It is a shame that honesty is not one of the values Gary Bauer strives to project. No wonder the American culture is in such a mess when the President of American Values spreads lies and misinformation.

I left the headline for this editorial in the Washington Times intact on purpose. Bauer’s intent is to portray negatively the new California law that requires that the accomplishments of LGBT Americans be a part of Education curriculum. Thus the fear mongering conjures up concerns about “grade school” and “as early as kindergarten” when in reality, the law does nothing of the kind. It make no demands at all on specific grade levels, and leaves it up to each School District how to meet the curricular goals. But hey, that ability for each school district to make choices wouldn’t support his fear campaign, so it is over looked.

But the majority of the editorial is designed to suggest that a few influential fags have pulled the wool over the eyes of America! The gays are few but brilliant at PR if you believe Bauer.

In reality, we have no idea just how big or small the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans community is, but no matter if it is 1%, 10% or 99% of our society, every person regardless of the sexual orientation deserves to be treated fairly and with respect. No one deserves to be treated as a second class citizen. Period. But that’s not how Bauer sees it:

An honest societal debate about homosexual rights is hampered by inflated numbers and inaccurate perceptions. These perceptions are a result of the public relations accomplishments of a small, well-funded, highly educated minority that has seized upon the language of the civil rights movement to achieve power and position.

Bauer and his type don’t want you to know that guess what, and honest social debate is exactly what is happening, and those who seek to vilify and demonize gays and lesbians are losing ground. Not as a result of well planned PR, but because more and more people are coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans to their friends, families, coworkers and communities. and this visibility will only increase. So Bauer and his friends will also be increasing their attacks and their lies.

In looking at California’s new educational guidelines, one wonders if it is too late to aspire to the goal of Martin Luther King, who longed for a world in which his children would be judged by the content of their character and not by any other factors.

Interestingly Corretta Scott King was outspoken for LGBT Rights, so this attempt to use MLK Jr is laughable. Too, the California educational guidelines are partly a response to the growing visibility of the harsh and horrific results of the bullying that so many youth experience in schools. Following a year of suicide after suicide, Bauer’s remarks are almost implicit accomplices to the violence experienced by too many youth, including straight youth perceived to be gay or lesbian.

via BAUER: Moonbeam brings queer studies to California grade schools – Washington Times.