# "Day of Silence" silliness countered by "Day of Truth" hatefulness **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 14, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292 "2005-04-14T15:06:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/1 "2005-04-14T15:06:19Z")
I’d call this mind-boggling, but really, my mind is no longer capable of being boggled. It’s just all boggled-out. My mind is now boggle-proof. > [@](#): > > NEW YORK (AP) —Irked by the success of the nationwide Day of Silence, which seeks to combat anti-gay bias in schools, conservative activists are launching a counter-event this week called the Day of Truth aimed at mobilizing students who believe homosexuality is sinful. Participating students are being offered T-shirts with the slogan “The Truth Cannot be Silenced” and cards to pass out to classmates Thursday — the day following the Day of Silence — declaring their unwillingness to condone “detrimental personal and social behavior.” The driving force behind the Day of Truth is the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal group that has opposed same-sex marriage and challenged restrictions on religious expression in public schools. The event is endorsed by several influential conservative organizations, including the Christian ministry Focus on the Family and the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. > > Mike Johnson, an Alliance Defense Fund attorney from Shreveport, La., said organizers were unsure how many students would participate in the Day of Truth, but expressed hope it would grow in coming years as more people learned about it. Johnson said the event is meant to be “peaceful and respectful,” but made clear it is motivated by belief that homosexuality is wrong. “You can call it sinful or destructive — ultimately it’s both,” he said. “No one is for bullying and harassment, but that’s cloaking their real message — that homosexuality is good for society.” The Alliance Defense Fund is anticipating that some students who try to participate in the Day of Truth may be admonished by school staff. Its resource kit includes a hot-line number, with attorneys on call to provide legal advice about free-speech rights on school grounds. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/2 "2005-04-14T15:10:28Z")
OK, let’s hear it again how anti-gay hate is in no way supported by any Christian groups and how mean and bigoted it is to suggest there could be _any_ links between fundamentalist Christians and anti-gay hate groups. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/3 "2005-04-14T15:12:50Z")
> [@](#): > > The event is endorsed by several influential conservative organizations, including the Christian ministry Focus on the Family and the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Oh, and let’s hear the one about how saying that the Southern Baptist leadership are a pack of gay-hating jackasses is so unfair and generalizing. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/4 "2005-04-14T15:13:27Z")
I was very impressed with GLSEN’s reasoned and gentle response to such abject hate. Sure blurs the lines of values, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/5 "2005-04-14T15:16:33Z")
There just isn’t enough room for all the rolleye thingies this deserves. “The Truth Cannot be Silenced” my ass. [Jack Nicholsen]You can’t handle the truth[/Jack Nicholsen]. Yeah, hate speech and intolerance being misrepresented as truth. Uh huh. Yeah. Right. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/6 "2005-04-14T15:18:48Z")
Eh. Let 'em duke it out: acceptance of other people doing their thing as long as it’s not hurting you is the best aspect of American individualism. The Day of Silence folks ought to use the Day of “Truth” folks as an abject example of why their work is necessary. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/7 "2005-04-14T15:24:00Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I’d call this mind-boggling, but really, my mind is no longer capable of being boggled. It’s just all boggled-out. My mind is now boggle-proof. I, on the other hand, am suffering from boggle fatique. The chief symptom of which seems to be a permanently boggled mind. I’d like to be boggle-proof. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/8 "2005-04-14T15:25:29Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > Eh. Let 'em duke it out: acceptance of other people doing their thing as long as it’s not hurting you is the best aspect of American individualism. The Day of Silence folks ought to use the Day of “Truth” folks as an abject example of why their work is necessary. Read the linked… Oh. Read the [linked](http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/04/13/dueling.days.ap/index.html) article. > [@](#): > > Jennings said GLSEN had no ambitions to keep schools free of all criticism of homosexuality. “There always should be a place in our schools for respectful differences of opinion – we don’t expect everyone to agree, or even to like each other,” he said. The “gay” stance is welcoming of the Day of Truthers. No one’s saying these people should be kept out of school, or banned, or even really criticized. It’s just very… meh. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/9 "2005-04-14T15:29:09Z")
Those who promote the Day of Silence need to do a better job of getting out what the message is. The day has nothing to do with pushing for gay rights or even acceptance, it’s only meant to acknowledge victims of anti-gay violence. The only reason to protest the day of silence is if you think think anti-gay violence is _good_. Having said that, these fundie dickheads still have the right to wear their little hate shirts. If nothing else it tips other people off as to who the douchebags are (or maybe who to cruise). ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/10 "2005-04-14T15:29:58Z")
The Truth Can Not Be Silenced. Neither can these assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/11 "2005-04-14T15:34:23Z")
> [@Rysler](#): > > The “gay” stance is welcoming of the Day of Truthers. No one’s saying these people should be kept out of school, or banned, or even really criticized. It’s just very… meh. Thanks for the link! I think that’s a great response, the perfect one in fact. (Last time this topic came up, I got called all sorts of horrible names for advocating essentially the same response to the homophobic assholes who protested Day of Silence). I recognize that in many ways this Day of “Truth” bullshit is going to make life harder for queer\* kids, and that turning the other cheek is very difficult to do in the short term. However, in the long term, I think the best way to marginalize them is to treat them with gentle condescension. Let the worms expose themselves to sunlight and shrivel up: when people see their hatred contrasted against the DoS kids, I think that a majority of people will reach the right conclusion. Daniel - Gay, lesbian, bi, trans, sissy, etc. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/12 "2005-04-14T15:40:33Z")
> [@](#): > > The only reason to protest the day of silence is if you think think anti-gay violence is good. A sentiment that I’m sure the fundie dickheads support. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/13 "2005-04-14T15:41:29Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > OK, let’s hear it again how anti-gay hate is in no way supported by any Christian groups… Again? Do you have an example of anyone here hearing (or saying) it the first time? ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/14 "2005-04-14T15:42:54Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Those who promote the Day of Silence need to do a better job of getting out what the message is. By definition, the Day of Silence is very hard to promote. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/15 "2005-04-14T15:46:53Z")
Why not a day of bitch slapping stupid fundies? I sure as heck could go for that. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/16 "2005-04-14T15:53:35Z")
> [@Greenback](#): > > By definition, the Day of Silence is very hard to promote. The first rule of the Day of Silence is you do not talk about the Day of Silence. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/17 "2005-04-14T15:54:42Z")
> [@supervenusfreak](#): > > Why not a day of bitch slapping stupid fundies? I sure as heck could go for that. _tightens the collar again_ Down, boy! 😃 Personally, I think it’s stupid and silly and says a hell of a lot more about the people doing it than about the queer and queer-supportive folks doing DoS. Like has been said above, the best way to deal with trolls and slime is to expose them to the sunlight. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/18 "2005-04-14T15:55:29Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Again? Do you have an example of anyone here hearing (or saying) it the first time? The cites I have are from bitter feuds that will reopen new fights, so I’ll just withdraw my comments. Yay, religion! God is love! ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/19 "2005-04-14T15:56:31Z")
> [@Greenback](#): > > By definition, the Day of Silence is very hard to promote. > [@Miller](#): > > The first rule of the Day of Silence is you do not talk about the Day of Silence. I laughed at both of those. I’m going to Hell (presumably a place where there are no disco lights ☹ ). ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292/20 "2005-04-14T15:57:35Z")
And yes, let the Day of Truthers have their say. Let them parade their views so thar bystanders may compare their hate with the tolerance of the Day of Silence folks. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/day-of-silence-silliness-countered-by-day-of-truth-hatefulness/299292.md?page=2)