairness; and even if I don't agree with what someone has to say, that still doesn't change the fact that their opinion is theirs, and to me that party has the right to be heard. Choosing one essay over another, so to speak, does not reflect who we are as a country.

You're right Anthony; I missed part of your post.

I'm replacing the word "possibility" I used in my post with "question", as that's what I meant to type.
I don't know, Jason, that's why I asked the question.

If that is so, why is it needed to conscript children to hear the teacher's opinion propagandized, Anthony?

Ah, Megan, you're right, of course. :-) I was misled by this sentence in the linked-to article: " During the speech the child also goes on to detail his own experiences being raised by a lesbian couple."

And that sentence supports your concern that this may be a case of media bias. We see the same "errors" appearing with statistically significant frequency.

But to your point about whether this topic is age-appropriate, I'd argue that any child who sees another child with same-gender parents is going to ask the "why" question, and deserve an answer. The parent in this case gave her son the wrong answer. What concerns me is that someone alerted the media, and the media brought several microphones.

Rodney King got sick of being used as a symbol of cultural warfare. How will this little boy feel when he's older?

"Should elementary students really be listening to such a debate in elementary school? They hardly understand sex. How can they understand same-sex attraction?"
~Agreed...remember when 5th grade used to be about recess and cool lunch boxes? I feel like too many elementary schoolers are being recruited politically, on any issue, not just SSM/SSA, when at 10-11 years-old they should be having fun!

"And would an essay that is against same-sex marriage be given this amount of publicity and support? Probably not."
~Not here for debate or argument, but a possibility: Could it be that an essay against SSM/SSA won't get the same amount of support because of the country evolving more towards acceptance/tolerance of homosexuality?

I don't think Slade was raised by Lesbians, but according to his essay, his friend was.

And I agree - it seems as if the teacher and mother USED Slade as an outlet for their opinions. How sad!

Jason,

I agree with that, especially since the teachers and parents helped him write the essay, which seems very mature for a fifth grader. I think the parents and teacher may have used this boy to express their views as well. That is a problem, esp. in a public school!

"Both Slade’s mother and his teacher helped him write the speech."

And apparently Slade has been raised by lesbians.

So as Gina said in another post, the use of children as soldiers in this culture war is not accidental, but is a strategy.

Isn't the deeper problem about how much it is legitimate to advocate political positions in public schools?