A brave young girl testifies on her 14th birthday against the gay marriage bill in Maryland.
She says at one point: "Today is my 14th birthday and it would be the best birthday present ever if you vote no on gay marriage ... I don't want any more kids to get confused about what's right and okay. I really don't want to grow up in a world where marriage isn't such a special thing anymore."
The comments on the version of this testimony posted by ThinkProgress are embarrassing for their vicious attacks the commenters subject her to. Gay marriage activists have often lauded young people when they testify in favor of redefining marriage, but when this young girl testifies in favor of protecting marriage, they subject her to shameful barbs.
Our thanks and praise go out to this courageous young woman!
57 Comments
1. This girl was homeschooled. (Why am I not surprised?) 2. The really sad thing is that this is now going to be "out there" for the rest of her life.
Peer pressure is far and away the most devastating type of bullying that exists today; marriage corruption supporters excel at it.
What a shame, in 10 years she'll realize she grew up in a narrow-minded household that tainted her outlook in other people.
Many people choose to homeschool their kids nowdays because they don't want them to be brainwashed and indoctrinated in public schools by government mandated cult beliefs like those surrounding homosexuality.
I'm fine that she's developing her own set of beliefs. And she's home schooled to boot. Nice, wish I had that kind of advantage over my peers. But I'm content with what I have.
Still...I'm a little uncomfortable with children testifying on these issues. It just seems wrong to me.
I read some of the vulgar comments. What sort of coward picks on a 14 year old girl? I'm just glad to know that this young lady already has a good head on her shoulders at such a young age.
Barb, the same creeps that tore up the pro-gay youngster that talked to Bachmann. And these creeps called themselves Christians.
This girl probably also believes that Jesus walked with the dinosaurs...
Poor home-schooled kids...
Her parents keep her out of public school so her head isn't filled with junk science...like math.
That would be the best birthday present ever to her?
Sounds coached. But if she's sincere I think she's seeking a birthday present for her parents who likely are deeply involved in this debate.
This is a brave young girl. Her simple wisdom put the complicated foolishness of adults to shame.
A.M.D.G.
Good for her! I've never met a homeschooler who wasn't smart, polite and had good morals. Don't be afraid of angry, unchaste homosexuals who want to pretend that marriage is whatever they say it is.
@Layne
I know...it's such a travesty that they perform so much better than public school kids.
What a great job and testimonty from this teenager girl. She reminds me of some of the bright and articulate teenage children I judged during debates.
I spent one year as a judge at high school debate forums and found some very intelligent students who know how to debate their views.
This 14 year old is doing a fine job of doing just that.
I can't wait the day when sanity will be restored, and indoctrinating the kids in a way confusing their sexual identity will be considered a child abuse.
Child abuse is the sexualization of childrens... and, suprise surprise, the same organizations sponsoring the gay agenda also advocate for early "sexual" education in the schools (if you can talk about education when you teach doing sex is fine anywhere anytime with anybody... which is what the liberal agenda means for sexual education).
I know, right, Zack?
Especially when these homeschooled kids go off to college and fail out of Freshman Biology because the Creation Science they learned at home-school has zero scientific basis.
This is why home-schooling, which is so often home indoctrinating, is likely to be outlawed soon.
Good for her and good for her parents for being able to home-school their child.
How did it happen that the government took over the education of our children? And is it mere coincidence that our nation's standing in education has since plummeted relative to the rest of the world?
Our government-schooled kids can't solve an algebraic equation, but if the SSM-ers have their way our kids will be experts in homosexuality. Maybe they think it contributes to the economy by teaching about how boys can give "jobs" to one another.
Perhaps they can combine the two and they'll at least learn that man + woman = child, that man + man = 0, and that woman+woman = 0.
Wish I could afford to home school, but I pay so much in school taxes that I have no choice but to have the government try to teach my kids and I correct the misinformation provided.
"Our government-schooled kids can't solve an algebraic equation, but if the SSM-ers have their way our kids will be experts in homosexuality. Maybe they think it contributes to the economy by teaching about how boys can give "jobs" to one another."
I would have to have a full frontal lobotomy to say something as stupid as that. But for you it's just natural.
Y'all who actually try (successfully, I might ad!) to HARM CHILDREN are complaining that people are being mean to a teenager that attacked them first?
Anyway... why does this kid get to make this argument? She's obviously neither an expert nor personally affected... at least one is really necessary to testify. Of course your "experts" only qualification is that they say they're experts, so I guess this isn't too much of a leap...
Oh please, most 14 year old girls want a Justin Beiber CD for their birthday, or something like that. This girl's "education" is akin to that of the Westboro kids "education"
Well done young lady. Glad to see that a wonderfull teenage girl has not been corrupted by the radical feminist and homosexual agenda. She will probabaly provide the offspring someday that will pay the taxes of the ungratefull homosexuals who will want the entitlements when they get old.
I wouldn't admit a believer in Creationism to college or to public office,but neither would I consider anyone who sees "equal rights for gays" as a valid issue in the marriage debate fit for either.
Teaching children to take the Bible literally,or to regard homosexual orientation as justifying homosexual activity or that one is entitled to define one's own "gender",is abuse.
@Layne
I have statistics that say you're wrong.
http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp
And here's one pertaining to how they excel in college:
http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp
I'm so glad all my neices and nephews were all taught Christian values instead of to ask for things like 'I wish people who are different than me would have less rights.'
This poor abused girl might still be able to make it to Heaven if she repents for the hate her parents have taught her.
"Y'all who actually try (successfully, I might ad!) to HARM CHILDREN are complaining that people are being mean to a teenager that attacked them first?"
It is SS"M" activists who attacked first by demonizing natural marriage as the equivalent to slavery and racial segregation.
Her parents should be put in jail for child abuse and she should be put in foster care - maybe with a loving SS-couple who will teach her tolerance - and in school.
FabulousAnna and Apollonia,
it is the parents (or SS couples fraudulently representing themselves as parents) who deceive children into believing that standards of rational conduct are depriving bogus classes of people united by desire to defy those standards of "rights" who are committing abuse.Insisting those who like doing wrong can learn that it is wrong and they must stop doing it is not "hate".
"Fraudulently representing themselves as parents."
Wow.
Parenthood involves a mother and father,QueerNE...one can't have two of either!
You never learned that?
Poster #26: Her fine Christian parents have taught here all of the fine Christian morals that are needed today. No doubt she learned about proper conduct for beleievers and the numerous Scriptures that clearly show homosexuality is wrong.
Sadly all of your nieces and nephews were not properly taught all of the values. Her parents taught her no hate but what God requires to be in his kingdom and she is doing just fine.
Homeschooling and academic achievement:
"The educational and general culture of the United States continues to value academic achievement and aptitude, regardless of the interminable debate that surrounds these particular constructs, the extent of their value, and the means of their measurement. Not surprisingly, numerous studies have addressed the academic achievement of the homeschooled, while fewer studies have addressed their academic aptitude. Dozens of studies have been completed during the past 25 years that examine the academic achievement of the home-educated. Examples of these studies range from a multi-year study in Washington State to three nationwide studies across the United States to two nationwide studies in Canada (Ray, 1994, 1997, 2000b, 2001, 2005; Rudner, 1999; Van Pelt, 2003; Wartes, 1991). The home educated in grades K to 12 have scored, on average, at the 65th to 80th percentile on standardized academic achievement tests in the United States and Canada, compared to the public school average of the 50th percentile. In order to lend some control to the aspect of students’ background demographics, researchers have explored and found that children in homeschool families with low income and in which the parents have little education are also scoring, on average, above state-school averages (Ray, 2000a, 2005; Rudner, 1999). In addition, studies have shown that whether the parents have ever been certified teachers has a weak or no relationship to their children’s academic achievement.
A few studies have addressed the performance of homeschool students on measures of academic aptitude (e.g., for success in college) or those that mix aptitude and achievement. For example, Belfield (2005) found the homeschooled to have SAT college-admission scores higher than private-religious school and public-school students but lower than private-independent school students. After controlling for certain background variables, however, he found that “… the predicted SAT-total scores for home-schoolers and private-independent school students converge toward the mean: the home-school premium over private-religious school students falls almost to zero” (p. 174). Belfield concluded the following: “So far at least, the results do not indicate home-schoolers are at a disadvantage” (p. 174)." http://www.academicleadership.org/1511/state_regulation_of_homeschooling_and_homeschoolers_sat_scores/
Thank you Maggie as my sister who is home schooling her children would be delighted to hear this.
Thanks, Maggie. Good information. It's always good to "educate" SSMers.
Thank you Maggie, I was about to go nuts at all the anti home education bigotry I was seeing leveled at this young woman. I was home schooled for 12 years and it has advantages and disadvantages but the stereotypes are nearly all wrong. I did quite well on my ACTs and in college as did most of my friends who were public or private schooled. What we had as our common strength was loving Christian parents who taught us to think for ourselves. I majored in philosophy and most of my peers questioned everything we were taught. We weren't brainwashed. If anything my liberal friends who support irrational concepts like SSM were the ones influenced heavily by educators who I and my Christian friends questioned and critically examined while we were questioning Christianity and conservative ideas. The brainwashing if it exists lies primarily with those intolerant folks on the left who told me not to question my professors and to reject all the ideas I eventually embraced after thorough examination. Leave the home schooled girl alone. Go after her ideas, that's fair but she sounds like a smart kid to me.
Lbgt and ssmers despise homeschooling and christian schools because they cant reach our kids there. The philosophy in our schools of one generation will be the philosophy of our government in the next generation. Abraham Lincoln.
The National Education Association, a United States teachers' union and professional association, opposes homeschooling. Such opponents of homeschooling give several examples of areas of concern in relation to homeschooling or its potential effects on society:
Inadequate standards of academic quality and comprehensiveness;
Lack of socialization with peers of different ethnic and religious backgrounds;
The potential for development of religious or social extremism;
Children sheltered from mainstream society, or denied opportunities such as social development;
Potential for development of parallel societies that do not fit into standards of citizenship and the community.
Very nice statement and some very good points!
She does raise a valid point about identity issues children can and often do go through. SSM can only complicate these issues making it harder for children to find their way in life.
The fact that she is home schooled just shows that many parents have lost all faith in the public educational system to properly educate their kids without the political indoctrination and the government invasion of their beliefs.
It's sad that those who support the unconventional union of two of the same sex would put such abhorrent behavior over the welfare of children! So very sad.
"Potential for development of parallel societies that do not fit into standards of citizenship and the community."
I think this is actually a plus considering the slide into degeneracy we're seeing in societal standards.
I honestly don't like young people being used on either side. I hate it when a 12 year old 'gay' kid stands up and proclaims his belief, and I'm not a fan of this 14 year old girl standing up and proclaiming her belief, because they become targets at that point. Kudos on keeping her identity semi-secret, but still.
Who is this troll that keeps using my screen name?! I (the "real," NOM-supporting Ash) did not write comment 38).
"The National Education Association, a United States teachers' union; opposes homeschooling."
You mean to tell us that a special interest group opposes American taxpayers taking their hard erned dollars away from them?
I am Shocked; shocked I say!
I am so prouud of this little girl. Gay is a choice. not a requirement.
Wow! Good for this young girl. It is refereshing to see a young girl of 14 years that still knows right from from, natural from unnatural, and acceptable from un acceptable. May God bless her.
Many of the home-schooled kids I know are bright, articulate, well-mannered--and starting college earlier than their same-age peers, and doing very well, I might add.
Arthur, the problem with your commentary is that you forget that your biological parents are NOT of the same sex. Now, they didn't believe in it so why should you?
These days you have to be home schooled or be in a private school to protect you from this age of over acceptance. I applaud her parents for teaching her right from wrong, good from evil. Public schools are controlled by this socialist government that are now brainwashing our children. As parents, it is our job to protect them from the world. We may have to live in this world, but must NOT be OF it.
Congratulations to the parents of this strong young woman... Seems to me that whenever someone disagrees with ssm'ers they get all bent out of shape. since when are we not allowed to voice our own opinion??? I think this young lady has it right and traditionally, children learn their parents values which I think is the way it should be... we do not need the almighty government coming in and telling our children what to believe...although I am sure the current president thinks that is his job...and my answer to all you who don't believe in God... God does not believe in atheists, therefore there are no atheists...
Who is REALLY narrow-minded and bigoted?anytime a person expresses their God - given (and constitutuion given ) opininion that they think homosexualality is wrong they are attacked by these so-called open minded "tolerant" people.God have mercy on this wicked and untoward generation!
SSMers who have commented here have yet to directly address the content of this young lady's remarks.
Instead they have bared their teeth and barked at the moon.
Home-schooled, and likely led down the path to meaningless prejudice and discrimination by her parents.
It's a shame that people would praise her for wanting to strip others' rights from them.
Many youth can't even tell you how many countries border the US. How in the world could they be expected to know the definition of anything. Our public schools have become indoctrination centers for our youth. This is also another example of why the push to take prayer out of school. A higher power with set rules - heaven forbid.
As I read these comments, I would like to suggest that there are many different types of homeschoolers. One group chooses it to limit their children's exposure to a pluralistic, multicultural society. That is very unfortunate and will likely produce children that are less well prepared to operate in a multicultural world where science isn't optional.
That said, please be aware that there are many other types of homeschoolers as well, who make the decision for secular reasons that reflect a very wide array of different preferences, from more exposure to science and art to facilitation the needs of learners with different abilities.
It is unfortunate that this young lady has been so shortsighted, but don't blame it on homeschooling per se, but the type of unaccountable indoctrination that is passing for her education.
T. Takeyomi,
I don't know how well her parents taught her as a whole,but at least they taught her that the responsibility of all persons to avoid all same-sex sexual activity is not a matter of "prejudice and discrimination" or "wanting to strip others' rights from them".She's testifying against a bill that would destroy a critical public policy of guaranteeing opposite-sex relationships the preferential treatment to which their being opposite-sex entitles them.Harming the entire society of the state.
Layne: Want Biblical teachings backed by science? Here you go: http://www.answersingenesis.com
This girl should be applauded for testifying to the truth on marriage.
I wish I had have been homeschooled, my memories of school are full of having left wing rubbish shovelled into my head.