Piano World Home Page Forums Restricted and Archives The Coffee Room Has your K-6 grade kid had cootie shots yet?

Quoting Larry:
Larry, this is perfect example of why I think you are over-reacting.

1) "Cootie Shots" is not about a bunch of adults talking to children about their sexual preferences. The main actors in the skits are children. Children are watching other children do different things.
2) No one has said "if they feel like being like me it's ok". What is being said is "if you see yourself in this actor" it is OK. You are inserting choice where choice doesn't exist.
3) Not one of these skits has a homosexual or heterosexual telling the children what he/she does in bed. The skits are not about sex.
4) Even the skit at the top of the thread doesn't say you must accept this. It only presents.

I consider you one of the more level-headed of the right-leaning group in this thread. But your constant exaggarations lead me to think you have an agenda. It is clear "Cootie Shots" is not teaching sex. It is not preaching--like I said the actors are children themselves. If it is not teaching sex, what are you objecting to? (Something I asked in my very first post, BTW, and don't believe I've received an answer to.) It sounds like you are objecting to the teaching of tolerance. If this is the case, are you sure you're as tolerant as you make yourself out to be.

I'll bet 10 to 1 "Cootie Shots" is phazing some grown ups a heck of a lot more than it is phazing the children.

Exactly. I couldn't agree with you more and if you can show how that could be done, I'd say fine, we don't need to teach tolerance in school. Would that it were possible. This thread makes it abundantly clear that many parents are unteachable.

So if a female whom you are not sexually interested in solicited you for sex and grabbed your crotch, would you also put her "in the morgue"? I seriously doubt it. You see Larry, despite all your claims to the contrary, your "acceptance" of gays is a joke. It is akin to having a racist tell a black man that he doesn't mind his blackness as long as he paints himself white. Sure the racist knows he's black, they can even talk about his blackness, but keep any demonstration of blackness at home and don't ****ing show it or "I'll put you in the morgue".

I'm not saying you should sleep with either of them, but I beg you to please think seriously about why one would cause you to react so much more violently than the other. What is so different about the two solicitations other than gender? Why can't they be dealt in the same manner of "I'm not interested"? What makes you feel so threatened about a man soliciting you as opposed to a woman?

Larry, I respect your opinion on many subjects but don't try to insult my intelligence by expecting me to believe you don't have a problem with gays.

Elena
http://www.pianofourhands.com

JA, this was a fantastic post and has given me much food for thought. Reminded me of my first experience feeling what it was like to live in a society where race was an issue. I was raised at home in Puerto Rico by my parents and a black woman who lived with us (and still lives with my parents) who has been like a second mother to me, she has been with my family since I was 6 weeks old, she made sure I went with her to church every Sunday while I was growing up, she made sure I was respectful to others, she is kind, reserved and has always loved me like her own daughter, really is an amazing woman. Also, Puerto Ricans being the mixed race that they are I was lucky that until after I graduated from highschool the thought of different races had never even crossed my mind, people were people and my friends were my friends, all colors.

When I arrived in Boston for college I was told things like "don't go into that neighborhood, it's bad, mostly blacks" I would watch television and would see most murders were in black neighborhoods, by blacks. Even among the blacks there was a different type of attitude than I had known, certainly more confrontational. Within a few weeks of living in the US I found myself getting on a bus and thinking, "Oh look a free seat, I'll sit here...but wait, there's a free seat next to that black person over there, if I don't sit there maybe he'll think I'm racist...but now he's seen me vacillate so if I do sit there he'll think I'm doing it out of pity"... I was shocked at my reaction. Eventually I sat down next to the black guy for fear of seeming racist. The point is that I had been surrounded by black friends and parental figures my entire childhood and that thought process had never occurred in me. Clearly other people's problems had suddenly become my own.

So JA, your post really has given me much to think about and to reconsider. Thank you.

Elena
http://www.pianofourhands.com

Yes, that is something to be considered. If the parents are fear- and/or hate- filled, does it do more harm trying to expose their children to the real world? There is nothing that would make me sadder than making a situation even worse for a child. In some households, I can see the the skit above could make a child uncomfortable because the home is filled with intolerance. In this case, what to do?

On the other hand, how do we ever break the cycle of bigotry and violence against those that are different if not by trying to teach children when they are young?

John Andrews, I read your thread also, but if you don't mind my say-so, it sounds a little idealistic.

How far do you think a teacher would get if he told his class that the homosexuality of Alexander the Great, Michaelangelo, Leonardo, and the inifinitely long list of historical homosexuals should be accepted? He'd probably be fired by the end of the week.

It's no wonder groups like Fringe Benefits crop up. The door is shut in all directions.

Cootie Shots was co-authored by homosexuals Norma Bowles and Mark Rosenthal. (It was expanded on later). The skit Larry posted was about a cross-dressing boy who wanted to be a girl. Another skit from Cootie Shots I mentioned had Rapunzel in a homosexual relationship with another girl. (One 3rd-grade girl, after seeing Cootie Shots, asked her father if she was a lesbian because she liked girls better than boys). In the skit you mentioned it spoke of maricones. Now maybe my kids wouldn't understand this, being from the midwest, but kids in California or Texas or Arizona would since maricone means homosexual. So don't even attempt to say that Cootie Shots has nothing to do with "sexual preferences." Do you think they have to talk in graphic detail about anal plugs before you think the line has been crossed when speaking to little boys and girls? Damnit Bernard, have you no shame whatsoever?! It is teaching alternative sexual situations, and the objection is that it directly contradicts almost all religious teaching, including catholic, protestant, and I believe muslim. And as such is prohibited from being presented to children without their parents' consent and opportunity to review the material beforehand. Then you need to pay attention since it has been mentioned numerous times already. Although I can't speak with authority for others, I do not hesitate to say that neither Larry nor Jolly nor kathyk nor Ariel nor bcarey nor I would say that we are tolerant of our children being taught anything we disapprove of.

Yeah, Larry, now that Elena mentions it, what was really betgween you and the female (I think) below?
[img]http://members.aol.com/larryinatlanta/myhomepage/1.jpg?mtbrand=AOL_US[/img]

Good grief, is it worth it!??!

Gryphon,

I SAID:
"Cootie Shots" is not about a bunch of ADULTS talking to CHILDREN about their sexual preferences.
Larry was insinuating that adult homosexuals were going in and preaching to these kids. They are not. I understand perfectly well that some of these skits are about children who have what current society would label as "unacceptable" behaviors.

I very much doubt that the young children Larry is talking about understand the intimate details of sex. And if they do, then by no means are they too young to experience "Cootie Shots".

I believe the real concern should be, is "Cootie Shots" too much for children who are not yet sexually mature. Since the skits are not sexually explicit, and only present "different" behavior, I don't think they pose a great problem. If I were a parent I would welcome and be thankful for the opportunity to explain and clarify that some people in this world are different.

No, I'm not ashamed, I celebrate my existence, I rejoice in what G*d has given me. For you it's all about sex. Nothing but sex. Sounds like an abnormal obsession to me.

I will agree with that.

The question was directed to Larry, thank you very much.

That's a different matter.

EXCELLENT post gryphon.

Bernard: take another 20 years of analysis and come back and report what you find.

That would, of course be your plan "B". It's my plan "A" and I would say, NO THANKS.

You know, I think that lady was in my office the other day. She came in with her toothless step-Pa and long gray-hair pony-tailed Ma with Alzheimers and her brother - who actually was amazingly normal looking. I'm serious - her face nearly stopped me in my tracks! Step-Pa was changing his will to include his 5 step kids but cut out his own. I met with him only, just to be sure. And, as I was going through the names of the 5 step-kids I was asking where each lived. When I came to the last son, he paused, and said, "He's in federal prison." I always take a pic of my clients to put in the file. He looked like one who might get a little testy about having his photo taken. I knew he had been in the Navy, so I smiled and said he could take off his shirt and show his tatoos. Boy, did he have a big toothless laugh over that. He did give me a call the next day to let me know he'd had 2nd thoughts about including the boy in prison - how much money does one really need in the can?

The moral: Watch out whose photos you post in jest - it might be someone's step-daughter.

Looks like Frankenstein in drag.

Just a little notice: I don't think I'll be continuing in this thread much longer because I suspect it could go 'round and 'round for quite a long time. It's becoming a drain. Not to mention the incessant interruption of irreverent irrelevancies.

If I were independently wealthy (i.e., didn't have to work), and had more time, perhaps.

In the meantime--Hey! Go see "Cootie Shots" ! I heard it was great, especially for adults.

Just keep anyone under 18 away from it.

Sorry if I was being irreverant Bernard. You know I support you completely (at least I hope you do) and I would love to see it and wouldn't hesitate for one nanosecond before having my 8 year old see.

One thing that really struck me, (and I know it's been mentioned already, but believe it merits repeating)was how completely asexual almost all of the content is. It's about tolerance not sex. If the piece about the boy in high heels. Who's gleaning sexuality from that? I have a nephew and know of a couple other boys who have loved pink and liked to dress up in girls clothing. Because their parents were tolerant and open-minded, this behavior was not discouraged and they were allowed to play it out. And, frankly I doubt that it has had any bearing on their ultimate sexuality. But one thing is certain, they should not have to bear taunts from other kids or be called a girl because they prefer the color pink or like to play dress-up. That, to me, was what the skit was all about.

kathyk, you are by no means included in my remarks. I think your post above was an appropriate response. And thank you for the support. In fact, I'd like to thank everyone who voiced support last week when I was suddenly personally attacked by a complete stranger. Thank you very much. You know who you are.

Bernard, for what it's worth, I don't think you were attacked by a complete stranger. But I could be wrong.

Dear Bernard,

Yea, I know, It's me. Big suprise.

I understand that life is complicated. There's hurt and pain and suffering. Sometimes for reasons, sometimes for no reasons that we can understand at all. We are given this life to live and we do the best with what we have. It's not perfect, but it's all we have.

The best we can do is brave the challenges we are given and find some happiness in overcoming them. But most of all we must be true to ourselves, to whom and what we are. We my friend, have different opinions on just about every issue we could imagine. Nothing personal in all that for me, but I do like and I would hope you'd like me.

Unfortunately, you take everything personal, and I mean nothing personal--not the best scenario to make friends with one another. I'm sometimes rude and over the top when I make my points: hay, I just privately apologized to gryphon, whom I disagree with about NOTHING. Was rude to him. That's who I am. Self assured and spoiled (and that would be self spoiled.)

I'm not always nice, and I can be as sensitive as all get out when it suits me, but I wouldn't count on it happening to often.

You're a decent guy. We may not ever be friends, but I wish you the best.

We are on different roads, Bernard. Godspeed and safe journey on your way.

Tom

I can't post. Just read Tom's post and I'm too feklempt to keep typing.

Aack! Colin Quinn is talking about this book right now on Tough Crowd!



This show's audience seems to be predominantly populated by liberals, yet one of the liberals on here just said that he's tired of the homosexuals pushing their agenda in his face like Jehovah's Witnesses and he got a rousing vocal ovation from the audience like I've never heard before!

This Forum would be almost a complete waste of time if it weren't for irreverent irrelevancies.