"Day Of Defiance" Missed
By Bob Parks (05/04/07)
Two weeks ago Thursday, I agreed to participate in the "Day of Defiance" on April 25, which is a counter protest to the now national "Day of Silence". This "observance" takes place in many high schools around late April nationwide. I planned on reading redacted paragraphs from the Little Black Book. I made this public statement on the MassResistance radio program, pre-recorded on Thursday, April 18.
Teaching tolerance and inclusion in school is, of course, a good thing. But I wonder how many parents from Brookline High were shown copies of the pornographic Little Black Book by their kids returning from a “Tolerance” Saturday? At that age, I’d probably be too embarrassed and the LLB would find it’s rightful place in the trash before coming home.
The Day of Silence is a school day without the spoken word to show solidarity with the “plight” of homosexuals in America today. Funny, the symbolism in silencing speech instead of allowing some to speak out....
I just received, a week after the event, the following email….
“I just wanted to thank you so much for going on the MassResistance Radio show and mouthing off about your support for the Day of Defiance and then not having the balls to back up your words with real actions.
“I PERSONALLY spent the afternoon at Brookline high school being attacked and assaulted by the children there. I put my ass on the line for what I believed in, I was not afraid to face those kids and tell them exactly what I thought. But then I didn't have a political career I was afraid of tanking or a reputation that I was trying to protect.
“The kids at Brookline high could have USED a black man there to set them straight. You wouldn't believe what stuff came out of their mouths directed towards me. "Take your white ass home bitch" " Your cracker ass don't know shit about how I live my life" are 2 of the nicer things they said to me. I am sure they wouldn't have DARED to talk to YOU in that way. NO ONE who had organized that rally had the balls to show up that day, adults or kids.... It was just a few of us parents that were willing to take the heat in order say what had to be said.
“Just on your not having the back bone to stand up that day after you publicly announced on the RADIO that you would.... I would never support you in any way politically. If your word can't be trusted in something as small as the day of defiance it obviously can NEVER be trusted when it comes to a really hard hitting issue. You are a mess of a man and a wimp.”
Good points. I responded to this lady and later saw this on the MassResistance website….
Big fear factor
To our surprise, none of the students who organized the Day of Defiance actually participated. They said were afraid of retribution by the school, particularly certain faculty members.
And most of the parents who had enthusiastically committed to protesting also chickened out at the last minute. For example, twenty parents had committed to be at Lexington (above), but only two showed up that day.
Bob Parks, former candidate for State Representative, who also ran for Chairman of the State Republican Party, went on the MassResistance radio show describing how he was going to make a speech at a high school as a Day of Defiance protester. He also agreed to send out press releases. But as the day approached, he suddenly backed out.
As the word “suddenly” pi**es me off a little, and I opted not to make this public before, I feel an explanation is in order.
Despite a website that I’m proud of, and YouTube site that brings more and more people to that site, I am not making any money for what I do. Liberals call me a fool, and my fiancée reminds me of this from time to time when I’m asked to do more. I do this out of passion, period.
Just before recording the MassResistance radio segment, I talked with host Brian Camenker and we reiterated a couple of known issues. One of the organizers of the Day of Defiance was a young man attending one of the high schools. His family has personal issues and his identity is kept secret. Both Brian and I knew this and were in agreement that this boy’s name not be used.
When I came home from work that evening, I checked my answering machine and heard a long-winded tirade from the boy’s mother going off on me for revealing his identity on the radio. Of course, this is something neither Brian nor I would so, didn’t do, thus the phone message was irritating at best.
Incidentally, it would appear the mother is not Internet savvy, as the boy who has political sites, includes his NAME and PHONE NUMBER on them. Maybe if his mother did a better job at monitoring his online activities, she would have known that he blew his cover years ago. The phone call to me would not have been necessary.
I contacted the boy and told him I didn’t appreciate being told off by his mother who was unarmed with facts. He called me at work and proceeded to get a little rude in emails.
Remember, I do this on my own time. I’m not paid to “appear”.
He then asked me to provide some support materials that required using equipment at my job and some personal expense. I told him I couldn’t do this and he later came back with a bigger demand. I understand I’m dealing with a child that has little concept of cost, but this was quickly spiraling out of control and I was losing my patience and desire to be involved with the protest.
I offered to help send out national releases and do whatever I could for the cause of keeping sexual indoctrination (hetero, homo, bi, trans, etc.) out of schools. I offered this assistance for free, and yet I was treated in a manner I would never treat anyone who was giving of his or her own time.
I told Brian Camenker as much a good five or six days before the event. It was not “sudden.” I figured this just was no longer worth my time and a long drive into Metropolitan Boston. He tried to talk me out of it, but I had had enough. I knew this would damage my reputation, but as I’m doing all of this for free, if it gets out that people can call my home, cuss me out for no reason, not have the common courtesy to apologize which the mother did not, then my reputation would be one of a bigger fool.
I am truly sorry that many other people bagged and didn’t show up to the protest. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t have been there as well. But I respect people and as a normal, breathing human being, I expect that same courtesy in return.
I’m done.
http://blackandright.mensnewsdaily.com/2007/05/04/day-of-defiance-missed/
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