State of denial

In an effort to stop the formation of gay student clubs in public schools, the state of Utah passed Senate Bill 1003 last week. Under the bill, school boards are bestowed the power to ban any organization whose sole purpose is to gather in support of any form of human sexuality.

The passage of the bill is in blatant disregard of the First Amendment, which allows citizens the right to assemble peaceably. If students wish to form an organization in which homosexuals can freely discuss their orientation, lifestyle or a topic as mundane as the fungus growing on the next door neighbor’s old and battered oak tree, then they should have the right to do so. Simply because they are homosexuals, have an interest in the subject or are merely supporting their friends, it does not mean they should be stripped of the basic rights that all Americans should enjoy. The principles of the First Amendment have been neglected and abandoned in this bill. Everyone—gay or straight, tall or short, rich or poor, religious or not—should be offended.

The legislators in Utah are setting an ignorant and dangerous precedent that stifles the rights of the people to be different. Time and time again, politicians and citizens alike boast of the country’s great ability to be a melting pot. Yet when one group practices a different form of individuality, the ignorant quickly become threatened and afraid, and hurry to judge and condemn. Instead of celebrating the differences in each individual and allowing those differences to thrive in a positive and enlightening atmosphere, the state of Utah extinguishes those rights and punishes their advocates to an unthinkable extreme.

The bill prohibits the promotion of bigotry. But the question remains—by not allowing any student organization to provide an outlet or discussion involving human sexuality, is the bill itself not practicing bigotry?

When Gov. Mike Leavitt of Utah signs the bill, which he has expressed the intention of doing, the school boards in Utah will have the power to deny students, teachers, administrators and staff the ability to practice one of the basic rights every American is given in the First Amendment.

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