Thursdays of Begrudging Respect: the beginning.

I've decided to devote Thursdays to things that don’t irritate me about Rhode Island. After all, no state is completely annoying,* and there are certain highly enjoyable things about the Ocean State that, as far as I know, don’t happen everywhere else. And so I was all set to write today about grilled bagels. Whereas in other places you can eat a bagel warm, toasted, or – ick – “raw,” in Rhode Island, when you place your order for one, you may be asked, “Want that grilled?” The only answer: yes. Yes, you do. You want whoever’s working the kitchen to take that bagel, slap some butter on it, and grill. It. Up. In some places, like my favorite breakfast spot, they don’t even ask; they just do it. Know what else? They’ll grill your muffin, too. And your scone. And it is nothing but right.

Anyway, I was prepared to go on and on about the magic of grilled breakfast breads today. Until I saw this:

State lawmaker faces backlash after criticizing student group
By ELLEN RATHBURN (2011-03-31)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WRNI) - A state lawmaker is under fire after criticizing a student support group at Tiverton High School. Rep. Dan Gordon said members of the Gay Straight Alliance should be prohibited from meeting in the school, because it receives public funding.

Gordon claims the club, started by a student to address issues such as bullying, is an inappropriate use of school time.

"I don't think there would be much of a problem with bullying if kids weren't flaunting their sexuality in school" he says.** "I don't think that we should be promoting anything whatsoever that has to do with sexuality. Especially in a school that receives public funding."

Oh, I’m sorry. I was just rubbing my temples in frustration so hard that I touched my own brain. If you have the time and need a laugh, head on over to the thread that sparked this thing. Because, you see, it was a comment thread on a local feel-good article about a high school kid who went and launched a gay-straight alliance after-school group that prompted an elected member of state government to say, well, a whole bevy of gems, such as:

It doesn't matter if gay or straight, if sexual meet-up groups are being promoted in our schools rather than improving test scores, that school is failing.

Because test scores are the only things that matter! It’s okay if our public schools turn out nothing but jackass bullies and the people they victimize, as long as their NECAP scores are at or exceeding grade level. But I think the real beauty of this is that Mr. Gordon thinks the GSA is a sex club, formed to discuss topics like “Gay Sex: Isn’t it Awesome?” and “Pitcher or Catcher: Which are You?” while debating the merits of the kind of sex toys that would make you blush if you hadn’t fainted already. You know, instead of being what it actually is: an afterschool club devoted to engendering tolerance and acceptance of who people are at their core. He knows that the “S” in GSA stands for “straight,” right? Not “sssssssassy?”

Anyway. So why is this whole thing a source of begrudging respect? Read the other people’s comments. Most of them, that is. Some of the most intelligent and insightful ones are from high school students in Tiverton and elsewhere, while Mr. Gordon reverts to attacking their grammar and spelling and implying that their seeming lack of language skills is a result of “sexed-up” clubs like the GSA. I first heard about this on the radio this morning while I was driving my toddler to daycare, and after I startled her with a screeched “WHAT?!?” I thought, “Well, this will not stand.” And it won’t – not here. And that is nothing but right.

Meanwhile, this kid who started Tiverton High School's GSA? This Cynda Martin? What a kid. Her parents did something right. I can only hope that my daughter is as courageous in whatever she does with her life, as whoever she is. 

Go, Rhode Island.

* Except New Jersey.

** It's true. He said that. He really did.