Lawmakers in Tennessee are considering legislation that would protect bullies who harass other students for their sexual orientation.
The so-called “license to bully” bill (HB 1153/SB 0760) would allow students to share any “religious, philosophical, or political views” that are “unpopular,” regardless of their consequences to the learning environment, and limits educators’ ability to curb such harassment.
Joe Ragan
Equality advocates lodged an email protest campaign against the measure, but were particularly surprised by the reaction of state Rep. John Ragan (R).
In a long letter to one opponent of the bill, Ragan replied that gay “feelings” can be controlled by “mentally healthy adult human beings,” and concluded by stating, “Should society avoid disapproving of pedophilia, prostitution, murder, etc., because practitioners of those behaviors may commit suicide at higher rates?” An excerpt from his letter:
Examining another statistic, it has been well known for a decade that suicide is attempted much more frequently in the homosexual community than in the heterosexual community (Mathy, Cochran, Olsen, & Mays, 2009). This same source pointed out that, on average, suicide is approximately three times more likely among homosexuals than heterosexuals.
As a fitting critical thought question, it could be asked if other identifiable groups that engage in behavior of which “others may disapprove” commit suicide at similar rates? In other words, do prostitutes, pedophiles, polygamists, murders, etc., commit suicide at the same, or similar, rates to homosexual behavior practitioners?
If similar rates were hypothetically so (not proven to be the case), do these behavior practitioners commit suicide at a higher rate because someone may have disapproved of their behavior or for other reasons? Should society avoid disapproving of pedophilia, prostitution, murder, etc., because practitioners of those behaviors may commit suicide at higher rates?
The mindset behind the measure undermines research that shows that the presence of LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying policies, supportive staff, and gay-straight alliances help minimize bullying.
In addition to this bill, the Tennessee legislature will also reconsider the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prevents teachers and staff from providing any educational support about LGBT identities.
Filed under: Tennessee
Harvey: Gays deserve to be fired for displaying their lifestyles to everyone
Anti-gay marriage activist commits suicide on alter at Notre Dame cathedral
Bryan Fischer: The Boy Scouts are now the ‘Boy Sodomizers of America’
Candidate for Va. Lt. Governor warns same-sex marriage leads to bestiality
ACLU, attorney condemn prosecution of teen who had sex with minor girlfriend
Picture book teaches children of ‘God’s plan’ to demonize LGBT families
Sex and the teenage girl: The Kaitlyn Hunt tragedy
Transgender student skips graduation rather than wear female gown
Attorney implies suspect’s child sexual abuse was a factor NYC killing
Iowa anti-gay activist explains his opposition to gay marriage: ‘It’s awful’
Lesbian teen charged in relationship with underage girlfriend rejects plea deal
Details emerge in case against teen accused of lewd behavior with girlfriend
BREAKING: Boy Scouts of America votes to rescind policy banning openly gay scouts
Obama delivers LGBT-inclusive commencement address at all-male college
Va. GOP nominates trio of anti-LGBT candidates for state leadership
Why is this not shocking? Just another ignorant bigot who is ill informed.
isn’t cute how these politicians never grow up….
He’ll be the next elected official to be highlighted on the ‘Republican Schadenfreud” website when he gets caught in a hotel room with an underage rent boy.
I didnt’ even bother reading the article….amazing what those hicks come up with…..they’ve been saying this shite for decades
Wow… Who is he to judge? Why do politicians feel the need to force their PERSONAL beliefs on us POLITICALLY? What is wrong with this nation? What is wrong with this world? When will we all receive the rights that we all deserve? When will we see true equality? Ron Paul 2012.
if love me for who i am and not what you want me to be, if god can love me then you can too.
thank god I don’t live even near to Tn
Ron Paul is a hypocrite, Logan. Obama 2012
I’m loling.
grrrrrrrrrrrr
another Republican monster.
omg, it takes some BALLS to downplay suicide… insensitive ahole
What a fucknut..
Asshole
When will these idiotic bigots get over themselves and erase the hate?!
I don’t care which politician makes it this year, as long as he/she realizes that their moral beliefs are their own. I don’t impose my sexuality on someone else; others really need to grow up and do the same.
Why compare something innocent to all the things straight people do :O
Bastard , motherf… !
like i always say, he could use a big Bear hug…
I could just take a sledge-hammer to this guys nuts.
Another I D I O T
Amazingly uneducated.
Only in his sick mind.
What a pig…
and i live here in TN, that’s what saddens me. I’m proud to be a UT Vol but not as much as Tennessean when we have assholes like representing the state. when are they ever gonna wake up and see we’re not going away with the swish of some magical wand. ignorance, hate, and their own insecurities. it’s just sad oh yeah, and pathetic.
Sooooooooo sad
*yawn* “straight” jacket anyone? lol
here we go again
This guy is a moronic butthole who is clearly still lost in the decade he got his haircut! Sorry..hate to cut on people, but what an idiot!!!
Go back to grade school and learn English!
Wow this dude can eat a bag of dicks…
He just confessed to a host of feelings of his own ;-{P}
Seriously? Can’t we just declare him mentally incompetent and remove him from office?
wow,and this guy is supposed to have more schooling then me, wake up idiot.you cannot compare homosex. to these kinds of things. it’s like comparing a squash to a Passiflora edulis fruit from paraguay. not even in the same ballpark as one another. that’s alright, karma is a bitch.
what an idiot.
Horrible and Ignorant!!!!
I’m embarrassed to live in the same state as this ignorant, close-minded moron.
Ron Paul for President!
Hmmm why do 9 people Like this for??
This man is extremely ignorant..may God forgive him.
Thats ok because I compare his comparisons to that of and a**h***.
LOL.. do we really care what this fool thinks.. trying to make a name for himself. Hate apparently is the way to go for this freak.
Biggot!
well they do say the most homophobic people are ones who are really just in the closet and hating on themselves. He is doing a very good job getting people against him…His ignorance and stupidity is truely inspiring :P
So he is describing his pastor, his mom, and his father…Not surprised
“Mentally healthy” really? The American Psychological Association states that homosexuality, or as I prefer, (LGBTQ), is not a mental disorder. The state of his mental health might be questionable, or he could just be an asshole, for which there is no known cure.
Insecure idiot!
counting the inexhaustible supply of morons. ugh.
and hate-filled lies can ALSO be controlled by voting the bastard out of office! :)
MORE STUPID!
When will these freaking morons shut the hell up and just die away. I’m so sick of this bigoted BS aleady. By the way, I’m staight.
Interesting because being a TN lawmaker is way worst then murder and prostitution ( although arguably it is a from of prostitution) and well I am not going to go any further in my comparison-I was raised to be a kind and thoughtful gentleman-and never a TN politician!!
IGNORANCE AT IT’S BEST. How the heck can 2 people of the same sex falling in love with each other or being physical attracted to each other be ble to be compared to pedophilia, prostitution & murder!?! These people are f*cking nuts. I mean seriously insane in the membrane! #smh
This shows the reason abortion should stay legal, if his mother only knew she could have prevented this asshole from ever speaking !
My heart goes out to our all of our family who lives in this state! Stay Strong!
My heart goes out to all of our “family” who live in this state. Stay Strong!
That’s ok, because we compare him to HITLER! :P
Anyone coming into contact with Rep. John Ragan should take ANY ACTION POSSIBLE to harm him.
John Ragan has the outright balls to say:
“As a fitting critical thought question, it could be asked if other identifiable groups that engage in behavior of which “others may disapprove” commit suicide at similar rates? In other words, do prostitutes, pedophiles, polygamists, murders, etc., commit suicide at the same, or similar, rates to homosexual behavior practitioners?”
Well, gee, you dumb son-of-a-bitch, why do you suppose all these gay youngsters are killing themselves? Did you ever stop to ask yourself that?
They’re killing themselves because of plain and simple BULLYING by a bunch of braindead one-dimensional zombies who actually believe their precious man-written bible, initially scribed for a culture thousands of years dead in its grave, represents “the word of God!”
if that bill passed and i was still a high school student or younger and SAW someone bullying someone over their sexual orientation because now they can get away with it, i would beat the living shit outta them within an inch of their life or worse kill them and for me that shit would be worth it..
Well guys and gals what do you expect from an offspring of a brother, sister marraige, you expect and get an idiot like joe ragg-on. Why you know closey related kin are always marrying each other there in the smokey mountain state, that’s why they’re so damn stupid and joe ragg-on is living proof. I hope his false teeth fell out when he read his own moronic letter. LGBTQ people in Tennessee are exempted from brother, sister and close-kin relationships.