Stupid: Given to unintelligent decisions or acts; lacking intelligence or reason; lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions; implies a thickheaded imperviousness to ideas; an exasperating obtuseness or lack of comprehension.
Allow me to set the scene: Two gay men attempt to enroll their two adopted children in a Catholic school kindergarten class in Costa Mesa, California. In order to do so, they had to sign a statement (a new school policy put in place because of their circumstances) agreeing that they would not attend any school functions as a couple. They signed it. Considering the stand of the Catholic Church on homosexuality, the men pushed lack of comprehension to the limits in my opinion. Future events would bear me out. On hearing that two children of gay parents would be attending their school, a group of parents lacking reason, unable to absorb the idea of Christian love, exasperatingly obtuse, and without doubt lacking the intelligence God gave a gnat, got together and accused the Roman Catholic diocese in Orange County of violating Church doctrine. You know, the one that states gay people are the root of all evil. (Let's remember, neither child is gay.)
The rage of these stupid people (excuse me, but anyone who tries to force kids out of school because of their own bigoted beliefs must be stupid or the word holds no truth of definition) was vented in a letter to the Los Angeles Times which read, in part, "The teachings of the Church seem to have been abandoned. We send our children to Catholic school because we expect and demand that the teachings of our church will be adhered to."
The school reminded these stupid parents that this is America and the Church has no policy of refusing children from attending their school due to "a family's background."
Not to be thwarted, the stupid parents told Reverend Gerald M. Horan, superintendent of diocese schools, that they would pull their children from the school and ask the Vatican to intervene. As if the Vatican has anything to do with American schools, Catholic or otherwise. They are concerned that allowing the children to attend school would set a precedent. Monica Sii, who has four children attending the school said, "The boys are being used as pawns by these men to further their agenda."
I guess you'd have to say she's right, the men's agenda being to get a good education for their two children. The only precedent I can see that would be set is one of love and understanding by the school's authorities.
But it doesn't stop there. Stupidity, it seems, is catching - sort of like the flu. Upset with the new school policy incorporated to allow the children to attend, Cathy Jo Liebel (appropriate name under the circumstances) the president of the parents auxiliary, couldn't leave well enough alone. "Father Benzoni drafted the policy for the new school year starting in September. He says it's 'just (reasonable) discrimination.' I don't know how he can justify that. I can't imagine not being allowed to watch my children participate in school. He says we can't have inappropriate behavior at school."
Well, although I can't see how attending a school function as a couple could be seen as inappropriate behavior either, I remember that the men did sign the agreement, whether the school administration felt pressured by the stupid parents or not. The whole stupid situation then took an even stupider turn.
Speaking of exasperating obtuseness, Sister Mary Vianney - school principle for over 31 years, has not had her contract renewed for the coming semester because she objected to the new policy requiring parents to display "appropriate conduct in order to support the school's mission and provide positive role models." I guess she figured that "just discrimination" has nothing to do with being a "positive role model." It sounds stupid to me to lose a life-long dedicated educator because the lawyer for 30 stupid people who question the enrollment of two capable young children in their kindergarten demanded it. Geeze Louise, but discrimination against gays isn't the same as racial discrimination is it? Dang, I keep forgetting that.
I guess there are many stupid people out there who agree with this sort of thing. I suppose I shouldn't say that they're stupid and bigoted, should I? But somehow it's okay and even Christian for them to say the same about me.
