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As many as 100 high school students walked out of a national journalism conference after an anti-bullying speaker began cursing, attacked the Bible and reportedly called those who refused to listen to his rant “pansy assed.” ([url]http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/anti-bullying-speaker-curses-mocks-christian-teens.html[/url])

The speaker was Dan Savage, founder of the “It Gets Better” project, an anti-bullying campaign that has reached more than 40 million viewers with contributors ranging from President Obama to Hollywood stars. Savage also writes a sex advice column called “Savage Love.”

Savage, and his husband, were also guests at the White House for President Obama’s 2011 LGBT Pride Month reception. He was also invited to a White House anti-bullying conference.

Savage was supposed to be delivering a speech about anti-bullying at the National High School Journalism Conference sponsored by the Journalism Education Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. But it turned into an episode of Christian-bashing.

Rick Tuttle, the journalism advisor for Sutter Union High School in California, was among several thousand people in the audience. He said they thought the speech was one thing – but it turned into something else.

“I thought this would be about anti-bullying,” Tuttle told Fox news. “It turned into a pointed attack on Christian beliefs.”

Tuttle said a number of his students were offended by Savage’s remarks – and some decided to leave the auditorium.

“It became hostile,” he said. “It felt hostile as we were sitting in the audience – especially towards Christians who espouse beliefs that he was literally taking on.”

Tuttle said the speech was laced with vulgarities and “sexual innuendo not appropriate for this age group.” At one point, he said Savage told the teenagers about how good his partner looked in a speedo.

The conservative website CitizenLink was the first to report about the controversy. They interviewed a 17-year-old girl who was one of students who walked out of the auditorium.

“The first thing he told the audience was, ‘I hope you’re all using birth control,’” she told CitizenLink. “he said there are people using the Bible as an excuse for gay bullying, because it says in Leviticus and Romans that being gay is wrong. Right after that, he said we can ignore all the (expletive deleted) in the Bible.”

As the teenagers were walking out, Tuttle said that Savage heckled them and called them pansy-assed.

“You can tell the Bible guys in the hall they can come back now because I’m done beating up the Bible,” Savage said as other students hollered and cheered. “It’s funny as someone who is on the receiving end of beatings that are justified by the Bible how pansy-assed people react when you push back.”

The executive director of the National Scholastic Press Association provided Fox News with joint statement from the Journalism Education Association that was sent to members – after a number of people complained about Savage’s remarks.

“We appreciate the level of thoughtfulness and deliberation regarding Dan Savage’s keynote address,” the NSPA wrote. “some audience members who felt hurt by his words and tone decided to leave in the middle of his speech, and to this, we want to make our point very clear: While as a journalist it’s important to be able to listen to speech that offends you, these students and advisers had simply reached their tolerance level for what they were willing to hear.”

The NSPA said they did not have a prior transcript of Savage’s speech and that wish “he had stayed more on target for the audience of teen journalists.” They also said it provided a “teachable moment” for students.

As for Savage’s attack on people of faith?

“While some of his earlier comments were so strongly worded that they shook some of our audience members, it is never the intent of JEA or NSPA to let students get hurt during their time at our conventions,” they wrote.

However, not once did the NSPA or the JEA offer any apologies to the students or faculty advisors or anyone else in attendance.

Savage did offer a sarcastic apology “if I hurt anyone’s feelings.”

“But I have a right to defend myself and to point out the hypocrisy of people who justify anti-gay bigotry by pointing to the Bible and insisting we must live by the code of Leviticus on this one issue and no other.”

Tuttle said that he “felt duped” by the event. “There were Christian schools who went to the conference. To have this happen was disappointing and shocking.”

The NSPA said they should have done a better job preparing schools for what to expect.

For his part, Tuttle said that he will definitely be more cautious about the speakers at future conventions.Tuttle related how Savage told students that for a number of years he was not allowed in schools. He told the students that because it’s gained national acceptance “he’s reveling in the fact that it’s basically a middle finger to all those teachers and administrators who wouldn’t let him have access to those students before.”

But for some of Tuttle’s students – they felt like the anti-bullying activist was in fact – the bully.

I'd probably better keep my mouth shut on this one . . . . :buggedout: :teddyr: :bouncegiggle:

“It became hostile,” he said. “It felt hostile as we were sitting in the audience – especially towards Christians who espouse beliefs that he was literally taking on.”

“But I have a right to defend myself and to point out the hypocrisy of people who justify anti-gay bigotry by pointing to the Bible and insisting we must live by the code of Leviticus on this one issue and no other.”

There is no objectivity possible among the participants of this scenario, none whatsoever, and this most definitely includes Dan Savage. Just so we're not relying on a heavily biased source's interpretation of the event in question, here's a clip of the event itself:
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alXxsKLVofM[/url]

So here you have a situation where Dan Savage, who has suffered real bullying at times in his life, some of it using Biblical belief as it's justification, is acting in a way that nobody will ever be able to convince him is any different than "defending himself," or "fighting back." In this way, he is unable to be objective, or treat Christian belief in an objective way. Now, and I'm sure this will convince some that I am defending his inappropriate actions in this case, Dan Savage has given presentations in which he has attempted to convince gays  that Christian family should be given a good deal of slack and understanding when coming out. In other words, there are times when he has advocated a tolerant attitude. But ultimately he will never be swayed from his belief that he is fighting back, and because of what he is, he will be embraced by the left and demonized by the right. It's a war afterall, and that's what enemies do in a war. And war, whether literal or figurative, is the primary way in which Americans process issues. The war on drugs, the war on poverty, the war on terrorism, the war on (insert issue), and I am certainly not isolating conservatives in this.

Now, of the hundred or so people that walked out, why did they walk out? Some probably felt uncomfortable, some probably simply didn't want to listen to a gay man talk. There were some walking out well before things got genuinely nasty.Now, I doubt that all of them have bullied gay people before, using the Bible as their justification. There is a good chance that the majority of them have not. Hell, there is a chance (although I doubt it) that none of them have. It is unfair that those people had to be pidgeon-holed and lambasted, and Dan Savage was most definitely acting inappropriately. I would be willing to bet it's not the first time he has let his emotions get the better of him in such a situation. Again he is certain that he is doing nothing more than fighting back, and nobody is going to convince him otherwise. Add to that the fact that he has a tremendous amount of support and cheering on his side. That f**ks with people.

I will use an analogy that I know is not perfect. But in Belfast, where my wife is from, there was once a bitter, violent struggle between the Irish and the British loyalists, both of whom relied on religious identity to justify their positions. The Irish, who retaliated against tanks in their neighborhoods and routine oppression by running guns and planting bombs, would never be convinced that they were terrorists. They were fighting back. Whatever inappropriate actions they committed were justified as acts of retaliation. The British loyalists, of course, were certain that they were justified in their treatment of the Irish. This situation is not much different. So we can take sides in the war if we want, but in doing so, we are, at least to some degree, abandoning reason and objectivity.

Bullying can be subjective.  One person may make a critical comment without any ill-will intended; the person they make the comment to thinks it's bullying.  

I'll guess that Mr. Savage thinks anyone who openly disagrees with him is a bully, and that his comments are just criticism.  :bluesad:

Very good commentary.  I guess I will have to say something after all. :teddyr:
I will say this - having grown up in Southern Baptist Churches, and been a part of a strongly Christian community of friends and associates my whole life - I have only known a very small handful of Christians who preach hatred against homosexuals, and only one who advocated violence (other than a few brainless teenagers who were macho posturing; my usual response to such rhetoric is "Christ died to save them as much as He did to save you, which means He loves them as much as He loves you." That usually shuts them up.)
  No Christian church that I am aware of teaches the Levitical death penalty for homosexuality (I do not consider the Westboro Baptist goons to be Christians at all), and indeed that law was ONLY for the ancient Biblical nation of Israel. The Bible simply teaches that homosexuality is a sin.  So is adultery.  So is lust.  So is sex outside of marriage. So is stealing, slander, lying, murder, and lots of other things, many of which are NOT a crime under any civil law. Humans are all addicted to sinful behavior of one sort or another; that is why Christ had to sacrifice Himself to save us - we were incapable of saving ourselves.

God loves fags.  He just doesn't love what they do.  Frankly, He doesn't like some of the things I do either.  All that means is that all of us need mercy and grace - so we should all show more of it to each other.

Very good commentary.  I guess I will have to say something after all. :teddyr:
I will say this - having grown up in Southern Baptist Churches, and been a part of a strongly Christian community of friends and associates my whole life - I have only known a very small handful of Christians who preach hatred against homosexuals, and only one who advocated violence (other than a few brainless teenagers who were macho posturing; my usual response to such rhetoric is "Christ died to save them as much as He did to save you, which means He loves them as much as He loves you." That usually shuts them up.)
  No Christian church that I am aware of teaches the Levitical death penalty for homosexuality (I do not consider the Westboro Baptist goons to be Christians at all), and indeed that law was ONLY for the ancient Biblical nation of Israel. The Bible simply teaches that homosexuality is a sin.  So is adultery.  So is lust.  So is sex outside of marriage. So is stealing, slander, lying, murder, and lots of other things, many of which are NOT a crime under any civil law. Humans are all addicted to sinful behavior of one sort or another; that is why Christ had to sacrifice Himself to save us - we were incapable of saving ourselves.

God loves fags.  He just doesn't love what they do.  Frankly, He doesn't like some of the things I do either.  All that means is that all of us need mercy and grace - so we should all show more of it to each other.

Hmmm.
I'm an atheist-and a hetrosexual.
Thing is-he was in a high school-and supposed to be talking to students about why it's wrong to bully-NOT to push his own personal agenda about the bible.
And his sex orientation should have NEVER been mentioned.
I would have walked out too.

Now, from that viewpoint, which I consider to be a fairly measured and fair one, would you believe a presentation espousing Christian beliefs be acceptable in the same setting? I suspect you would believe it perfectly acceptable. This is where the hypocrisy enters in. It would seem that the biggest issue was not the mention of sexual orientation as a reason that kids get bullied, but that he referenced the Bible and Christianity in a negative way. I agree that it was inappropriate. However, the same people who would condemn him for it would have no problem with a Christian presentation or prayer in the same setting. Well, I'm sorry, but if Biblical reference is okay in that setting, then it is okay for everybody, including Dan Savage, and if people want to walk out on it, or the Christian sermon for that matter, then that's up to them. Or, as I believe, neither scenario belongs in that setting.

The British actor John Barrowman (he of that immortal line in Shark Attack 3  :buggedout:) is quoted as saying: "Be a buddy, not a bully." I am the former.  :smile:

Very good commentary.  I guess I will have to say something after all. :teddyr:
I will say this - having grown up in Southern Baptist Churches, and been a part of a strongly Christian community of friends and associates my whole life - I have only known a very small handful of Christians who preach hatred against homosexuals, and only one who advocated violence (other than a few brainless teenagers who were macho posturing; my usual response to such rhetoric is "Christ died to save them as much as He did to save you, which means He loves them as much as He loves you." That usually shuts them up.)
  No Christian church that I am aware of teaches the Levitical death penalty for homosexuality (I do not consider the Westboro Baptist goons to be Christians at all), and indeed that law was ONLY for the ancient Biblical nation of Israel. The Bible simply teaches that homosexuality is a sin.  So is adultery.  So is lust.  So is sex outside of marriage. So is stealing, slander, lying, murder, and lots of other things, many of which are NOT a crime under any civil law. Humans are all addicted to sinful behavior of one sort or another; that is why Christ had to sacrifice Himself to save us - we were incapable of saving ourselves.

God loves fags.  He just doesn't love what they do.  Frankly, He doesn't like some of the things I do either.  All that means is that all of us need mercy and grace - so we should all show more of it to each other.

Savage took the militant route. Probably not the best venue for it, but there isn't really a good socially acceptable venue for the militant.

Let's not look for easy answers.

That there was an attack on Christianity isn't in doubt. But the fact remains that in many of the types of Christianity, of which their are multitudes, homosexuality is a direct sin. In this case, Christianity and homosexuality are diametric opposites. It's hard to find common ground with people who view your entire way of life as an abomination.

Outside of the high-minded ideals, we still live in a society where people are beaten to death solely for the reason that they are gay. I think we can all agree that that is not the Christian thing to do.

Granted, it's not fair to lay all the blame on Christianity. Islam, for example, also has strict precepts against homosexuality.

I know so many gay people, and I find absolutely nothing wrong with homosexuality. They live in this society, our society, where they are castigated at every turn by people who believe what they are doing is wrong. It doesn't always end in violence, but the stigma is always there.

indianasmith's statement "God loves Fags. He just doesn't love what they do." is so incredibly hurtful. The more so because it is well-intentioned.

In this case I think that belief is wrong. In another 20 years, we may not even hear about it anymore. But at present...

So in order to avoid hurting the feelings of homosexuals, you would require believers to renounce the clear teaching of Scripture?

I guess that's "tolerance."  We have to give up a teaching of our faith so as not to offend others.

Anything else you want us to give up?

Very good commentary.  I guess I will have to say something after all. :teddyr:
I will say this - having grown up in Southern Baptist Churches, and been a part of a strongly Christian community of friends and associates my whole life - I have only known a very small handful of Christians who preach hatred against homosexuals, and only one who advocated violence (other than a few brainless teenagers who were macho posturing; my usual response to such rhetoric is "Christ died to save them as much as He did to save you, which means He loves them as much as He loves you." That usually shuts them up.)
  No Christian church that I am aware of teaches the Levitical death penalty for homosexuality (I do not consider the Westboro Baptist goons to be Christians at all), and indeed that law was ONLY for the ancient Biblical nation of Israel. The Bible simply teaches that homosexuality is a sin.  So is adultery.  So is lust.  So is sex outside of marriage. So is stealing, slander, lying, murder, and lots of other things, many of which are NOT a crime under any civil law. Humans are all addicted to sinful behavior of one sort or another; that is why Christ had to sacrifice Himself to save us - we were incapable of saving ourselves.

God loves fags.  He just doesn't love what they do.  Frankly, He doesn't like some of the things I do either.  All that means is that all of us need mercy and grace - so we should all show more of it to each other.