So it’s happened.
In a sordid attempt to deflect from scandals and mismanagement, the Liberal government of Ontario has told the Catholic school system it has to do what it’s told, not be Catholic and embrace the lie that gay kids are perennial victims of bullying.
Be warned in the rest of Canada, this will likely happen to you as well.
First, the dishonesty of the premise that gay children are bullied. Some are, of course, but there is no objective study concluding gays are targeted.
Body image is the major reason for bullying and figures that indicate otherwise tend to come from gay organizations.
As for bullying itself, teachers have been trying to stop bullying since teaching, and bullying, began. Far too much time has been devoted to the bullying of gay kids, largely because the gay community seems to have an emotional hold over our culture and politicians right now.
There is no doubt gay people have often been bullied in the past, and — this is important — no child, no person, should be made to feel dirty or unloved merely because of their sexuality.
But let’s be serious here. Urban North America has become extremely gay-friendly in recent years, to the point where in some schools it is even a fashion statement to come out, and silly girls regard having a gay friend as the ultimate fashion accessory.
Teachers rush to the defence, even the affirmation, of gay kids and homosexuality, gay teachers often push an agenda, and students who from a Christian or Muslim perspective have any sort of objections to the homosexual lifestyle are made to feel eccentric, if not evil.
Back to this specific case. In Ontario, people are losing their jobs and people are dying on hospital waiting lists, and yet the government obsesses about an issue that even many in the gay community are not concerned about.
The minister leading the charge is Laurel Broten, who back in 2007, and much to the chagrin of neighbours, became slightly famous when she and hubby applied for a permit to build a large, two-storey garage monstrosity behind their home for their four — yes four! — cars. She was environment minister at the time! Now she’s at education, and appears similarly consistent.
It’s actually quite simple. Catholic schools are Catholic. Not very these days, with the influence of an often anti-Catholic teachers’ union and the majority of teachers being Catholic only in name.
But the schools themselves are still supposed to be committed to Church teaching: Jesus is saviour, Virgin Mary, Papal authority, turning the other cheek, marriage between man and woman, and all that stuff. If you object, fine. Go to a public school.
What the schools are being told now is not to stop bullying (they already do) but to affirm homosexuality (which they can’t).
The alternative to a gay kid being bullied is not a gay-straight alliance but an end to bullying.
But then this isn’t about children being bullied and hasn’t been from the beginning.
It’s about government and activists bullying others into acceptance of homosexuality.
Whatever happened to genuine tolerance?
Michael is a weekly columnist with the Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg Sun newspapers, and in more than a dozen other daily and weekly newspapers across Canada. He is also a columnist for The Catholic Register, Catholic Insight, Catholic World Report, The Landowner, and The Interim. He also appears each Wednesday on Newstalk 1010 radio, and is a regular guest on networks as diverse as Russia Today and TVOntario.
He is the best-selling author of fourteen books, including biographies of G.K. Chesterton, H.G. Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. He has contributed to the Dictionary of National Biography and several other anthologies. He is published in many countries and in more than a dozen languages. His last two books were on the best-seller list for more than ten weeks.
He has received several honorary doctorates and awards for his writing and broadcasting. In 2005 he won The Ed Murrow Award for Radio Broadcasting, in 2006 The RTNDA Radio Broadcasting Award, in 2007 the Communicator Award in Hollywood and in 2008 the Omni Award for his television show. In 2012 The Catholic Civil Rights League gave Coren the Archbishop Adam Exner Award for Catholic Excellence in Public Life, and in the same year he was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for services to media. Michael Coren is a frequent speaker on a number of issues. Please visit the Public Speaking page for more details.
- Police politicization: Law breakers ignored while law-abiding protesters treated like criminals - Sunday January 13, 2013 at 1:21 pm
- Ideological narcissism: Chief’s hunger strike tough to swallow - Monday January 7, 2013 at 9:15 am
- Fashion over debate: Sonny days ahead if Justin Trudeau gets Liberal leadership nod - Thursday January 3, 2013 at 1:29 pm
