Dear Editor:
It looks like Parents' Voice has found a supporter in right wing religious radio host Kari Simpson as she has decided to try and argue in her letter (Parents' Voice didn't deserve 'malicious' criticism, Burnaby NOW online) that Parents Voice should be immune from criticism while the right wing fundamentalist group itself has been zealously critical of Policy 5.45.
In their arguments to maintain the grip of their historically imposed homophobic world view on our society, the members of Parents' Voice and their media champion Simpson are demanding courtesies that they have been beneficiaries of, but refuse to extend to others. This is either a result of their religion-fueled ignorance or a reflection of their religion-fueled deceit. Which is it?
Simpson's letter was aimed at refuting T. Trueman's earlier letter that brought to light the abhorrent attitude of a violent gay basher that proudly described how a gay student had ended up leaving his school due to the brutal violence he endured at the hands of his tormentors.
In her response to Trueman's letter, Simpson wrote a seemingly eloquent letter in the style of a defense lawyer attempting to defend a repeat-offending criminal, by deliberately ignoring and excluding the part of Trueman's letter that describes the unfortunate reality faced by the victim of the gay bashers.
I am sure that the members of Parents' Voice felt goosebumps of joy when they saw their champion defending what they perceive to be a right to prevent the school board from fostering in our children, an attitude of understanding of, and respect for the rights of a persecuted minority. While Simpson describes Trueman as being deceitful and malicious, it is Simpson that is hypocritically deceitful and malicious by ignoring the central argument of Trueman's letter. It is Simpson who has lost credibility in her attempt to discredit others with a criteria that she herself has failed to live up to.
While Simpson attacks Trueman's character by calling his use of the name "Trueman" as somehow being deceitful and malicious, it is Simpson that is being malicious and deceitful by ignoring the argument that Trueman is making. I haven't seen Simpson take issue with Parents' Voice members "Charter Lau" or "Gordon World" using their names when they exercise their right to express their views.
Let's make it clear; Mr. Lau and his friends definitely do not espouse the values of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that protect his right to be ignorant as well as his right to have the given name, "Charter" (Yes, Ms. Simpson, I have called your friends ignorant as did Mr. Trueman because I see their reaction to Policy 5.45 as a reflection of their ignorance). Their ignorance is revealed and credibility reduced, every time they open their mouths against the policy.
I have a right to express my views about an ignorant group of people just as they have the right to express their wild, fear-mongering arguments that all of our children are going to be converted into being gay and our world will end because of Policy 5.45.
Since Simpson has already brought up the issue of deceit (albeit failed to provide the evidence that she demands of her opponents), I will point to the deceit of the people behind "Parents' Voice" It is my opinion that it is the people behind Parents' Voice that are the ones being deceitful by using such a name because they are trying to make people think that they are the champions of all parent's rights. I am a parent that is definitely not represented by this group of homophobic parents.
A more appropriate term would be "Parents Religiously Opposed to Policy 5.45" But if they used that term, they would be acting honestly and forthcoming about their religious, social agenda.
As for Ms. Simpson, she is free to easily ignore my calling her integrity into question and carry on as if her arguments are as good as the word of God since she and her Parents' Voice friends have already had good practice ignoring the existence of the problem of homophobia in our society.
Harmel Guram, Burnaby
