|
Beacon
Hill Is Full of Cowards, Says Mother
"Our State Legislators Are Such a Bunch of Cowards" Massachusetts News
July 2--"It's devastating. Our state legislators are such a bunch of cowards," said Azziza Nails of Roxbury last week. Jennie Maroney of Framingham had even stronger sentiments. They are among thousands of parents, grandparents, and citizens from across Massachusetts who have been pleading with legislators on Beacon Hill not to spend public money on homosexual programs in the public schools aimed at children. At issue is Gov. Paul Cellucci's decision to include $1.5 million in the upcoming state budget for the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. That amount is doubled from just two years ago. Over the past two months the state House and Senate have been debating the new budget. Parents met with legislative leaders, and all members were given background information. Thousands of calls, letters, and even visits were made. But the House still included the money in its budget released in May, and on June 11 the Senate did the same. At the last minute Sen. Bruce Tarr offered an amendment to at least notify parents, but Senate President Birmingham pushed it aside without a vote. What seems to irk parents most is that most of the legislators, both Republican and Democrat, privately told them that they were against the funding and appalled at how the money was being spent. But they were afraid of retribution by homosexual activist groups if they did not vote correctly, and did not want to take that risk for such a small part of the total state budget of $20 billion. In addition, this appears to be something for which the homosexual groups will fight hard and viciously. Endorsements and campaign contributions are also at stake. Gov. Cellucci's alliances with homosexual lobbying groups, including receipt of political contributions, goes back several years and he has refused even to discuss the issue with parents' groups. However, there was a strong hope that the Legislature would stand up to the Governor on this issue. Parents are particularly distressed at what they feel is the disingenuous way the Governor placed the money in the budget, in order to make it difficult to remove. It was split into two parts and placed within other separate line-item groups. Moreover, each part was labeled as a "gay teen suicide prevention" grant in order to further deflect criticism. Homosexual youth advocates have long used the "suicide prevention" argument as a vehicle to force their programs into the schools. This tactic, however, was based on a 1989 San Francisco study which has officially been discredited by the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Psychological Association, and many others. Nevertheless, homosexual activists continue to use "suicide prevention" and "safe schools" as an effective club for promoting legislation. The Chairman of the Governor's Commission for Gay and Lesbian Youth,
LaFontaine, an outspoken activist, has never been timid about his disdain for traditional moral values in general and the Catholic Church in particular. He was part of a group that threw condoms on new priests at an ordination ceremony. On a television interview he once told a parent that "parents' values need to be improved upon" and for that reason parents need not be told when their children are being counseled by homosexual counselors. The Governor's Commission has published several goals, including state-wide rules that would protect boys from wearing dresses to school without ridicule. Some of the youth events the Commission has sponsored or supported are gay student dances, "coming out" assemblies, weekend retreats with homosexual adults, movies promoting homosexual relationships, school-wide "gay days," sexuality counseling, and same-sex marriage events. In addition, they have put on numerous required workshops for teachers to go through steps to "examine their own beliefs" about homosexuality. There is a great fear that increased funding would bring these programs to an even higher level of aggressiveness. Carol Cohen, a spokesman for the all-volunteer Massachusetts Parents Rights Coalition, which spearheaded the latest effort, says that people are distraught but are not giving up. "These are our children -- not theirs," she said. "We will do what it takes to overcome this assault on us and our kids. The Governor and the politicians may be scared of those people, but I guarantee you that we're not." "But it's definitely going to take the average person deciding to get involved," she added."That's what a free society is all about. I hope we can let them know that their help is needed." Brian Camenker is President of The Parents Rights Coalition. Their
|