"Gay" Day of Silence: More Than 1/3 of Students Stay Home, Say "No" to Homosexual "Indoctrination"
Saturday, April 26th @ 10:54 PM
Mount Si's gay-rights Day of Silence is far from quiet
By Lynn Thompson
Seattle Times Eastside Bureau
A Day of Silence inside Mount Si High School meant to show support for gay and lesbian students erupted in noisy protests outside.
More than one-third of students didn't show up for classes Friday. Principal Randy Taylor said 495 out of 1,410 students weren't at school, including 85 athletes whose parents had asked that they be excused for their personal beliefs.
About 100 people joined the Rev. Ken Hutcherson, a prominent anti-gay-rights activist, in prayer and song that questioned the dedication of a school day to what they said was a controversial political cause.
Snoqualmie police placed yellow crime-scene tape between Hutcherson's supporters and about 40 counterdemonstrators, including some former students, who tried to drown out the pastor by beating drums and chanting, "Go home."
Earlier, about 80 parents and supporters of the event, sponsored by the school's Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), stood quietly outside the school as students arrived in the morning. Some wore tie-dye scarves, and a former student waved a rainbow flag.
"We want to let students in the GSA know they have support in the community," said Lucinda Hauser, a Mount Si parent and member of the local Methodist church.
Members of the group of supporters said they did not want to confront Hutcherson or his supporters and left about 8 a.m.
The national Day of Silence was observed Friday by more than 200 high schools around the state and more than 7,000 school and colleges nationally. It has been observed nationally for the past 13 years.
Participants take a vow of silence to represent the silence many gay and lesbian students feel they must maintain at school to avoid harassment.
Some conservative Christian groups, including Concerned Women for America, had called for a national boycott and urged followers to keep their children home from school.
The Mount Si event became a flash point for controversy after Hutcherson, whose daughter attends the school, was invited to give the Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech earlier this year about his experiences growing up black in Alabama. Because of his controversial views on homosexuality, one teacher booed his appearance and another questioned his support for equal rights.
Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, last week called for 1,000 "prayer warriors" to join him outside the school Friday.
He and his wife also took out a half-page ad in the Snoqualmie Valley Record calling on residents to join them.
Speaking to his followers Friday, Hutcherson said, "We want education, not indoctrination." He said school officials had not listened to parent complaints that the Day of Silence interrupted learning and was more appropriately held before or after school.
"It's not appropriate to have during school," said Lynette Smallwood, the parent of two Mount Si students.
"They're not getting an education."
Hutcherson supporters carried signs that read "Teach Don't Preach" and "Silence for Unnatural Behavior? Not ME."
Across the police tape, Scott Stubing, of Carnation, said his son had been harassed at school and accused of being gay.
"We can't continue with ignorance," Stubing said.
Some students left class when the protests began outside. Max Rosentreter, a sophomore, said he wanted to be outside voicing his opinion.
Despite the school's Gay Straight Alliance, few Mount Si gay students are open about their sexuality, he said.
"No one's out. They're scared of getting hurt," he said.
Ken Lauren, a Redmond parent whose son-in-law teaches at Mount Si, shouted at Hutcherson's group, "Are these the values you want your kids to grow up with — bigotry, intolerance, hatred?"
His sign read, "I believe in separation of church and hate."
Some students arriving at school honked to support the proponents of gay rights. One student had written on her car window, "It's our school, not your church."
Another student drove an open Jeep blasting the Village People song "Macho Man" and Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out."
Students interviewed later said the atmosphere inside the school was at times tense as students expressed a range of opinions.
About 200 students took training to participate in the Day of Silence. School administrators required the preparation as a way to ensure student safety and to protect the learning environment.
Some students and parents had complained to the school board earlier this spring that the two previous Days of Silence at Mount Si had coerced participation and subjected to harassment students who wanted to stay neutral.
Some teachers also chose to remain silent, drawing objections from students who said they were there to learn. Otherwise, last year's event occurred largely without incident.
Administrators directed teachers to teach this year and said that students should respond if called upon in class.
Taylor said Friday's observances were a lesson in democracy for students.
"They learned they can express themselves and respect other points of view," he said. The principal also commended teachers at the school who he said were "teaching the curriculum."
Junior Landon Wilson, wearing an Uncle Sam costume, joined members of the Mount Si Student Conservative Club in handing out red, white and blue ribbons.
He said the group was offering what it considered to be American values as an alternative to an endorsement of the Day of Silence.
Jacqueline Ferland, president of the GSA, called the day a success. "There's diversity at this school, and there's now a recognition of that," she said.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company/Photos: Ken Lambert - The Seattle Times.
Stephen Bennett
Executive Director ~ SBM, Inc.
1 Cor. 6:9-11; 2 Cor. 5:17
Weeks of Childhood Molestation Tragedies/Stories
Wednesday, April 9th @ 7:20 PM
These have been several difficult weeks at the ministry. Talking with the numerous people calling for help can be overwhelming. I thank God for those here at SBM who are ready to minister day in and day out.
Childhood molestation. This is a taboo subject for many homosexual men and women to discuss, as it brings a flood of pain and memories many have secretly hidden inside for years. The shame, the guilt and the self-hatred.
While not all homosexuals were molested, and not all molested individuals become homosexual -- an amazing number of homosexuals WERE molested as a child.
I can go on and on about the numerous first hand accounts told to us of individuals who ended up down the homosexual path, whose childhood and innocence was ripped from them -- all because of childhood sexual abuse.
I think of a woman Susan, whose own brother sexually molested her as a child. She later lived as a lesbian for decades, until Christ set her free from her past pain and shame, and the sinful life she then lived.
I think of a man who called in while I was a guest on a radio program in San Antonio, Texas. He called me "off-air" and shared for the first time with any other human being that he was sexually molested repeatedly by his step-father.
"When did the abuse begin?" I asked.
"When I was six years old," he responded.
"How long did it last?" I asked.
He could barely get the words out: "For the last 20 years."
He was only 28.
I recall the story of Jan -- molested by a man she trusted: her grandfather. Later, becoming a runaway and put into an all-girls' home, she was sexually abused by females repeatedly.
Michael's father beat his mother so badly, she divorced him. The next man she married beat Michael. Alone and afraid, an older homosexual pedophile molested him at 9 years old. He would later become a homosexual prostitute and drug addict. Now, after being incarcerated and molested in jail, Michael returned to the streets to molest a minor: the same crime that was committed against him.
Michael is now a registered homosexual sex-offender -- a man who wants help.
Daniel, the father of 11 children, molested as a child by another male, now is breaking apart his family to be "the person he was born to be": A HOMOSEXUAL.
So many other stories of childhood molestation, and then many of those who were molested -- in turn became molesters themselves.
This week a horrific story broke in the Boston Globe about a world-renowned doctor - Dr. Levine. He was a specialist at Boston Children's Hospital. He has numerous books out and is well known and respected.
The secret though he hid from many for years was what went on behind closed doors in Doctor Levine's offices. It was a spider web for the innocent boys he was supposed to treat.
Now, adults in their twenties are coming forward and sharing the nightmares of sexual abuse behind the doctor's closed doors. Child masturbation. Oral sex. Sodomy and other indescribable acts.
One mother, a partner of SBM for many years, brought her child to Dr. Levine when he was very young. She flew to Boston to get treatment for the child's internal medical problem.
When the doctor met the mother and son, he said to the then little boy, "You don't need your mommy to come in the room with you. You're a big boy, right?"
The spider lead his victim by the hand to his trap.
The mother's instincts kept telling her "GET UP AND GET IN THAT ROOM NOW!!!" But she didn't listen or move -- something she would regret until this day.
The next 20 minutes would FOREVER change this young man's life -- and his entire family's.
Today, this adult child is now a homosexual. He admitted after all of these years upon hearing of the breaking charges against this monster, that Dr. Levine did in fact do the most horrid and wretched sexual things to him during those 20 minutes in his office in Boston. He has hated himself and his mother ever since.
This young man finally opened up to his parents and the prosecuting attorneys have been contacted. Lord willing, JUSTICE will be served.
Rosie O'Donnell often refers to some sort of childhood abuse in her life. Melissa Etheridge clearly described the sexual abuse by her sister to CNN's Paula Zahn. Ellen DeGeneres was molested as well, along with former partner Ann Heche.
Yet why do some homosexuals hide possibly one of the very things that propelled them down a path they would have NEVER chosen?
Annie -- a former blogger/"friend", an open and honest self-described lesbian, chatted online with me years ago. After asking some pointed questions, I knew what my next question would be: "Where you sexually molested as a child?"
"Yes," she responded. I've saved our correspondence ever since, as it broke my heart -- a "stranger" who I grew to care for.
How many homosexuals, who THINK they were born "gay", were actually molested as children? I guess we'll never know.
Though I ended up down the homosexual path for 11 years, I was not molested. There were other factors that drove me down a path I would have never chosen -- yet I take full responsibility for my actions.
Thank God though for Jesus Christ. He said, "The truth WILL set you free." Praise God.
Please - pray for all of the children -- both young and old -- who had their innocence and childhoods ripped right from them at the hands of evil, perverted sexual abusers. Pray they will all find the peace that only Christ can give, and a heart of forgiveness in the One who forgives us all. ~ Stephen Bennett
Stephen Bennett
Executive Director ~ SBM, Inc.
1 Cor. 6:9-11; 2 Cor. 5:17
