*LOLROFLOMGOMG!!1111 HAHAHAHHEHEHEBWAHAHAHAH LOLOLOLOLOL*

[phyco126]

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.as ... 1&GT1=7701

I laughed. Hard.

[lost_f0n_drive]

Turner and her grandparents, Kenneth and LaVerne Richardson, are seeking around $500,000 in damages.

"This was the last straw," he said. "I feel the lawsuit was necessary because of the warning I had already given them on the literature they were giving out to children to read. I told them it was against our faith."

Even if it was against their faith I think that asking for Half a million dollars is really extreme for a case like this, especially from a public school.

[Royce]

This is sick. Especially the grandparents for teaching her homosexuality was wrong. If the girl thought it was wrong, she could have asked to leave the classroom. People like the grandparents teaching their children things like that is the reason racism is still so strong.

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

this reminds me of the funniest thing ever said. "why do we need to learn about diversity? that's gay!"

also, hatred will persevere due to the brain's tendency to catalogue (profile lol) things to make things more easily remembered.

regardless of opinions, right and wrong are a means of passing judgement on others in an effort to gain comfort in your beliefs and behaviors.

[Werefrog]

also, hatred will persevere due to the brain's tendency to catalogue (profile lol) things to make things more easily remembered.

Well, I don't know if that's completely true. Although it is true that we naturally put things into catagories, these categories are social constructions that can change over time. For example, in years past Italian Americans were not considered to be white. Of course, this has changed.

[Grey Fox]

Shouldn't have been showing R rated movies in an 8th grade class to begin with.

[Guild_Premier_Ghaleon]

Wow. Just... Wow. Half a million for psychological distress? This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. Some people have no shame.

[ilovemyguitar]

Okay, yeah, that's a disproportionate lawsuit compared to the incident, but the teacher did screw up here. While that is a great movie, it has an R rating for a reason: there are graphic depictions of sex and violence in it.

I personally think Brokeback Mountain is a great movie that pre-teens could learn a lot from; it's an excellent example of a modern day Greek tragedy, and it has a great message of tolerance to boot. However, this is something that should not have been done without the knowledge and consent of these kids' parents.

But yeah, the huge lawsuit sorta screams, "We're trying to exploit the situation for free money!"

[Werefrog]

Wow. Just... Wow. Half a million for psychological distress? This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. Some people have no shame.

Jeez, I know. If that's worth a half of a million, my parents owe me a million. At least.

[GhaleonOne]

Okay, yeah, that's a disproportionate lawsuit compared to the incident, but the teacher did screw up here. While that is a great movie, it has an R rating for a reason: there are graphic depictions of sex and violence in it.

I personally think Brokeback Mountain is a great movie that pre-teens could learn a lot from; it's an excellent example of a modern day Greek tragedy, and it has a great message of tolerance to boot. However, this is something that should not have been done without the knowledge and consent of these kids' parents.

But yeah, the huge lawsuit sorta screams, "We're trying to exploit the situation for free money!"

I think you've hit it right on. They shouldn't have been showing an R rated movie to kids of that age, especially without consent of the parents, but half a mil in damages screams of someone trying to get rich off of it.

[Alunissage]

This is sick. Especially the grandparents for teaching her homosexuality was wrong. If the girl thought it was wrong, she could have asked to leave the classroom. People like the grandparents teaching their children things like that is the reason racism is still so strong.

Considering a type of behavior to be wrong due to religious belief is not at all the same as prejudice about people themselves -- you wouldn't compare being taught that sex outside of marriage is wrong to being racist, would you? If they were teaching her to treat homosexuals negatively, that would be messed up. And I really doubt it's going to be as easy as that for a student to leave, especially with a teacher she doesn't know.

Mind, I'm not defending the grandparents' response. Making a fuss is called for; demanding money is not.

[BattleMedic]

The substitute asked a student to shut the classroom door at the West Side school, saying: "What happens in Ms. Buford's class stays in Ms. Buford's class," according to the lawsuit.

Now I can say for sure if anyone says that at the beginning of something, it will end in bad results.

[ilovemyguitar]

The substitute asked a student to shut the classroom door at the West Side school, saying: "What happens in Ms. Buford's class stays in Ms. Buford's class," according to the lawsuit.

Now I can say for sure if anyone says that at the beginning of something, it will end in bad results.

Well, I did come home from Vegas about $500 richer than I left a couple years ago... does that count?

[Royce]

I think the most that should happen is the Substitute gets fired and maybe get their teaching license revoked. "What happens in Ms. Buford's class stays in Ms. Buford's class". Now that lines just asking for trouble.

[Werefrog]

The fact of the matter is that substitute teachers are woefully untrained. I've been a substitute teacher in the past, so I'm speaking in part from experience. In Indiana, you can be a sub with only a high school diploma. Although I'd hope that most would have the common sense (I rarely use that phrase, but I think it fits here)to refrain from showing R-Rated movie, unfortunately not all do.

[JWL]

My 2 Silver:

-The lawsuit is ridiculous and excessive.

-R-rated movies should not be shown to 8th graders. Ever.

-Homosexual acts are considered immoral by nearly every legitimate moral and religious standard.

-Homosexual people should be treated with the tolerance and respect due all human beings, but tolerance doesn't mean that we celebrate immorality. The "tolerance" of immorality is called "permissiveness".

-Christianity teaches that people of all races are equal, and also that all people are sinners who should repent and turn from sin. Racism is anti-Christian, and so is promoting sin.

-Brokeback Mountain helps to promote the ridiculous idea that anyone who thinks homosexual acts are immoral is some kind of evil bigoted murderer. It also happens to justify adultery, and is wholly inappropriate for children.

[Werefrog]

-Homosexual acts are considered immoral by nearly every legitimate moral and religious standard.

I'll agree with the religious standard part. (Even then, I'm not quite certain. I know many sects of Judaism have no problem with it. And I must admit that I'm completely ignorant of Eastern religions, so I won't even try to bring them into this) However, it is possible to have "legitimate" moral standards without it being tied to religion.

[Sonic#]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_and_religion

This was a pretty good read, and mostly corroborates your view, JWL, at least with religion.

I am glad that you advocate tolerance as well. My main issue with viewing homosexuality as immoral is when it's coupled with a quick punishment of said immorality.

I just disagree about your assessment of Brokeback Mountain. There can be a compelling sense of tragedy and grief even within something that is in itself morally reprehensible. Lancelot and Guinevere are an example. As far as this movie goes, it doesn't make their actions right within the scope of the movie. The adultery wasn't justified, and Ennis suffers divorce because it isn't. They are ostracized from society, partially or wholly, and are even attacked for their actions.

I didn't come away from the movie thinking adultery was right. Or that everyone against it wanted to kill them. It is inappropriate for children, very much so. But outside that... *shrug*

Keep in mind that I saw the movie once. So if you've seen it relatively recently, I'm probably fuzzy on points. Pardon if that's the case.

[JWL]

I am glad that you advocate tolerance as well. My main issue with viewing homosexuality as immoral is when it's coupled with a quick punishment of said immorality.

My Church, which is the largest Christian Church in the world (Roman Catholic), teaches that homosexual acts are immoral but homosexual persons must be treated with respect. Some Christians make the mistake of obsessing over the particular sin of committing homosexual acts; there are plenty of sins which go without being condemned, and many of them are far worse than homosexual acts. However, it is also true that taking part in homosexual acts is one of a handful of sins which is glorified in modern society.

There is a vast, vast difference between saying "You must be executed for your sin" and "You must turn away from your sin for your own good", which is the point of view of most Christians. One need not have the point of view that "Your sin is a good thing" in order to avoid being a hatemongering murderer.

[Imperial Knight]

One need not have the point of view that "Your sin is a good thing" in order to avoid being a hatemongering murderer.

And believing that homosexual acts are not morally wrong does not make someone a selfish hedonist who believes that sin is a good thing.