I think I have been living under a serious delusion. Somewhere along the bumpy road of my life, I thought I saw some highway signs that proclaimed Separation of Church and State. I swear I remember hearing something about gov't being for all people, regardless of their religious beliefs, or lack of them. Well, we all know how much bullshit that is. Gov't is about gov't, about itself, about keeping itself in business, nothing else. Gov't is a whore, legs open for the highest bidder and recently, the john in question could have "Pope" in front of it's name.
Yeh, it's going to be one of those posts
Last week the gov't of Ontario announced there would changes to how sex education is taught in our public schools. The plan included beginning said education at earlier grades. This came as somewhat of a surprise to Collette which is interesting, seeing as she works in said public school system
At any rate, the gov't actually seemed to desire putting the "education" into sex ed. They actually seemed to recognize that what we label as sex ed is basically knowledge about our bodies, about ourselves, and that perhaps this knowledge is something with which we may care to arm our children. Yes, they have bodies too. Imagine.
Well, it sounded nice but it didn't last long. Fifty two hours after announcing the program, Premeier McGinty has taken it off the table. It never got to boards of ed, it never got to schools, it never got to teachers, it never got to students. It never got to parents.
It was stopped by threats. Threats primarily levelled by religious groups. Threats about protests and even legal actions. Threats that included the abra cadabra word "votes" The threats worked. McGinty did not change this policy because he sensed some dissatisfaction from his constituents, but because he saw his political career dumped on the bonfire of bad publicity. Caving on this the new sex ed platform was not a premiere taking the public's best interests in mind, it was a professional politician taking care of his job security
There were a few elements of the the new program that seemed to set people off. One of them was this: In Grade 3, students would be taught about "healthy sexual relationships, differences and how they make humans unique (discussion could include sexual orientation, physical abilities, cultural vales)
Other contentious changes included: In Grade 6, teaching about masturbation or, more properly "Emotional, social and physical changes of adolescence (discussion could include wet dreams, erections, vaginal lubrication .... and masturbation"
In Grade 7 "possible discussion of vaginal/anal/oral sex as ways of transmitting infections (of STDs)"
Well now. We know how religious groups feel about discussion, even possible discussion. You have a discussion, you even put a topic on the table, and it may mean that you could actually think about that topic, and thinking is not something that your religious leaders would really like you to do.
Charles McVety, president of the of the Canada Christian College, declared that discussions of masturbation and anal sex were "pandering" to a "special interest" group of homosexuals. I swear, I should return to performing stand up comedy and Mr McVety should write my material
Since when is masturbation and anal sex the exclusive property of the gay community? If masturbation is something exclusive to homosexuals, if they own the patent on it then damn, do I need to write them a huge check ... And we all know that anal sex is something that heterosexuals may indulge in. After hearing these protests, I actually feel like I just took one up the ass
But Mr McVety's funniest joke was the "special interest group" shtick. If homosexuals, who are represented in all relgions, races, cultures etc are a special interest group what the hell are evangelical Christians? Does McVety realize that his particular religious niche may be somewhere down at the bottom of the pile. Mr McVety look up, that huge mass blocking the sun above you are the Catholics, and the Jews, and the Muslims ...
Speaking of the Catholics. Here in Ontario we have Catholic schools that are publicly funded. We also have Jewish schools, Muslim schools and those pesky evangelical Christian schools, but none of those are publicly funded, just the Catholics.
According to an article in the Toronto Star, "various Roman Catholic organizations also expressed concern their... schools would have to teach subject matter forbidden by the church" Ok. Stop right there. Think about this. A publicly funded school board is telling us that it is not the board of ed, or the school trustees, or the education ministry that decides their curriculum, it is the Catholic Church. Not the duly elected premiere of the province, but the leaders of a religious organization.
Wow
Where do I live again? I live in Ontario right, where we elect officials and we are permitted input into public policy, not some place like Iran where public decisions are controlled by religious leaders ...
Apparently Dalton McGinty must be a very religious man. Because after these special interest groups whined about other special interest groups, the changes in the curriculum were scrapped. Very quickly, in about 52 hours.
Again, let me emphasize that teachers didn't get to comment on these changes. Parents were not afforded time to go through the program and, through their school trustees or even their provincial members of parliament, able to make comments or register complaints. Oh, don't you fret now, citizens of Ontario, no need to worry yourself with the details of how your children are educated. Mr McVinty and your local diocese have that covered for you.
No need to think at all. Let Mother Church do the thinking for you
And no need to even bother going out to vote or spending time discussing public "issues" Your politicians have that covered as well. I don't know if Mr McGinty pays attention to public opinion polls but I'm imagining that he has a red phone on his desk, directly connected to the religious lobby. All he has to do is pick that phone up, nod his head and and bend over and let the religious right feed him his instructions through his sphincter. Hmm, now I'm truly beginning to understand this fascination religion has with anal sex.
All of us have heard the phrase "freedom of religion" Well, as an atheist, who does not share the same values or mindset with any church or sect, what I would like is freedom from religion.
And yeh, I'm speaking as a member of a special interest group. Those of us who prefer to do our own thinking. Apparently these days, we are a quickly dwindling group.
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