Mount Si GSA honored

From the Friends of GSA;

This past Friday, May 23rd, the annual Washington State Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Banquet and Recognition Ceremony was held at the Lakeside School. The event is co-sponsored by the Washington Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Speakers and presenters included State Senator Ed Murray, City Council member Sally Clark, WA State Human Rights Commissioner Rev. Dr. Jerry Hebert and State Representative Jamie Pederson, as well as many other community leaders. Senator Patty Murray and Mayor Greg Nickels also wrote letters of support and appreciation.

This was a significant and high profile event, and the efforts and struggles of our local Mt Si High School GSA did not go unnoticed. Of the eight awards presented for the Washington GSA’s, they took home the following awards:

Most Inspirational GSA Member: Jacqueline Ferland
Advisor of the Year: Eric Goldhammer
GSA of the Year: Mount Si High School
Rob Goldsworthy Outstanding Educator of the Year: Kit McCormick

Washington state has approximately 175 GSAs. Please join us in congratulating our local chapter in the recognition of their efforts.

Thank you

Friends of GSA

Day of Respect Scheduled for May 29

From MSHS;

On Thursday, May 29 during a morning assembly, we will present the second year in a series called Rachel's Challenge. Rachel Scott was the first student killed in the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999. Her father started a non-religious, non political and non-profit organization with the goal of inspiring chain reactions of kindness and compassion that are reflected in 5 challenges:

1. Eliminate prejudice by looking for the best in others.
2. Dare to Dream, write down goals and keep a journal.
3. Choose positive influences.
4. Kind words and acts of kindness have a huge impact.
5. Start a chain reaction of kindness with friends and family.

These 5 challenges are the core values of the presentation and will be emphasized again in this year's presentation. The title of this year's program is Rachel's Legacy. Through a series of video clips and messages from the speaker, students will learn about Rachel's life and her message of compassion and respect for others. This assembly will be our program for Day of Respect. You may recall from last year that an evening presentation for parents is included. This format is being followed again this year. The program will begin at 7:00 pm in a yet to be determined location. Please follow the signage that evening. We hope to see you there for this insightful and inspiring evening.

More information regarding the program can be found at www.rachelschallenge.com

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Eliminate prejudice?...

One can dream.

Reaction to Irmo Principal Resigning

Slain man's mother denounces principal who resigned in protest of gay-straight alliance.

Sean's Last Wish today denounced the resignation announcement of Irmo High School Principal Eddie Walker because of his opposition to the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance. The organization also criticized his explanation for opposing GSA's.

"Principal Walker's problematic statement, 'I feel the formation of a Gay/Straight Alliance Club at Irmo High School implies that students joining the club will have chosen to or will choose to engage in sexual activity with members of the same sex, opposite sex, or members of both sexes,' is completely ludicrous and unfounded," said Sean's Last Wish Founder, Elke Kennedy, whose son Sean (pictured) was murdered last year in Greenville in an anti-gay hate-crime. "GSA's give students who are gay bi and straight, a safe place to support each other, talk about issues and work to end homophobia. Many GSAs function as a support group and provide safety and confidentiality to students who are struggling with their identity."

Read the story

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Group demands immediate termination of Irmo Principal

IRMO, SC (WIS) - Irmo High School Principal Eddie Walker's has announced he'll resign effective June 2009 over the creation of a Gay/Straight Alliance club at the school.

But for one group, June 2009 isn't soon enough.

South Carolina Equality is demanding that either Walker's resignation be effective immediately, or he be terminated.

"This Principal has emphatically and publicly stated that he does not support a significant portion of his student body. He has created an atmosphere where intolerance is considered a principled stand," says SCE Executive Director C. Ray Drew.

The group says research shows 80% of gay students do not know a single supportive adult at their school, 38% of gay students face hostility and violence, and 18% of gay students experience physical assault.

"Eddie Walker has created a liability problem for the school. If a gay student is harmed, the District could be held accountable for creating a hostile school environment," says Drew. "Every day that this Principal remains at Irmo High, students will continue to live in fear for their safety. These unsafe and dangerous conditions for gay students are intolerable. "


Read the story

High School Principal resigns over allowing GSA club in school

Principal Eddie Walker

IRMO, SC (WIS) - The principal of Irmo High School will announce his resignation Wednesday after being asked to allow the creation of a Gay-Straight Alliance club at the school.

Principal Eddie Walker confirmed to WIS News 10 he intends to announce his resignation over the intercom Wednesday morning. The resignation won't take effect until June, 2009 - the end of the 2008-2009 school year.

...

"Allowing the formation of this club on our campus conflicts with my professional beliefs and religious convictions. "

Read the story

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Good riddance! Who needs homophobes teaching our kids?

And what a great example he sets in respecting diversity!

putz!

Hutcherson vows future anti-gay protests and disruptions at Mount Si

May 14, 2008

From The Snoqualmie Valley Star
By Laura Geggel


At a May 8 school board meeting, the Rev. Ken Hutcherson vowed to continue to protest the Day of Silence in coming years if the Mount Si High School Gay Straight Alliance holds it during school hours.

In fact, Hutcherson, who led about 100 protestors during the annual event late last month, vowed an even larger presence in the future.

“As parents, next year, if you let this happen when school is happening, I’m going to have to organize well enough there will be no kids coming to school,” he said at the meeting.

District administrators, who are still discussing the future of the day at Mount Si, had no formal response to Hutcherson’s statement.

“I can’t control what Dr. Hutcherson does,” said Principal Randy Taylor. “We’re still assessing this year’s Day of Silence and looking to see how successful it was on campus. I’m a little disappointed with the level of absenteeism, but some of that could have been addressed through the concern of parents about adult protestors being near the school.”

...

In the same public statement at the May 8 school board meeting, Hutcherson said he took offense to a statement made at the Feb. 7 school board meeting by Potratz, an American literature and film studies teacher at the high school.

At the February meeting, Potratz said he was “the one, sole person who booed Mr. Hutcherson” at the Martin Luther King Day Assembly.

Three weeks after the assembly, Potratz said the school disciplined him with a letter of reprimand in his personnel file.

In an interview, Potratz said he “thought that the choice of the leading opponent of equal rights for homosexuals in Washington state was the most inappropriate possible choice for a speaker for the day which celebrates equality in our country.”

In his February statement, Potratz said he would try to combat prejudice and “stop those who, because of hate or ignorance, would hurt anyone or violate their civil rights.” He then went on to say that, as he understood it, Hutcherson and his supporters wanted to reverse the 2006 state Anderson-Murray Law, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.

“They have their right to advocate that,” Potratz said in his statement. “People at our school have the right to advocate reinstituting slavery if they want. But our school system does not regard discrimination against homosexuals as an equally valid opinion with the opinion that everyone has equal rights under the law.”
Hutcherson said he found the statement akin to wanting to reinstate slavery. He said he has notified the Washington State Department and the NAACP. Neither organization could be reached to confirm the complaints at time of deadline.

Hutcherson said he wanted Potratz and McCormick removed from the classroom.

“You need to do something about teachers you have in your rooms with my daughter and students passing by them every day knowing that you made a comment about reinstating slavery,” Hutcherson said.
Taylor said the school had disciplined Potratz.

Read the complete story

Look who's preaching hate on Mothers Day?

Ken Hutcherson with Scott Lively who claims that the Nazi Party, World War II and the Holocaust were the products of a vast gay conspiracy, and Latvian megachurch pastor Alexey Ledyaev who claims that “Homosexuality is a … dangerous and contagious disease."


Sunday, 11 May 2008

Please keep praying for a great turnout for this Sunday's services for two reasons:

1.) It's Mother's Day! We want to honor all of our mothers.

2.) This Sunday will be the first of a two part series on why homosexuality is still a sin.Pray that many lives will be changed.

Pastor Hutch

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"[Slavery] was established by decree of Almighty God...it is sanctioned in the Bible, in both Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation...it has existed in all ages, has been found among the people of the highest civilization, and in nations of the highest proficiency in the arts."
-Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America

"The doom of Ham has been branded on the form and features of his African descendants. The hand of fate has united his color and destiny. Man cannot separate what God hath joined."
-United States Senator James Henry Hammond.

"There is not one verse in the Bible inhibiting slavery, but many regulating it. It is not then, we conclude, immoral."
-Rev. Alexander Campbell

"The right of holding slaves is clearly established in the Holy Scriptures, both by precept and example."
-Rev. R. Furman, D.D., Baptist, of South Carolina

Leviticus 25:44-46:
"Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly."

1 Timothy 6:1-3
"Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;"

The quotation by Jefferson Davis, listed above, reflected the beliefs of many Americans in the 19th century. Slavery was seen as having been "sanctioned in the Bible." They argued that:

-Biblical passages recognized, controlled, and regulated the practice.

-The Bible permitted owners to beat their slaves severely, even to the point of killing them. However, as long as the slave lingered longer than 24 hours before dying of the abuse, the owner was not regarded as having committed a crime, because after all -- the slave was his property.

-Paul had every opportunity to write in one of his Epistles that human slavery -- the owning of one person as a piece of property by another -- is profoundly evil. His letter to Philemon would have been an ideal opportunity to vilify slavery. But he wrote not one word of criticism.

-Jesus could have condemned the practice. He might have done so. But there is no record of him having said anything negative about the institution.

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Hutch, using the bible to justify evil today is no different than it was yesterday!

The same books of the Bible you justify your disgust of homosexuals with are the same books that kept your ancestors enslaved! Why not embrace it all brother?

Why must you preach evil, and on Mothers day no less?

You should be ashamed!

May God have mercy on your dark and twisted soul.

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These thoughts are for you Hutch...

"Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of truth and knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods."
-Albert Einstein

"You know that you have created God in your image when God hates the same people that you do."
-Fr. John Weston

Christian Students Pledge Golden Rule on DoS

I want to share one very early report of efforts on the Day of Silence from Jordyne Krumroy, a student at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Jordyne was an early supporter of the Golden Rule Pledge and as you will see, used it as a springboard to mobilize Christian groups on her campus for outreach. Here is her report.

Yesterday was the Day of Silence. A national event where students on their campuses are silent for the entire day to bring awareness to the silencing of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) students. This community has been daily silenced by the name-calling, bullying, and harassment simply because of their sexuality. Many Christians are confused about how to respond to this day because they do not agree with homosexuality, but they do agree that hatred based on it is not acceptable.

This year I decided to get involved. I went to Campus Crusade for Christ as well as Intervarsity Fellowship to present the idea of participating. They both said they wanted to participate but I was absolutely astonished when Campus Crusade said that not only did they want to support it as individuals, but as a ministry. When I heard this, my heart was pounding- it was a prayer come true.
I can’t give you a count of how many students from the ministries actually participated. It might have been one, or many. But to me, it was their sincere desire to do something that really hit me hard. I have long been frustrated with the Christian community’s response to the GLBT group. When Crusade called me, a little piece of anger towards the church was cast away.

Students at our school chose to participate by duct taping their mouths shut in complete silence, and when people asked why, handing them a slip of paper that explained. While I was more than fine with doing this, I wanted to do more. I wanted to make it clear that not only do I love them, but Christ does also. So I made my own slips, not to preach, but to break down the walls between the Christian and LGBT communities. The slips I made said this:

“Today I am pledging to be silent to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment experienced by LGBT students.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Luke 6:31

As a follower of Christ, I believe that all people are created in the image of God and therefore deserve love and respect.”

Read the entire story

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Behold, I say unto you, there are true christians among us.

Mount Si inspires participation in the DoS

Hutch's bodyguard looks on as former students
and community members disrupt their proselytizing.

Day of Silence speaks volumes

By MARGO HOFFMAN The Mirror

Apr 30 2008

Sometimes silence speaks quite loudly.

Students at Federal Way High School, as well as more than 200 high schools throughout the state, participated in the National Day of Silence event on April 25.

Both homosexual and heterosexual students banded together to raise awareness of the bullying and harassment that gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual students often face. They made their statement by going all day without speaking, instead signing their names to a list of supporters and passing out cards describing their cause.

At lunchtime on Friday, 84 students had already signed up as supporters. More students continued to sign up throughout the day.

“It’s a great demonstration,” said Paul Cantu, a senior at Federal Way and the ASB president. “Everybody’s very supportive.”

Gay and lesbian students at Federal Way are sometimes subject to derogatory language, Cantu said.

“As with anything, there’s going to be a little bit of bullying for people that are different,” he said.

Cantu said he suspects that in several years, people will look back in awe and disgust over the discrimination and harassment that gays and lesbians often face.

Extra participation at Federal Way’s Day of Silence this year was fueled partly because of news of anti-gay protests at a similar event at Snoqualmie Valley’s Mount Si High School, Cantu said. Students at Federal Way were inspired to come forward in support of their school’s diversity.

Read the entire story


...Awesome! Mount Si, setting the standard!

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In a related story from World Nuts Daily, they are reporting fabrications worthy of CoDE and Hutch himself!

"Take the Seattle area's Mount Si High School for instance. Out of 1,410 students, nearly half (638) reportedly walked out of school on DOS with a unified voice saying, "No! We're here to learn. We refuse to be subject to radical homosexual indoctrination at school or anywhere else!"

The Rev. Ken Hutcherson, a former pro-football player, current pro-family champion and pastor of Antioch Bible Church, led the charge in defense of God's moral standard at Mount Si. He organized a prayer rally outside the school – which his daughter attends – and was joined by hundreds of parents, children and community members."


Once again, the actual number was 495 out of 1,410. Of those, many were kept home to avoid the protesters (Hutch) not the DoS.

And Hutcherson joined by "HUNDREDS" of parents? There were less than a hundred, as in singular.

These nuts are either delusional or bald faced liars!

“Christian…..and Gay?”

Statistically, one of these kids will be gay.
Which one of them will earn your comtempt?

What is diversity? The simple fact is DNA recombination,

the shuffling of genes received from both parents into a

genome for one's offspring, underlies human variation,

including gender identity.

That being said. We have received the following press release;

The Tolt Congregational United Church of Christ in Carnation invites the community to a presentation on May 7, 2008, to hear a progressive Christian voice on this topic. Pastor Stephen Haddan, who received his Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in Minnesota, will discuss “Who We Are, What We Believe, and How We Use the Bible.” Tolt’s position as a church which welcomes and affirms all people regardless of race, gender, economic status or sexual identity will also be explained.

Church youth leader Cindy Sattler notes that this presentation is especially timely with the recent valley discussions regarding the work of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Mt Si High School. “I’ve noticed that many who oppose the GSA do so by claiming the word “Christian” to describe themselves, as if being Christian explains the foundation upon which a person stakes their case. It alarms me that so many find the words “gay” and “Christian” to be mutually exclusive,” she says.

Tolt Congregational, founded in 1894, belongs to the United Church of Christ, a denomination that dates back to the Mayflower. Eleven signers of the Declaration of Independence were members of UCC predecessor bodies. The UCC was the first mainline church to ordain an African-American (1785), a woman (1853) and an openly gay pastor (1972).

The presentation will begin at 7 PM and a social time with refreshments will follow. The church is located at Hwy 203 and Morrison Street.

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Note to readers.

As a non-christian, I'm not in the habit of posting faith based meetings. However, in the spirit of cooperation and goodwill, I'm encouraging those of you of faith to open a meaningful dialog with each other that might foster a broader and unconditional acceptance of our children.

In the words of the UCC ...God Is Still Talking...

And in the words of Stephen Hawkings...

All we have to do, is keep on talking!

Mormonism and Christiantity, what's all the fuss?

Over the past several months there has been alot of outrage coming from our christian and mormon neighbors over the GSA and the DoS event.

Many fundamentalist christians, like Hutch, bring a very narrow and cherry picked set of 'biblical laws' they use to persecute the gay community. Most christians that I know don't seem so hell bent on the validity of the OT. (pun intended)

These christians find greater value in living their lives as Jesus taught, rather than honoring outdated dogma that they find un-christian. These are great folks!

I, as many others, were a bit mystified by the strong reaction of our mormon neighbors so we set out to learn a bit more about mormanism and where their doctrine intersects with their christian counterparts. What we found was interesting to say the least.

Mormon doctrine is quite different from the mainstream christian perspective. The doctrine seems a bit more supernatural than even the events in the bible, and definitely diverges from the basic christian beliefs. In fact, many of the assertions would be considered heretical by the catholic church.

In trying to find a short documentary on the subject, we came across an animated feature that was supposedly banned by the mormon church. The claims made in the video were actually checked against published mormon doctrine and seem accurate.

Warning, some of these ideas might shock you!



Now this is not an attack on mormons, but it's good to know where you folks are coming from.

What is unclear is the value the Bible holds within the Mormon church. Is the OT considered the word of God?

I'd love to hear the mormon perspective here. Are the claims in this video accurate? Is it true that mormons strive to be gods? Is it really a belief that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers? And the whole business with the black folks, what's up with that? When I think about it, I can't say that I have ever met a black or asian mormon, do they exist?

I think most of us who were raised as christians have no clue about the mormon faith. To many of us it sounds a bit like scientology.

Perhaps a greater understanding could lead to a more open dialog about the diversity of faiths within our school and community. In the end, we are all equally human and no one can deny that, the rest is just superfluous!

A local student, claiming to be Mormon sent this link. It is interesting.