Oh Tennessee? Y'all Got Comp'ny......

While many of us have kept our eyes on Tennessee, and their state legislature's penchant for wacky legislation, another state almost flew under the radar with the same kind of bill.

Missouri. 'Don't Say Gay'.

Republican Representative Steve Cookson sponsored House Bill 2051 and last week it was referred to the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

I guess, education in Missouri means Don't talk about gay folks.

And, naturally, because this is how they work, the bill is co-sponsored by many on the Republican majority, including Republican Speaker-elect Tim Jones, Republican Representative John Diehl and current speaker and, wow, I never saw this coming, Republican Steven Tilley.

Here's the gist of HB 2051, AKA Don't Y'all Be Sayin Gay Now, Y'hear?:

170.370. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no instruction, material, or extracurricular activity sponsored by a public school that discusses sexual orientation other than in scientific instruction concerning human reproduction shall be provided in any public school.

Now, those opposed to Missouri's homophobic legalisation believe it violates the First Amendment guarantee of Freedom of Speech in its attempt to prohibit schools from even discussing LGBT issues. A side dish of bigotry in the bill is that it also strives to keep Gay-Straight Alliances from meeting on school grounds as approved extracurricular entities.

Cuz, you know, they're gay and all. And they advocate tolerance and understanding and, well, we don't need that kinda stuff.

PROMO, Missouri's statewide LGBT advocacy organization and its allies, have been working for several years to advance pro-LGBT legislation, and have seen steady, continuing success.

PROMO Executive Director, A.J. Bockelman:

"Filing this bill is a desperate tactic by frightened, bigoted, cynical individuals who are terrified at the advancement the LGBT community has made in breaking down the barriers to full and equal treatment under the law. Why else would they file a bill so clearly out of step with the growing trend for fairness in this state when similar legislation filed in Tennessee last year led that state’s legislature to become the object of national ridicule? .... It’s clear that this proposed bill does absolutely nothing to protect students. In some ways, however, these enemies of Freedom of Speech have done us a favor. By attempting to coerce teachers and students into making this core reality of our lives literally unspeakable, they have only proved why LGBT students need greater, better, and stronger protection in our schools."

Here's the deal, Missouri, and I know you're heard it before:

♫♪We're here

We're queer

Get used to it ♪♫

See, you can't make the LGBT community disappear just because you tell folks not to talk about us. And you can make the future generation intolerable to the LGBT community by denying Gay-Straight groups the right to meet.

What you are doing is perpetuating fear and intolerance and bigotry. And, even worse, what you are doing promotes bullying of LGBTQ youth, because, when you make an entire community out to be the bad guy, and so reprehensible that we can't even be spoken of in schools, you are basically telling people we need to be punished.

You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

And be very careful, because, one day, they might be a law in the land called Don't Say Republican.

Go HERE to sign PROMO's petition voicing opposition to Missouri's Don't Say Gay Bill.

source The Vital Voice