The Florida Senate cares more about teenager’s underwear than homo’s safety. They adjourned yesterday after squashing the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act, named for a 15-year old could take his peers’ incessant anti-gay bullying and killed himself. They did, however, have time to pass an amendment forbidding students from showing their underwear while wearing low-cut pants. An amendment!! On panties! Kids are flattened by the taunts of homophobic jerks and all these politicians can do is talk about drawers? Did we wake up in an alternate universe?
Putting an end to the matter, Republican Senator Stephen Wise sneered: “I don’t want to talk about it anymore, it’s dead. These people are bullying me.” Now that’s class. Especially considering Johnston’s mother, Debra, has been rallying for her dead, bullied son. (She and Mrs. Shepard should form a gang.)
Not all Republicans are as callous as Senator Wise. Republican Representative Gary Aubuchon commended Debra’s work:
She said that it was her son Jeffrey’s wish to change the world and this is her chance to see Jeffrey’s legacy come true. Debra, I salute you and ask for unanimous support for this wonderful bill.
Aubuchon’s House peers also support Debra’s mission: they voted to approve it two days ago. Never fear, like all good super-heroes, Debra’s vowed to keep fighting the good fight. And to look good doing it.
Anti-bullying legislation declared ‘dead’ [Tallahassee Democrat]
How about we take this to the next level?
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(You’ll notice we erroneously wrote that this story took place in Tennessee. It didn’t. It took place in Florida. Sorry for the mistake. Believe it or not, we’re human. And as for you, reader “Annoyed Queer” (clever!), we do make corrections, actually. Perhaps you’re not reading hard enough, like us this morning. See, we’re even.)
Matt
I’m really getting to the point where I don’t really care anymore because nothing ever changes. All we can do is hate each other so why should I be any different.
Hi Thayer
Tallahassee is in Florida, not Tennessee. Does this blog ever get anything right?
Adam
Ah. That’s why I could find Wise in the list of Tennessee senators…
Adam
I was going to send him a nastygram, but, out of curiosity, I checked on the bills he introduced. Oddly enough, he’s introduced legislation to get rid of ‘junk science’ in trials, create a program to help rehabilitate children with moderate or severe brain injury, and to boost a program to help disabled youth.
Now I feel a bit conflicted. Perhaps he’s been replaced by a pod-person?
GSM
Please remove the Tennessee headline from this post. This is a story about the Florida legislature and not that of my home state.
Steve
So are all the editors asleep at the keyboard here? Get your interns to blow you instead of doing posting for you.
Annoyed Queer
I’ve never seen a single correction made or even acknowledged from the comments, except by guest editors.
john
Tennessee or Florida? Different states, same ignorant hillbillies!
Bill
Boys, those of us in New York are not supposed to know where “cities” like Talahassee (is that how you spell it) are.
Stancel
Bill, if you studied capitals in elementary school, you would know that Tallahassee is the capital of Florida. However, maybe you forgot since.
Anyway, as a Floridian I have come to expect things like this. This is the South after all (some parts of it, at least). And the effects of Anita Bryant’s 70’s crusade are still lingering.
This pants bill is pretty ridiculous, and they’re ignoring (and rejecting) real issues.