Tennessee Anti-Bullying Law Change Could Allow Students To Speak Out Against Gays For Religious Reasons: Report

Tennessee Anti-Bullying Law Change Could Allow Students To Speak Out Against Gays For Religious Reasons: Report



Posted: 1/4/12 01:35 PM ET
Updated: 1/5/12 10:02 AM ET

Less than one month after a local gay teen took his own life after allegedly being tormented at his high school, a proposed change in a Tennessee law could protect students who engage in anti-gay bullying if they do so for religious reasons.

As local news channel WSMV is reporting, the proposed law change by state lawmakers would allow students to speak out against homosexuality without punishment if that's what their religious beliefs call for. The bill is reportedly a top priority for the conservative Family Action Council of Tennessee -- as the Chattanooga Times Free Press notes, the group's December newsletter says it hopes "to make sure [the law] protects the religious liberty and free speech rights of students who want to express their views on homosexuality."

Added conservative activist David Fowler, a former Republican state senator who is now Family Action Council president: "The purpose is to stop bullying, not create special classes of people who are more important than others."

Still, many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community activists, as well as local student groups, have cited the recent case of Jacob Rogers, who took his own life in December after friends say he was subjected to anti-gay remarks at his high school, in arguments against the law change. Leaders of the LGBT advocacy group Tennessee Equality Project contend the legislation would allow students to hide their irrational biases behind an extreme religious belief, according to the Associated Press.

"This kind of legislation can send a message that it's ok to hate and we'll even give you religious sanction for it," Tennessee Equality Project official Chris Sanders tells WSMV. "What if one student calls another one a sinner, or a sodomite or says you're perverted or you're unnatural or you are going to hell? That's where it gets really dicey."

Meanwhile, Fowler reportedly blamed Rogers' death on the student's struggles with alcohol and drug abuse, as well as an eating disorder, according to Nashville Scene.

CeCe wrote:They better reconsider. The christians ain't gonna like the way this one will work out for them. If they're stupid enough to think this will only apply to THEIR beliefs they're in for a big surprise.

Forgiveness Man wrote:I don't buy it. This is just a knee-jerk reaction to squash religion and promote anti-religious bullying, IMO. It isn't going to be targeted as bullies as much as those who dare to express a religious view in a non-threatening way. It's legal-sanctioned censorship.

True bullying shouldn't be tolerated, period. Distinguishing "gay bullying" from any other kind of bullying is only going to fuel the problem. As long as they focus on that, they're proving to me that they don't care to stop bullying. They only care about silencing a view they don't like. If this was truly about bullying, we wouldn't need to categorize bullying by motive.

I say we fight bullying by targeting the REAL cause of bullying and not try to use bullying as some thinly veiled excuse to silence people with differing religious views. We need some intelligent anti-bully campaign and not this soapbox crap that we currently have been dealt.

Suzi wrote:So all anyone has to say if accused of bullying is what ever the other person was doing is against their religion? Well Tennessee is a pretty backward state.

Nystyle709 wrote:Ultimately, I think all these anti bullying "laws" are doing more harm than good. You're going to wind up opening the floodgates for people to do the most pettiest shit (and they're already doing it), such as this. What happened to getting you big brother or cousin or whoever to fuck a person that's bullying you up? Or you doing it yourself? I'm sorry, but these kids today are punks. Even the bullies.

CeCe wrote:Oh they are, as is much of the south. This law is actually protecting the ones doing the bullying rather than an effort to prevent it. Michigan made a similar attempt recently but removed the religious bullshit from it. Christians always find a way to make themselves the victims. It would be hilarious if people weren't being hurt by it. And it isn't just homosexuality, which is what the religious whiners want everyone to believe. It's ANYTHING that conflicts with their religious doctrine. Of course this opens the door for muslims to bully the christian infidels. But as usual they haven't thought that far ahead. And then the christians could technically bully themselves since there are women teaching. How fast would a teacher file a discrimination or harassment suit then? This ridiculous law opens the door for out of control absurdity.

I lived in North Central Florida for a while. Very religious Christians there, like this group praying in the parking lot.



Right before they robed up and came to harrass our Gay Pride Picnic.



(Don't worry, there were as many cops as Klan - to protect those asses from some mean butch lesbians)

But, that damned bible has all sorts of sections that says sinners can be killed. Should killing fags be protected as a religious right?

The fat one in the foreground is holding a pamphlet that says "Death Penalty for Homosexuals."

...the proposed law change by state lawmakers would allow students to speak out against homosexuality without punishment if that's what their religious beliefs call for.