http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan#Since_the_1970s

Yeah, the problem IS the southern US. You don’t like it, stop complaining that people are painting you all with the same brush and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

I agree, don’t visit the American south! To the inhabitants of the American south who are think they are not a cesspool of racism and bigotry, come visit us up here in Canada. It’ll blow your damn mind.

This girl here wanted to go as herself, probably not big on dresses (based on the fact that she preferred a tux, nothing else).
I’m just surprised (as I am regularly) that this backwards way of thinking still exists anywhere, let alone in a school (and a public school, at that).
Disgraceful behaviour from these adults who are supposed to ensure fairness and equality for these kids. I hope my kids don’t get idiots of this type passing for educators.

And having gay friends who grew up in rural Alabama, I know it wasn’t easy on them, but I don’t think any of it was as bad as how this girl was treated.

But it is, and the really dangerous part about it (imho) is that a lot of kids growing up there are still raised in an environment that fosters bigotry and hatred by adults who foster that. This is not a good thing and it’s going to cause problems.

People being naive about the whole thing really upset me.

I go to Alabama and still hear people talking about how “the niggers need to be wiped out” – sure, you have that in other parts of the country too, but it seems significantly more mainstream in the south.

Uh, no. Not at all.

And while I do try not to equate all US Southerners with being rednecks, stories like this that seem to be increasing in number rather than decreasing (happening more, or being reported more?) make it difficult to remember that there are Southerners out there who aren’t redneck morans(sic).

I feel bad for those folks when I read stories like this. Like they’re these little flickers of light against a dark backdrop of ignorance. What gives me hope is that, slowly but surely, the lights are getting brighter.

Captcha “Germany smocks” – for a moment I really thought that was a message directed at me. Heh.

…Products of selective inbreeding, natch.

“And here in L.A., we just don’t really give a damn who you sleep with as long as you’re a good friend, a good writer, a good singer, whatever.”

…But if you’re a bad friend/singer/whatever, does that automatically make you a faggot/dyke/breeder/whatever? :P

This Yankee thinks our Southern neighbors have a point.

- You say we’re picking on the south? No, I’ll tend to voice my displeasure any area that frequently seems to come up in the news as bigoted and hateful. Especially when it’s a government institution promoting the bigotry. I disapprove of Iran too.

- You say that it’s not fair for a few bad apples to taint every else’s reputation? Too bad. Hate the idiots giving you guys this rep, don’t get all defensive. You never seem to hear of Seattle, Toronto, New York, or Vancouver’s school boards promoting bigotry. If you’re that upset, call your state governor and complain to THEM about what a lousy message this school is sending.

This shit goes on too frequently and has BEEN going on too often not to paint the entire region with the same brush.

IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION, THEN YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

Good day.

It’s more like people in Kabul saying “WTF is up with Swat?”

I’m from Texas, which isn’t as south as some, but I also have southern pride. AND I’m a lesbian with a large group of people who don’t think I’m the worst thing that ever happened to the earth because of my sexuality.

It broke my heart. It made me cry “Is it really that BAD?” And she told me I simply did not understand.

And reading the comments here from people in MS trying to defend their state… I get the same feeling.

SarahR writes: “I’m angered by what many of you have said to generalize and bash my state. You simply do not understand [...] My school specifically is called “dyke city” [...] we have odd, stupid dress codes when it comes to yearbook and especially prom. [...] by no means can girls wear tuxes or guys wear dresses. [...] there is going to be an LGBT prom in the state next week, with transportation provided, for those who did not get the chance to express themselves”

Is it really that BAD?

mgfarrelly writes: “I met some great librarians from Meridian at ALA, progressives and champions of the right to read”

That cause even needs championing? People actually DON’T have that right somewhere?

Is it really that BAD?

infinity writes: “it’s okay to have a gay sibling or an african american friend (or be genderqueer yourself,) and no one cares unless you start talking about it.”

You have to keep it a secret if you have a gay relative or a black friend, or it’s “not okay”?

Is it really that BAD?

But I finally got used to the idea of being an evil American. Now I have to be an evil Southerner as well? I’ll see what I can do. :-P

Before any commenters rush to defend the school’s right to discriminate based on their religious principals (It was a catholic school) this was not a completely private school, it receives public funds.

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100428/bc_lesbian_teacher_100528/20100428?hub=BritishColumbia

Given that Vancouver is one of the most secular AND gay-friendly cities in the world, I hope it’s not going to end well for the school.

What I really love about Southern Conservatives is that they keep using the same failed strategies to defend bigotry. At some point, you have to accept that all men (def: people) are created equal and that alternative lifestyles are not criminal.

It would be great to get a news article out of Mississippi like “Mississippi school board doubles school funding” or “Mississippi commits resources to double college attendance”. Nope. I wonder if Mississippi is going to be pissed when they find out that Oklahoma steals last place from them in the category of budget deficit this year.

I’m not normally in favor of suing the crap out of people until they are a puddle of broke-from-defense-fees-and-judgements but the school board, principal and everyone complicit in the prom fiasco need to be sued to the full extent of malicious lawyering. I’ll send the ACLU a check if they promise to make the school board cry.

Can someone in Mississippi give this poor kid a hug on my behalf?

People do use the N word behind closed doors here, but it’s a MAJOR political tool against someone if you can show that they said it, ever, once, while drunk: doesn’t matter, you say it, you’re finished.

So, yeah, the North is far from perfect, and the South isn’t a pure hellhole, but there IS a difference.