T-Shirt Wars: Appeals

Timothy Kincaid

April 5th, 2008

behappy.bmp
For some reason, some culture warriors believe it is their Christian duty to condemn gay people. One favorite method is through T-Shirts in public schools.

Heidi Zamecnik, 17, of Naperville, and Alexander Nuxoll, 14, of Bollingbrook, are students at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville.

In response to a National Day of Silence event in April 2006, Zamecnik wore a shirt to school that read “MY DAY OF SILENCE, STRAIGHT ALLIANCE” on the front and “BE HAPPY, NOT GAY” on the back

She was told that she could wear a t-shirt that supported heterosexuality, such as “Be Happy, Be Straight”, but that she could not wear one that denied the happiness of fellow gay students.

But oh no, Zamecnik and her straight alliance don’t want to promote a pro-straight message, just an anti-gay one. Zamecnik has graduated and thus lost standing, but Mr. Nuxoll has stepped in the battle on. He, too, would like to express his contempt.

And the ever eager ADF, of course, is fighting for Nuxoll’s right to be obnoxious.

“Christian students shouldn’t be discriminated against for expressing their beliefs,” attorney Nate Kellum said in a statement Friday.

I’m assuming that “their beliefs” could also include their contempt of other religions or other sects as well, but Kellum didn’t talk about that.

The anti-gays lost the first round but appealed.

A three-judge panel heard testimony Friday in a Naperville high school student’s appeal to wear a T-shirt expressing opposition to homosexuality.

Young Nuxoll is hoping a decision is made in time for him to wear his neighbor-condemning shirt on the Day of Silence, April 28.

Sometimes I wonder if the ADF isn’t secretly an anti-Christian organization dedicated to making those who practice the faith look like a bunch of hate-full buffoons. They certainly are having that effect on youth.

See also:

Arizona House Passes Bigot Protection Act
Anti-Gay T-Shirt Wars

John

April 5th, 2008

Naperville. That should tell you a lot. That’s Porno Peter LaBarbera’s home turf. He probably put them up to it!

queerunity

April 5th, 2008

the girl should be able to wear whtever she wants. free speech people.

cooner

April 5th, 2008

queerunity: I’m torn on this one, myself. On the one hand, I do dislike seeing free speech being infringed upon.

On the other hand, if I understand right it’s already been legally established that school grounds do *nod* necessarily have a full extension of free speech. And it seems to me that strong anti-gay shirts could cause exactly the kind of pain and disruption in a school that is exactly what they’re trying to avoid.

And on the same other hand, I really have to wonder how anti-gay Christian activists pushing this issue would respond if some other students started wearing “Christians Are Mean” or “Christians Only Think They’re Going To Heaven” shirts to school …

Emily K

April 5th, 2008

She should be able to wear pro-straight shirts. But if she wore a shirt that said “All Jews must come to Jesus” I know I’d be offended. There’s a difference between supporting something positively and trying to tear down someone else’s turf.

Joel

April 5th, 2008

““Christians Are Mean” or “Christians Only Think They’re Going To Heaven” shirts to school …”

They should make a picket for that, in front of the court their going to be heading. See if they… know what others think about them.

I certainly got PAST being offended… i beleive that everyone should express their opinion… however harsh it might be. They say words might hurt more than action… but words are just words, unless they imply action.

If they win, i’d definately go with a T-shirt that’d read, “God kills innocent children, just look at Sodom and Gomorah” on the front; and “Condoms are cheaper than abortions” on the back.

John

April 5th, 2008

“In response to a National Day of Silence event in April 2006, Zamecnik wore a shirt to school that read “MY DAY OF SILENCE, STRAIGHT ALLIANCE” on the front and “BE HAPPY, NOT GAY” on the back”

I think I’m going to have a t-shirt printed with “TRUTH FOR THE DAY. . . GAY IS GREAT!” on the front and “I’M HAPPY AND GAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH” to wear on the “Day of Truth”.

Emily K

April 5th, 2008

Good call, John. I’d do the exact same thing.

Emproph

April 6th, 2008

“Christian students shouldn’t be discriminated against for expressing their beliefs,” attorney Nate Kellum said in a statement Friday
[…]
The school district has argued that the T-shirts are derogatory and cause disruption to students’ education.

Therefore, at least according to the ADF: “Christian students shouldn’t be discriminated against for disrupting other students’ education.”

Or: “Christian supremacists shouldn’t be discriminated against for expressing their beliefs about other students.”

Put those on a T-shirt.

pam ferguson

April 6th, 2008

How about….just for grins…

“My domineering mother made me wear this shirt.”

Emproph

April 7th, 2008

My domineering mother went to **** and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.

Rob

April 7th, 2008

My personal favourite is from the Betty Bowers site.

“I gave myself to Jesus…
… and now he never calls”

Buffy

April 24th, 2008

“Christian students shouldn’t be discriminated against for expressing their beliefs,” attorney Nate Kellum said in a statement Friday.

Does that mean Mr. Nellum would support the right for atheists to wear T-shirts claiming “Christians are idiots”, or for GLBT students to wear T-shirts claiming “Christians are hate-filled bigots” if that’s what they believed? Sorry, hate speech is not acceptable, even if you call it “religious belief”.

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