# What I learned at school today. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 16, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284 "2004-04-16T01:28:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/1 "2004-04-16T01:28:13Z")
Since **Doktor Fluff** hasn’t started this thread, I guess it falls to me. This afternoon, we had a visit from the local white-supremacist group. A dozen earnest young men in business suits lined up along the walkway to the student union building. They were all wearing red sashes. One man was carrying a Renaissance-style red banner that had a gold lion and three words, also in gold. I don’t remember the words, but they were chilling. Some of them passed out hate literature about homosexuality. Finally, a lone bagpiper in a business suit stood in the middle of the lawn, playing such tunes as “As the Caissons Go Rolling Along”. What the Army has to do with it is beyond me, but I’m just reporting the facts. At any rate, they were there to protest against gay marriage. No one I talked to is sure who invited them on campus, since they’re from the community and not the university. I took one of the handouts and went to the patio for a smoke and a read. The literature was so hysterically funny that I laughed my ass off. “Ignorant” doesn’t begin to do it justice. There were citations from dubious studies that have long since been discredited as bullshit. There were testimonials from “ex-homosexuals”. There were mentions of homosexuality as a disease. An acquaintance from the gay-straight alliance and I were having a jolly good time. Doktor Fluff was standing behind me and joined in the jocularity. I talked to another friend in the GSA. He told me the whole thing was designed to be under the radar. NO ONE, save a very small number who were able to stage a small counter-protest, knew about this. No announcements or advance publicity were given. So, kids, what did we learn at school today? [ul] [li]We learned that white supremacists spread ignorant bullshit about homosexuality that people with half a brain will dismiss.[/li][li]We learned that red sashes on people in business suits look ridiculous.[/li][li]We learned that these people need to operate in secrecy so as not to attract unwanted attention to themselves. Said unwanted attention being a silent counter-protest from the Gay-Straight Alliance and possibly attention from the police.[/li][li]We learned that these people have a poor grasp of symbolism. They used a phallic instrument that is designed to be blown that comes from a nation that is widely rumored as having a certain fondness for, ah, sheep-shagging.[/li][li]Which makes it apparently okay to shag a sheep, provided it’s a sheep of the opposite sex.[/li][li]We also learned that the bagpiper was too chickenshit to wear a kilt. People who play the bagpipes in business suits look stupid.[/li][/ul] I know, this is a pretty weak rant, considering the gravity of the message. However, this is a touchy subject, and it would’ve ended up here sooner or later. Probably sooner. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/2 "2004-04-16T01:39:58Z")
Never forget that half the population is dumber than the average. By the same token, never forget that a pamphlet full of bullshit is to an empty brain what a virus is to a healthy body. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/3 "2004-04-16T01:44:27Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > - Which makes it apparently okay to shag a sheep, provided it’s a sheep of the opposite sex. Well, d’uh! ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/4 "2004-04-16T02:22:12Z")
Unfortunately, that sounds about right **MsRobyn**. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/5 "2004-04-16T02:26:38Z")
Ya know, RNATB, your sig is strangely relevant. Robin ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/6 "2004-04-16T02:32:04Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > [ul][li]We learned that red sashes on people in business suits look ridiculous. …[/li][li]People who play the bagpipes in business suits look stupid. …[/li][/ul] I bet Carson from “Queer Eye” could make this work. Maybe they should have worn their sashes as _belts_ … ? Anyway, probably all that these guys managed to do was continue to give the bagpipes a bad name, which is most unfortunate. The bagpipes are capable of coolness from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/7 "2004-04-16T02:39:54Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > Ya know, RNATB, your sig is strangely relevant. > > Robin Am I being insulted? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/8 "2004-04-16T02:44:10Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > This afternoon, we had a visit from the local white-supremacist group. A dozen earnest young men in business suits lined up along the walkway to the student union building. They were all wearing red sashes. One man was carrying a Renaissance-style red banner that had a gold lion and three words, also in gold…Finally, a lone bagpiper in a business suit stood in the middle of the lawn, playing such tunes as “As the Caissons Go Rolling Along”. Well, I would have fallen over laughing even before reading the handouts. Second thought: What happens when these business-suit-wearing bozos meet up with the Black Muslims? That’s gonna be some best-dressed brawl. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/9 "2004-04-16T03:17:13Z")
what white supremacist group was this? Or does being white & against homosexuality make one a white supremacist? And what did the banner say? So many unanswered Qs! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/10 "2004-04-16T03:28:49Z")
[QUOTE=MsRobyn] … [li]Which makes it apparently okay to shag a sheep, provided it’s a sheep of the opposite sex…[/li][/QUOTE] “Well, of course! Nothing queer about McGregor!” (It is said that the Irish have the Scots the bagpipe a thousand years ago, and the Scots never caught on.) ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/11 "2004-04-16T03:41:32Z")
It is amazing how bigoted, close-minded, _lying_ and hateful some folks still are on the subject of homosexuality. They still insist that equal rights are “special privileges”. Just today our Topeka newspaper had two letters on the subject of gay marriage and gay rights in general. This link [http://www.cjonline.com/stories/041504/opi\_letters.shtml](http://www.cjonline.com/stories/041504/opi_letters.shtml) contains the letters, one titled “My business” and the other “Jury will hear all” If you can find more tortured logic, bad analogies. and general idiocy I’d be surprised. Discriminating against gays in Topeka, in housing, employment, and so on, is still not expressly against the law. When will people learn? ---
**Author:** ![Feit\_C\_Taj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@Feit\_C\_Taj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feit_C_Taj)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/12 "2004-04-16T03:58:16Z")
(Sorry, **MsRobyn** , but my day has been a bit busy and I didn’t have the time to come up with some decent venom) But anyway, you forgot some of the neater points of the handout (as shown to me later since I don’t like touching that shit with my hands) [ul] [li]Bisexuality = Polygamy[/li][li]Gay Marriages = Eating Kittens[/li][/ul] As one of my friends pointed out to me, “Conservatives can’t say anything against homosexuality unitl they’ve experienced it themselves” which then brought out the image of a Mary Matalin/Ann Coulter/Dr. Laura three-way. (Yich.) You also forgot to mention that this was all in pursuit of “Sneakers for the Sanctity of Marriage” Day. Let’s see, now; we’ve had hanging from the rafters this semester: Blue Jeans for Gay Rights, T-shirts for Sexual Abuse, and now sneakers. (Seemed kind of fitting) Next week we’re holding “Sweat-Socks for Jocks” Day. Or even better: Thongs for “Bob”! ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/13 "2004-04-16T04:49:47Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > If you can find more tortured logic, bad analogies. and general idiocy I’d be surprised. The Kingsport Times-News (KTN) published a series of what I can most respectfully call “I wish this were a theocracy!” letters. I say published because it’d been a week or two since any such letters were published, but I’m confident that they’ll be back. Sadly, I’d put those letters up against pretty much anything you can find in terms of idiocy, bad logic, horrible fact-checking and general putrescence of quality … at least regarding this issue. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/14 "2004-04-16T05:14:47Z")
Why do bag pipers wear kilts? So the sheep don’t hear them coming. Wow, I am envious of you Ms. Robin and Doktor Fluff a real live demonstration of idiots. You really need to keep cans of silly string on hand for such occaisions. ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/15 "2004-04-16T05:31:46Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > [ul] > [li]We learned that red sashes on people in business suits look ridiculous.[/li][li]We learned that these people have a poor grasp of symbolism. They used a phallic instrument that is designed to be blown that comes from a nation that is widely rumored as having a certain fondness for, ah, sheep-shagging.[/li][li]We also learned that the bagpiper was too chickenshit to wear a kilt. People who play the bagpipes in business suits look stupid.[/li][/ul] What the hell? First of all, I bet a million dollars red sashes over business suits, and bagpipes and suits CAN look cool. Maybe if the people that wore them were burning effigies of Bush and throwing paint on people who’re wearing fur you’d see these styles in a different light… And why is a slam on Scottish culture made appropriate because some aspect of it is used in this thing? Idiot. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/16 "2004-04-16T06:54:46Z")
Just to belabor the obvious, but if they were smart, they wouldn’t be Homophobic White Supremacists. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/17 "2004-04-16T06:55:36Z")
> [@Doktor Fluff](#): > > Next week we’re holding “Sweat-Socks for Jocks” Day. > > Or even better: Thongs for “Bob”! As long as there’s a babe inside the thong, I’m all for it… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/18 "2004-04-16T08:04:06Z")
**MsRobyn** , why not pull out the heart of your OP (maybe pull out some of the sarcasm, since it can be misread) and send it to your school newspaper with a question about why an outside group was allowed to come and hand out hate literature inside a building on the school campus? Is anyone who wants to come in and pass out whatever they want? Would religious groups be permitted to come in and proselytize? Does the military get to come and do open recruiting-via-leaflet? Can the Klan come in next week? Who sets this policy? If I were paying to attend school there, I’d have all these questions and many, many more. If this is a state school, I bet the public at large would be interested and have some questions, too. ---
**Author:** ![Sisyphus\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sisyphus\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sisyphus_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/19 "2004-04-16T10:12:42Z")
**MsRobyn** laments: > [@](#): > > _We learned that these people have a poor grasp of symbolism. They used a phallic instrument that is designed to be blown that comes from a nation that is widely rumored as having a certain fondness for, ah, sheep-shagging._ Did they just do role playing or were there New Zealanders present? And just what is a phallic instrument that is designed to be blown if it is not a phallus? Or maybe you meant a phallic **musical** instrument? Actually I rate your rant at about C-. While your exposure of the feebles and foibles of the , what?, white supremists was revealing, it revealed more about your capacity to blow your own horn about what-a-liberal-and-tolerant-and-sensitive bull-dust artist **you** are. Hell, toots, just be tolerant and sensitive and oh-so-politically-correect and stop telling everyone how you are just so. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2004, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284/20 "2004-04-16T10:43:57Z")
> [@Doktor Fluff](#): > > Gay Marriages = Eating Kittens Only for lesbians. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-i-learned-at-school-today/240284.md?page=2)