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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums'Queers will burn': Gay Kansas teacher quits and moves to California because of threatening letters
A high school teacher from a small town in Kansas posted to Facebook this week three threatening letters he received after he came out as gay last year.
"Queers will burn and so will you," said one letter, signed "a concerned patron."
Because of the letters and other harassment he says he received for being gay, Michael Hill quit his job as visual arts and theater teacher at Nemaha Central High School in Seneca, a town of about 2,000 residents in northeast Kansas.
The school board accepted his letter of resignation on April 9. He had taught in the district for at least a decade.
"Mr. Hill was our art department," said Superintendent Darrel Kohlman. "He was the director of our plays, and he did a very good job as a classroom teacher. We're sorry not to have him anymore."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/queers-will-burn-gay-kansas-teacher-quits-and-moves-to-california-because-of-threatening-letters/ar-AAw7fFH?li=BBnb7Kz
Middle America values I gues.
msongs
(67,478 posts)fantase56
(444 posts)RKP5637
(67,112 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,649 posts)and cities in the US. After hearing and reading about the actions of residents in certain areas I know I would never voluntarily choose to live, let alone visit, any of these places where closed minded residents live. They make me nauseated (seriously). I hope this arts teacher enjoys the atmosphere in his new home and community. No wonder certain people move to urban and blue areas in the US. It is beneficial for your own mental, emotional and physical health.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)states/places in the US many would likely not want to visit, the hatefulness and knuckling is so great.
BigmanPigman
(51,649 posts)the hate is fostered by the politicians and religious leaders who are part of the problem...hypocrisy. They capitalize on the hate and anger since when it grows, so does their power and their pocketbooks/wallets.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)mopinko
(70,306 posts)than i am right now. sheesh.
what century is this again?
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)especially ones from hateful states.
BigmanPigman
(51,649 posts)We don't enjoy being prejudiced against people who live up to the stereotype of certain citizens from specific red areas having a specific political view. However, when they are actually proud to belong to that stereotype what can you think?
When I was coming back from one of the many protests I have attended a local trolley of tourists was going down the street to my car. Since I was still carrying my "Impeach tRump" sign it was obvious where I stood politically. This particular march was to protect the Dreamers. As the trolley passed me a senior, white female yelled out of the trolley window at me, "We love trump. Go to Hell!". Some fellow activists walking behind me were shocked. I didn't want to be too obnoxious and yell, "Fuck you!" back at her but I maintained my composure and shouted, "Tourists". The people behind me laughed and felt empowered I guess since they shouted back, "Tourists go home". People like that want to instigate anger in the "snowflake" blue states. Even little old ladies aren't beyond promoting their anger filled agenda when they visit blue areas. They are thriving and in their element knowing that tRump gives them the freedom to express their racist, bigoted, misogynistic, gun loving opinions without discretion. They are more than happy to wear their "deplorable" badge with pride.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)Why would someone visit CA thinking they were not going to be confronted with anti-tRump protests? She chose to visit knowing full well CA, for the most part, despises tRump. It makes you wonder what she thought when she finally went back home. Is she now resigned to staying put in her miserable red state? One can only hope so.
Exotica
(1,461 posts)ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)Good God they are NASTY!
I found some articles about that incident. They are a very small hate group that call themselves the "Western Chauvinists", and they like to hang out at that bookstore. Cops were called because of the man's remarks about burning down the store.
Exotica
(1,461 posts)Tens of millions of haters like them spread all over the nation. If/when an attempt to legally remove and/or indict the tumour that is Trump is made, there will be widespread violence I fear. Hopefully it gets rolled up fast by law enforcement.
A lot depends on how the most extreme elected Rethugs and also RW hate telly and radio come out. If many start barking like rabid dogs for rebellion it could get real ugly.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)...had even turned in a resignation letter effective for the end of the school year."
Headline kind of misleading.
Behind the Aegis
(54,044 posts)MineralMan
(146,345 posts)He's leaving. He explains why. Now, it's your turn to explain yourself, I think. How is your statement relevant?
oberliner
(58,724 posts)But he had already told the school he was leaving before the threats - so the headline is misleading.
MineralMan
(146,345 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)In fact the headline is directly contradicted by the content of the article.
Behind the Aegis
(54,044 posts)The headline is NOT misleading. Yes, he planned to leave at the end of the school year. Do you know when that is? For most places it is mid-May to early June. When did he quit? JANUARY. When was letter of resignation accepted? APRIL. Do either of those months strike you as "end of the school year"?
JI7
(89,283 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)He said that this incident "accelerated his plans"
JI7
(89,283 posts)Behind the Aegis
(54,044 posts)Exotica
(1,461 posts)letters threatening to kill him for being gay, no big deal I guess.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Lay this at the feet of the GOP.
They incite homophobia, to motivate old white bigoted voters to vote for GOP pro-billionaire policies.
And the GOP uses their propaganda networks: Fox, Limbaugh, Breitbart, OANN, NRATV, Sinclair to induce fear and hatred of gay people.
If we want more tolerance of LGBT people in the US, the biggest thing we can do is vote Democratic.
Behind the Aegis
(54,044 posts)Homophobia, heterosexism, and heterosexual privilege are rank in this society. Everything from attacks like this to bullshit remarks about "most homophobes are secretly faggots themselves" type of shit happen way to fucking often. Wanna insult someone, especially a Republican? Why call them a fag...or imply it, and that's A-OK with too many people.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)I remember last year there were a lot of threads about how those were inappropriate. However, I am still seeing a lot of cartoons about certain republican men being "in bed" with other men, whether it is the Russians or NRA or whomever. I think the implication is still there: it's funny to suggest they are gay because being gay is demeaning. It's like these "in bed with" cartoons fly under the radar because they are not explicit enough. It bothers me.
Behind the Aegis
(54,044 posts)The worst ones, IMO, are the cocksucker jokes, because so many people defend those. "Ass kissing" (brown nosing) is recognized as the analogy for being sub-servient, and it is gender neutral. It is just another example of some forms of bigotry getting a pass.
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)The phrase "in bed with" is so common that, taken literally and turned into an image, it seems to go unnoticed. The thing is, the concept is overused to the point that it's not funny at all. It's a cop out. So the lowest common denominator is the gay slur.
The Polack MSgt
(13,200 posts)Cock sucker as a slur bothers me - quite a bit.
This is not a disagreeable act, it is not hurtful or evil - It is not even same sex specific - so if it's intended to hit at gay men it misses.
Colbert's Cock holster joke was a disappointment
ProudLib72
(17,984 posts)And I remember some poor guy arguing that he was gay and took great offense at the remark. I don't think I have seen him on the boards since then.
This kind of slur was normalized so long ago and has become so prevalent it can be uttered with nonchalance. That is what is so disturbing, the complete ignorance of the fact that it is hurtful to an entire community.
Behind the Aegis
(54,044 posts)I was so fucking tired of people "justifying" "fag" jokes. The fact that people looked me and other gay men in the eyes, metaphorically, a proclaimed, "the ends justify the means", made my BP jump so goddamned high, I really thought, "is this the place for me anymore?!" The str8splainin' was just too much.
Solly Mack
(90,798 posts)Mean, ignorant people suck. They make the world a bad place.