http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2008/04/29/news_local/248local07counter.txt
01:08:00 pm CDT
By Bob Watson
bwatson@newstribune.com
After a number of Jefferson City High School students joined others around the nation in Friday's “Day of Silence” for tolerance, another side of the issue is expected in schools Monday.
“This marks the fourth year of the Day of Truth,” said the Alliance Defense Fund, on the Web site, www.dayoftruth.org, “which was established to counter the promotion of the homosexual agenda and express an opposing viewpoint from a Christian perspective.”
Many students taking part in Friday's event said they were involved just to show that intolerance is wrong.
But nationally, the 12th Annual Day of Silence was sponsored by GLSEN - the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network - to bring “attention to anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools.”
And that's a message the ADF - which describes itself as “a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation” - thinks needs to be countered.
“The Day of Truth is an opportunity for Christian students to respectfully present a different viewpoint than students participating in the Day of Silence,” said Joe Infranco, an ADF senior counsel. “Silence doesn't teach anything.
“An open, honest, and respectful discussion, however, allows truth to rise to the surface.”
And what is “truth?”
Students taking part in Friday's Day of Silence have said they wanted to promote tolerance for all people.
But the ADF and other groups said GLSEN's national purpose “urges students to remain silent for an entire day to express their approval of homosexual behavior.”
The Concerned Women for America said Friday's event was “all about advancing, through clever, feel-good propaganda, full acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle among children.”
When asked Friday why they were not talking, students could hand out a card that said: “I am participating in the Day of Silence, a national youth movement bringing attention to the silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. My deliberate silence echoes that silence.”
Students joining Monday's Day of Truth also plan to wear T-shirts and have cards to hand out, saying in part: “I am speaking the Truth to break the silence. True tolerance means that people with differing - even opposing - viewpoints can freely exchange ideas and respectfully listen to each other.
“It's time for an honest conversation about homosexuality.
“There's freedom to change if you want to.”
Jefferson City Schools spokesman David Luther said last week the district takes no position on either event.
But each must follow the same rules: Not to disrupt education.
“Ultimately, it comes down to this - it's a rare case when we allow an outside event to disrupt our school day,” Luther explained. “When we have outside interests coming through the doors of the schools, we have to put the priority on instructional time.
“However, should a group wish to have an event similar to this and they abide by the basic parameters that are laid forth, again (it's a) First Amendment right and it is their prerogative to do that.”
