Powder Blue Faggots

[WillParkinson]

JMG reader Sean Chapin writes:

Video featuring source footage taken by Heather Ike at a high school football game between Eastlake North High School and Willoughby South High School near Cleveland, Ohio, where students repeated the homophobic and ignorant chant "powder blue faggot" (while the other side chanted "halloween homos"). As NAACP Chairman Julian Bond has said, "homophobia literally kills", and it is this kind of homophobia that leads to anti-gay bullying and harassment at our schools and LGBT teenagers to commit suicide.

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/10/powder-blue-faggots.html

(Link has a 2:43 second video that includes comments meant to justify this behavior.)

[CitizenLeft]

1. Ah. My neighbor's children.

:(

[Iggo]

2. I got no sound at work, but are they saying 'it's tradition'?

:puke:

[WillParkinson]

3. Yep...

That's exactly what they're saying.

If you read the comments at JMG is seems this might be true. One of the readers made this comment:

"I just spoke with the school principal, Jan Chauby.
Based on our conversation, I believe her to be an ally in attempting to find a solution. She was at the game, and when the chant started, she and 2 other teachers put an end to it as quickly as they could. She suggested that 3 years ago, when she came to this school, this was a common chant, and her team put a stop to it. This game was the first time it reared its ugly head since then.
She sounded genuinely concerned, and pointed out that the actions of this group DO NOT represent the actions of the greater student population...as with many things, we must be careful to not let a few bad apples be representative of the entire orchard.
She was open to suggetions on how to better handle (they are reviewing the youtube clip to identify the chanters for a start)." --Amanda B. Rekendwith

[bullwinkle428]

4. Would "tradition" be acceptable if the insults were racially-based?

The school administrators need to be seriously grilled on this issue.

[grace0418]

10. Well, it's still okay to use the term "Redskins", have Native Americans as mascots

and to pretend to use a tomahawk or dance around on the field in imitation of Native American dances. So apparently as long as sports "tradition" is involved anything goes. :eyes:

[MuseRider]

17. That always

disgusts me. I don't know how they can do that.

[MuseRider]

5. 2 hours and about 1/2 and this is on page 3.

4 responses.

Really? A stadium full of kids shouting these things, no one stopping it and it merits only 4 responses and a drop through the pages so quickly?

K&R

[Rhythm]

13. I'm sure they think it's "just an expression" n/t

[WillParkinson]

15. To be honest...

I'm not sure what I should expect.

[MuseRider]

16. I hope you were not

expecting too much. I don't know if it is because of the impending elections and people being preoccupied with that or the thing with Grayson today or just that perhaps people are just stunned into silence. It is pretty stunning.

I don't know how it can be ignored, it is one of the most appalling and disturbing things I have ever seen.

[TriMera]

6. Kick and rec. n/t

[Sweet Charming Dem]

7. K&R

[VMI Dem]

8. Disgusting.

[GSLevel9]

9. where does the "mean-ness" come from?

Who is teaching their children to hate? This is disgusting.

[MuseRider]

11. Where are those who could have stopped this?

Intimidation? Is it really that solidly bad in those 2 schools?

Who is teaching them not to hate? Anyone?

[Rhythm]

12. They learn it from parents, from pastors, from peers, etc...

Every time a comment is made that denigrates GLBT persons, and it goes unchallenged, they learn it's o.k. to hate.

Every time they hear a parent chide a kid for being 'such a pansy', or 'too much of a tomboy', they learn it's o.k. to hate.

Every time they hear a supposed man/woman of God say that those who love someone of their own gender are sinful, abominations, etc... they learn it's o.k. to hate.

Every time they witness a bully in the hallway at school call a smaller kid a "faggot" or "homo", and other kids laugh, they learn it's o.k. to hate.


What do you mean, 'who is teaching them'?
It's all around them, and us, and every time we don't stand up and stop it, it continues again and again.
And they learn that it's o.k. to hate.

[GSLevel9]

14. I don't believe that people are naturally bad.

Kids are being influenced somehow. Pop culture? I think not. Other kids? Certainly but where's the root?

Envy? The typical "straight definition" of a gay man is someone with impeccable taste, exquisite organization, fantastic grooming, an education and a great job. (think Will, Will & Grace)

Is this stereotype actually true? Probably not. But maybe there's some envy mixed in there?

[demmiblue]

18. .

[undergroundpanther]

20. Umm

Some people are good,some are sociopaths( lifelong career assholes) .Sociopaths use non-sociopaths people as tools,they exploit and most of humanity just because they can. Sadly most of humanity is afraid of bullies and do not know how to deal with them,even as adults,many have triggers and trauma from encounters with evil people.

The sociopaths do not want to change, rehab or recover or grow a conscience or learn 'virtues'.However they can fake these things.
The sociopaths have to be kept AWAY from non-sociopaths. Sociopathy is reaching critical mass in our culture.

http://ranprieur.com/readings/americanpsycho.html

If laws,regulations,jail does not contain them, some day we may find we are forced by circumstances to kill them.

[dsc]

19. I grew up about an hour from this area and it is a tough place to be gay

I still remember from middle school in the lockerrroom having older kids literally right in my face calling me faggot and queer and it continuing into high school. I never got chanted at by a crowd but I did get two or three at a time, right in my space, and watching videos like that still is a little hard. Evidently since there were so many people chanting no suspensions.

[HughBeaumont]

23. Slow-hio PERIOD is a tough place to be ANYthing that isn't "Jock", "Cheerleader" or "Victimizer".

. . . but I repeat myself . . .

:hide:

[maddezmom]

21. sickening

:(

[McCamy Taylor]

22. You dont often see bigotry go backwards but when I was in school no one would

act like this.