I’d like to thank my friend Scott for bringing this to my attention. In fact, I didn’t know much about this “DeMint” character before hearing of his plan to save our education system from the perils of fabulosity. DeMint sounds like a real American hero for teaching things like equality (you know, the good ole stuff this country was founded on).
Scott, I’d like to not only THANK YOU for writing this letter, but I would like to challenge DeMint to a debate… perhaps in a local synagogue. Here’s the letter:
November 16, 2010
Senator Jim DeMint
340 Russell Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Senator DeMint:
This regards your repeated remarks that gay people should not be allowed to teach school. I object to them because that kind of discrimination against a minority violates the Pledge of Allegiance’s promise of liberty and justice for all.
I hereby challenge you to face me on national television and explain why I shouldn’t be allowed to teach. I studied at Master’s level at Harvard University and speak German, French, Spanish and Italian. I have published two novels. The phrase “By Scott Rose†has appeared in over 1,000 venues including Strings, (a publication for *students* of string instruments), The World Scholar (a publication for *students*), Bon Appétit, The Journal for the Study of Anti-Semitism, ShowBoats International, Decanter, Opera News, the New York Blade, Girlfriends, Caviar Affair, the Advocate, Relish’s The American Table and Mia/Enas, a magazine for Greek Americans. I have taught with conspicuously positive results. I have for example guest lectured on the arts in journalism at Brooklyn College. The students loved me. I gave them pointers on how to break into journalism and subsequently learned that some of them have done so.
When you demonize minority members of American society, saying they should not be allowed to teach school, you contribute to the terroristic atmosphere of hatred that results in gay students and teachers living in angst and in some cases even committing suicide. It is therefore most ironic that you of all people have served on a U.S. Senate Subcommittee for human rights. Recently in Tennessee, a lesbian couple found their house burned to the ground and the word “Queer†spray-painted on a remaining adjacent structure. Your demonizing of gay Americans contributes to the ongoing occurrence of such hate crimes. Do you intend to behave responsibly to stop the hate?
In addition to facing you on national television, I intend to organize a group of GLBT teachers from around the country to meet with you in Washington. I will not rest in my campaign to reverse your bigotry until you 1) retract your statement; 2) apologize for it and 3) commit to fostering atmospheres of diversity and acceptance in U.S. schools nationwide.
Sincerely,
Scott Rose
CC: Barack Obama, Rachel Maddow, Anderson Cooper, Charlie Rose, Keith Olbermann, Kenneth B. Mehlman. R. Clarke Cooper, Tony Ortega, Steven Thrasher, Matt Taibbi, other community members
1) Bryce learn more about who is spending your tax dollars and making the laws you need to abide by
2) I would like to see this debate
3) Is it not time we stopped peering into people’s bedroom windows & under their covers. REALLY! Who care who anyone is sleeping with as long as it’s consenting adults and no cute fuzzy creatures are involved. And not my guy.
4) he should have mentioned more then his credentials – he is not the only amazing teacher who is gay.
5) he should have cc’d some conservatives and not as many progressives/liberals to make his point.
6) an apology was issued for these comments
I support Scott!
Hi Samantha: Thanks for your words of support. Note that in my letter I say I intend to organize a group of GLBT teachers from around the country to meet with DeMint. Note also that my CC list says “Other community members” which means I can send to whomsoever. I did in fact send this letter to the Log Cabin Republicans of South Carolina. Their president Truman Smith answered me by saying that DeMint is much better at one-way grandstanding than at constructive dialogue. Not only has DeMint not apologized for his anti-gay remarks, (which he has been making for years), he has very recently repeated his sentiment that gays should not be allowed to teach. The only thing he said he was sorry for was that the question of gay teachers “distracted” from debate on “issues.” This is how hateful he is. He wants to perpetuate insitutionalized discrimination, but doesn’t even consider it an “issue” worthy of discussion.
Scott, He did apologize for the remark ( I did not say all his remarks). I personally never thought when being schooled: gee I wonder if my teacher is gay. I only cared that they actually taught and engaged us. I would love to see the debate between you and DeMint and while you are at it debate Obama about why his promises of obliterating the Clinton’s stupid Don’t Ask Don’t Tell have gone nowhere.