I have been following the case of Constance McMillen because I think that it is an extremely important issue in today’s society. Since McMillen was sent to a fake prom a few weeks ago, there have been one or two other events surrounding her and her stance on same-sex rights. As I had speculated in my previous News Flash, I suggested that McMillen would receive quite a bit a backlash over the cancelation of the original prom. I was right. However, I had never in a million years realized how bad the backlash might be. In today’s where social media networks and the Internet seem to be the center of the universe, McMillen’s classmates took to the infamous website, Facebook, and created a hate page. Yes, that’s right. There was an entire Fan Page dedicated to McMillen. While normal Fan Pages gain fans because they are followers and admirers of an individual or group (for example I am a fan of Bruce Springsteen on Facebook), the members of this specific page were all against McMillen. The page was filled with quotes like “Constance quit yer cryin’” (Miller 2010). Some of the comments are things that a high school senior, or any person for that matter, should never have to deal with in their lifetime. Some of the more serious comments include death threats. However, now the page seems to have taken a 360 turn. Supporters and fans of McMillen seemed to have overridden the page and have shown their support for McMillen and gay rights. McMillen though has come out and said that she not only does not support the original hatred of the page, but she also does not support the hatred that her fans have shown her classmates. Hate is hate. However since then, things surrounding her seemed to have quieted down a little bit until now.
According to an article in the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News “the Kansas hate group Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) says its minions will be picketing at the May 22 commencement at Itawamba Agricultural High School, when lesbian senior Constance McMillen is scheduled to graduate” (Staff 2010). So not only have I been appalled by the fact that a high school cancelled its prom over the issue of gay rights, but also I was disgusted by the Facebook group created against McMillen, which was aimed at her sexual preference, and now I am even further shocked by the fact that this high school senior is set to have her next memorable event ruined. WBC, which I must admit I do not know much about, seems to be an absolutely disgusting and inappropriate group. “ WBC is notorious for thrusting itself into the public spotlight at inappropriate moments, such as funerals for service members an gays, because its members believe that the deaths are God’s revenge against America for tolerating homosexuals” (Staff 2010). I am absolutely speechless. Really? We live in a country, where people have the audacity to protest at funerals, a moment when family members and friends come together to celebrate the loss of a loved one. They claim that the “biggest lie of all [is] that God loves everyone” (Staff 2010). Actually, this statement might be true because I think that it is safe to say that God does not like the WBC.
I really appreciated Katrina's attention on the matter of Constance McMillen. I have definitely been appalled by what has happened to this poor girl, but it was also interesting to read what has since happened since she was sent to her fake prom. It is situations like these - ones that you have to hear twice because there is no way you think they can be true - that make me question how long change takes. I understand the idea behind working outside of the system, but I honestly think that in order to protect the basic rights of individuals currently living in the United States, there needs to be immediate reaction and action that forces a change within the system. Laws penalizing hate crimes need to be expanded and instances that may technically be defined as bullying (i.e. sending Constance to the wrong prom) need to be elevate to more serious concerns. Similarly, I think there needs to be some mechanism by which parents of these children can also be punished. If your parent is telling you (or in many of these cases dictating the response) that what you are doing is fine, then no real change is going to come.
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