As you may recall from an earlier post, there is a law before the Tennessee legislature to prohibit teachers from teaching or discussing gay issues in schools. I received the following press release from FCKH8, an organization opposing the ridiculous legislation:
——————–
FCKH8.com Targets Tennessee “Teachers Can’t Talk About Gays” Law, Gives Hundreds of Pro-Gay T-shirts to Nashville School Children, Launches New F-Word-Filled Viral Internet Video & Donates $25,000 to Fight Anti-Gay Bill
On Day of Before State Senate Vote, Gay Activist & T-Shirt Website FCKH8.com Distributes “Don’t B H8N on the Homos” T-shirts, Buttons, Bracelets & Stickers to School Children Just Blocks from the State Capital
Nashville, TN – May 10, 2011 – Angered at the progress that the proposed “Teachers Can’t Talk About Gays” law has made in the Tennessee state senate, gay activists with the website FCKH8.com passed out hundreds of pro-gay T-shirts, wristbands, pins and stickers in front of TV cameras to school children on Tuesday morning in the state capital to protest the law which would make it a crime for teachers to discuss homosexuality. The website distributed gear from its line of “Don’t B H8N on the Homos” products to crowds of cheering kids at Hume-Fogg high school which is just blocks from the senate building where the anti-gay law is scheduled to be voted on this Wednesday. The website is also donating $25,000 to the Tennessee Equality Project to fight the anti-gay agenda of the bill’s sponsor Senator Stacy Campfield (R-TN).
NBC News Coverage of T-shirt Give Away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLh7sIjRyJA
FCKH8.com director Luke Montgomery stated, “This anti-gay law is really f**king absurd. It would make it a crime for teachers to counsel gay students who are bullied into suicide. It would criminalize teachers for teaching acceptance or stopping anti-gay bullies name-calling. You wouldn’t even be able to talk about the latest homo plot twist on Glee. They want to make it illegal to say gay? We’re gonna f**king say it anyway!”
The video can be seen here: http://FCKH8.com
BLEEPED Media Safe Broadcast Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzRhnXOvovA
The irreverent website also launched an F-word-filled viral Internet video campaign aimed at high-school aged students that features parents, drag queens, teachers and swearing kids as young as 6 years-old attacking the proposed bill’s impact on LGBT youth. The snarky and comedic video rant has already been seen by hundreds of thousands of people online and on Friday hours after its debut it became the #1 trending topic on Twitter in the United Staes. The video’s director Luke Montgomery points out, “While the F-word may be a four letter word, gay is not. There should be no problem with teachers or kids talking about homos in the classroom as many of those kids will turn out gay themselves god willing. The funny video captures people’s anger at this hateful law. We’re using a bad word for a good cause. We’re here to recruit kids to promote the acceptance of homosexuality and if homo hating douches don’t like it they can f**k off.”
The website’s previous videos on gay marriage and gay bullying have been seen by over 6 million people. T-shirt sales from the website have raised over $250,000 for gay rights causes with sales to over 75 countries around the planet.
Note: The Tennessee Equality Project does not endorse the tactics or approach of FCKH8.com and had nothing to do with the creation of its F-word-filled Internet video.
For more information, contact Luke Montgomery Luke@FCKH8.com or visit FCKH8.com http://fckh8.com
————————————-
Disclaimer: The information, comments and links posted on the blog do not constitute legal advice. I will not respond to any specific legal questions in the comments section of this blog. Read my entire disclaimer.
copyright 2011 Irene C. Olszewski
Connecticut Lesbian and Gay Law 
It seems like a radical way to get their point across but it is getting much needed attention. The whole thought of not allowing teachers to speak about gay issues is insane in 2011. Do they honestly think we’ll go away if they pretend we don’t exist?
Perhaps they do think that not saying “gay” out loud will make it all go away. It reminds me of little children covering their eyes and believing that if they can’t see you, you can’t see them! Great comment!
Does anyone actually think a “Jim Crow” law like this if insanely passed would actually stand? That law will be in court the next morning declaring it totally unconstitutional which it is! Any law that attempts to regulate free speech will never stand, and the Tennessee legislature will look like the fools they are for even considering and pandering to the religious right nut cases! When will the radical conservative right ever get the message….Gay is here to stay as it has been since the dawn of time, only now it’s payback time for all the eons of enslavement and murderous activities of the mentally challenged that seem to congregate in the South! Mabye it’s something in the water down there. What they all need is a months supply of laxitives to cleanse their dirty bods if not their hearts and souls!