Click on this picture below to read a full-report about BANNING GAYS and creating a “Traditional Prom”:
Diana Medley is a special education teacher in town. She doesn’t believe anyone is born gay.
“I believe that it was life circumstances and they chose to be that way; God created everyone equal,” said Medley.
“I don’t understand it. A gay person isn’t going to come up and make some change unless it’s to realize that it was a choice and they’re chosing God,” said Medley.
This is an open letter from myself to DIANA MEDLEY and those that take her position:
Dear Ms. Medley,
I just came upon your interview regarding the creation of a “Traditional Prom” at Sullivan High School. Unlike many that may contact you to be angry or share their excitement over your position – I’m contacting you because I would like to have an open dialog to better understand your position.
From what I watched it is clear that you are a religious woman, but I’m not really sure if I would classify you as a Christian. For to be a Christian one has to be ‘Christ-like”. Christ throughout the bible welcomes all his Children, he never casts anyone aside nor did he encourage separation.
As an American, I believe in United We Stand. We are a country filled with beautiful people from all walks of life, that is what makes us special. We celebrate that diversity and afford equal treatment under the law so that all people are protected and can find happiness.
As a man that happens to be gay, I also can tell you that being gay is NOT a choice. It’s as natural as having brown eyes or blonde hair … you are born this way. Do you remember the time that you decided to be heterosexual? Probably not because you didn’t need anyone to tell you who to be sexually attracted to … it was a natural instinct.
My work is in anti-bullying and encouraging people to celebrate what they have in common while celebrating their diversity. I promote education, understanding, and respect. Your interview, in my opinion, works against that progress we have made. As a teacher, your job is to promote love, kindness, and to teach tolerance. Your interview only further promotes a position of discrimination and ‘separate but equal” which just does not work in this country.
While you have the right to your opinion, which is a freedom that we all have thanks to living in The United States, I have to respectfully disagree with you. LGBT men and women are faced with the same challenges that the human experience brings our heterosexual brothers and sisters. We work hard, we contribute to our communities, and we do our very best to live and let live. It is your position, that would leverage the bible to promote hate rather than love, that causes young men and women all over the world to take their own lives – or worse, it encourages others around them to bring them physical and mental harm.
Being that you work with special needs children, you of all people should know the harmful affects of bullying. It makes me sad that you cannot see the similarities simply because the person being bullied or separated from the rest of the community happens to fall in love with or be attracted to the same sex. This is nothing unique to the human species, if you took a moment to understand nature you would see that it exists in all of the Animal Kingdom.
We are all a part of God … we are made in his image … and we all have a purpose. He did not send us to this Earth and give us the gift of life so that we can waste our time judging others around us. He gave us life so that we may truly know the love that he has for us and so that we may learn to share that love with all those that we meet.
I wish you kindness and love in your life and I hope that when you speak publicly that you realize that your words are very powerful; they have the power to cheer folks up and they also have the power to bring someone into a horrible state of depression – depression that could ultimately be fatal if they believe what you say to be the only truth.
You have the right to your opinion Ms. Medley, but you also have to know that as a public figure and teacher, you have a more important responsibility – that is the safety and well being of the children you teach. Being exposed to gay people in school or at prom is not a life threatening event; in fact it is an enlightening one that teaches respect and love for all of God’s Children.
Have an amazing 2013,
Ronnie Kroell
Executive Producer
Friend Movement
http://www.friendmovement.com
p.s. I have taken a vow to protect all of our youth from being bullied, no matter who they are. Bullying does not discriminate. It needs to be stopped so that young people, like Joseph (featured below), never have to feel ashamed of who they are or feel that life is not worth living. I hope that you too, will join me in these efforts.
To show support for an inclusive prom, please like this facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-the-Sullivan-High-School-Prom-for-All-Students/611335158883992
{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for writing that letter
Beautifully put. Thank you.
Thank you! Very well said!
Thanks buddy for posting, I wonder what they would think if they had to present their words to God at this moment in time. I truly wish people who say they are Christians would learn to read the Bible with open Heart and Mind that way they could truly be a Christian among us.
Awesome letter! Thank you!
Beautifully written!
I hope this helps change many hearts and minds in our little state.
Thank you!
Well said….shows heart, intelligence and God’s love for everyone!
That was a beautiful letter Ronnie, well done. I just wish Christians could understand that Christ did not call us to judge anyone but ourselves-he did however command us to love everyone.
There are many things I may be wrong about or not understand fully but if I am wrong for showing and teaching love, empathy and tolerance then so be it-that is not a God I would wish to know or serve.
Keep on with what you are doing Ronnie, you are doing an amazing job x
thank you Ronnie you are an inspiration.
Beautifully written. Thank you
Thanks, Ronnie.
Ronnie, Thank you for this.
Then you should know this, these kids who wanted a choice in this, and who took a step out in faith because of the scriptures they know and believe in. They are the ones being bullied! They were threatened when the initially voiced their opinion and they are being threatened even more today!!! Even death threats! So the bullying and harassment is coming from ones in support of the homosexuals. Fix that!
Nicholas, go fuck yourself. Seriously, that’s got to be the most pathetic argument I’ve ever heard. Awwww they’re being harassed for being bigoted pieces of shit. There’s nothing wrong with bullying the uneducated, ignorant bullies. Fuck them, they deserve what they get.
Thank you for speaking. Thank you for echoing so many voices.It is not God that I fear, it is some of his followers who terrify me!
When I first read the original article, I felt frustrated and helpless at being reminded how some people can manage to make discrimination and bullying seem reasonable and even Christian. Your open letter has thoughtfully and eloquently addressed the hypocrisy of this viewpoint in a patient and relatable way and my faith in reason and kindness has been restored. Thank you.
Chico you stupid idiot. You are a hypocrite and are spewing sewage out of your mouth! Nick made a great point. They stood up for what they believe in, IT IS THEIR RIGHT YOU FUCKTARD!
Nicholas,
This is a separate issue and should be handled. There is NO reason for bulling from either side. This type of action is based on the actions of the other students wanting to pull together funding for their own separate prom. How do you think that makes the gay and lesbian children feel? Like they are out casts and you are depriving them of a wonderful prom with donations and sponsorship that will not be provided to them because of their sexual orientation. You have to understand that this is going to end up bad, this is promoting hate toward Gods children. supporting this is only segregating a school and teaching these children that they can just avoid being around homosexuals by having a separate prom. WAKE UP this is not going to happen in college or in the work force and that is what this teacher is suppose to be preparing these children for. So by the community participating in this action you are not preparing your children for the real world where their next boss could be gay or lesbian.
Lira, so it is ok to force them to go to a prom they don’t want to? You and Chico must drink the same stupid juice!
Awesome letter Ronnie! It is kids like you that give hope for a better future for all people.
This makes me sick that these people and this teacher use the name of Christ to hide their own bigotry and intolerance of others under… Are people who ‘lie’ or people who eat shrimp going to be excluded from proms because of ‘their’ supposed sins?? Hiding their own hatred and bigotry under the banner of Christ no longer fools anyone with a true conscience.. hopefully they’ll step out of the Middle Ages and into the 21st Century and abandon ‘their’ evil sometime soon!
Thank you SO much for writing this letter to let the gay youth of this town know they are just as equal, and just as loved as their fellow ‘straight’ peers.
Great letter, Ronnie!!! Classy, dignified and intelligent, so unlike HER.
I would say well done, but this is pretty pointless. These people have no logic, they are basically mentally ill. They believe in an invisible sky wizard, which is no more plausible than believing in purple ponies on Mars.
You cannot have a rational conversation with people like that, because they are not rational, they are not capable of rational thought. If they were capable of it, they wouldn’t believe in their invisible sky wizard.
Ronnie, your letter is eloquent and beautiful. I believe you are sincere in your wishes for Ms. Medley. Your group is an amazing work, and I thank you for organizing it. I pray for the day when your group is no longer necessary, and that we are ALL accepted by each other as the Great Spirit intended us to be. Together we are strong, and divided we are weak. I know how it feels to be ostrasized, I knew at about age 5 there was something a bit different about me. At 17 I came out to my mom, and her response was wonderful – “Why has it taken you so long to tell me something I’ve known all your life?” It took my a while to deal with it, and life is now wonderful. My bride to be and I are finally planning our wedding after 12 years. It is actually kinda fitting that our date is over the 4th of the July weekend, we are declaring our independence! : ) My bride to be (and all I’ll say about age is that we have both had our AARP cards a few years!) has just come out to her mom and it was wonderful!! Thank you for all your work! Keep it up!! : )
Beth Summerour, Atlanta GA
I am so sick of people who “Claim” to be good Christians and use God as a weapon….God loves all his Children not just the ones the Christians deem worthy…..These type of people bring out a special anger in me, I will never understand how someone can use Christianity against others just because they are different from the one claiming to be Christian…
She has no place in any Heaven I’d be interested in going to. Not to worry though, I don’t think she’d be let in anyway.
I don’t think anyone could say it better! That was amazing and beautiful.
very well put,as a openly gay parent,i teach my kids(which are 20,18,16)not to hate on anyone,no matter what the situation is,i brought them up to have a open mind & love every one.i live in a small town,and never have I had a problem,with anyone here.
Well said. Thank you for your efforts on behalf of others. You are an example that many would do well to emulate.
its all quite simple really, a person who is as ignorant as this should never be left in control of children. She needs to be sacked.
(Just saw the following on the web. Any reactions?)
Thanks, Gays, for Hurrying Up
In Luke 17 in the New Testament, Jesus said that one of the big “signs” that will happen shortly before His return to earth as Judge will be a repeat of the “days of Lot” (see Genesis 19 for details). So gays are actually helping to fulfill this same worldwide “sign” (and making the Bible even more believable!) and thus hurrying up the return of the Judge! They are accomplishing what all of the Bible-thumpers couldn’t accomplish! Gays couldn’t have accomplished this by just coming out of closets into bedrooms. Instead, they invented new architecture – you know, closets opening on to Main Streets where little kids would be able to watch naked men having sex with each other at festivals in places like San Francisco (where their underground saint – San Andreas – may soon get a big jolt out of what’s going on over his head!). Thanks, gays, for figuring out how to bring back our resurrected Saviour even quicker! (For proof of what I mean, Google “Zombietime” and click of “Up Your Alley Fair.”)
Your words are remarkable. I hope she is inundated with calls, emails, letters, and protests. I sent the following email to her and truly encourage parents to remove their children from any contact with her. She obviously has no concern for the emotional safety of the children she teaches.
Hello,
I am a teacher of 20 plus years. I now teach internationally. When I received the link to the article about you, Ms. Medley, I was embarrassed that we shared the title teacher and Christian! As a special education teacher, you should know about the importance of respecting differences. You should know what it is like for students to be bullied on a regular basis because they are different. Suggesting that LGBT teenagers are making a choice about their sexual orientation is like suggesting that SLD students or EBD students or CD students have made a choice to have their disability. Sounds, preposterous, right? In fact, it sounds as preposterous as your statement about LGBT teenagers choosing their lifestyle. Why would anyone choose a life of persecution (which you have exemplified by your ignorant statements)? Why would anyone choose to be the face of scrutiny? Why would anyone want to have to deal with bigoted people like you (who use your Christianity as an excuse for foolishness)?
If I had children in your class or who had any contact with you, I would request their immediate removal. It’s apparent that you are not concerned at any level with the emotional safety of the children you teach. For all you know several of your students past and present are struggling right now with their sexual identity. What they learned from you is that differences are not to be tolerated. They have learned from you to disrespect differences. They have learned from you that if they have been given a sexual orientation different than yours they are not worthy of the same attention as other students. What they have learned from you is how narrow-minded, idiots strive to make the lives of others difficult.
You, Ms. Medley, are no better than the racists of the 1950s and 1960s. You are no better than the Nazis who committed crimes against people because of their differences. You are a poor excuse for a teacher and should be dismissed immediately or, at least, put in a position where you have no responsibility for children. Your superintendent, your principal, your school board, your colleagues, and your students should be both ashamed and embarrassed to have you as a member of their school community.
Your time will come, Ms Medley. I hope you are inundated with e-mail, phone calls, letters, protests, and whatever else it takes for you to recognize your ignorance. I am ashamed you are called a teacher and a Christian. Your actions suggest you are neither!
Jhjr…you seem to be the only one who is making a big deal out of this…no one said they are forcing kids to do anything….if they don’t want to go then they don’t have to and they can have their “church” give them a prom that they want….the point is that it is wrong to try and discriminate against people just because they are what you don’t believe in. Yes what they are doing is bullying…it is a form of it. I have very good friends that are gay and lesbian and they are some of the most truthful and honest people I will ever know. They just want to dance. What is the difference from them dancing whenever you get a group of girls dancing that are heterosexual and they start dancing up on each other but that’s ok because they aren’t lesbian? No that is wrong if you are going to shun one shun all. Mrs. Medley is a disgrace of a person and she will get what is coming to her in the end…Karma is fun. Everyone has a purpose in life, that’s what she fails to realize. She is suppose to live by God and the bible but yet she said they have no purpose. God doesn’t put anyone on earth without a purpose. I’m done trying to talk to one track minded people. They already have their minds made up and nothing anyone says is going to change a thing unless they make a change in themselves. As soon as that starts happening maybe just maybe bullying will start to decrease and discrimination against people will stop.
I wrote the principal:
Dear Mrs Fritz,
My name is Jerry Stevenson and I recently read an article about one of your teachers Diana Medley. She has aired some of her personal beliefs in the public about some of your school’s gay students. These views are not only psychologically damaging but can last a life time. In light of her view to start segregating students who identify themselves as gay from prom and no-doubtedly other events in the future, I believe she should be terminated, not for her personal beliefs but because her public stance ultimately stunts the growth of many adolescents in your community. In other words, with her words she is doing harm, which can have some very serious and real implications.
Whether you agree with me or not morally, it should be the right of the students above all else to feel comfort and security from all of their faculty regardless of their background, ethnicity, class, handicap, or sexuality. Ms. Medley helps facilitate an atmosphere though her passive aggressive ideology to promote fear, loathing, and hate, which are fundamentally abhorrent to the true teachings of Christ. If you let this behavior in your community prevail I fear for the well being of your student body.
Sincerely,
Gerald Stevenson
I will never understand the hate and hypocrisy of devout Christians and what they spew. My love is a loving and accepting god who would NEVER intentionally exclude young people from something like their school prom. Jesus must be rolling his eyes at Diana Medley and her troupe of judgmental haters.
Bigoted Indiana teacher, Diana Medley, who wants a “straight prom” gets the Billy Madison treatment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SzEITzydzc
I am so tired of all this destructive energy. Why do people feel there is such a need to shun and judge others for being “different”? Last I knew, and was taught, is that it is not our job here on earth to judge one another. Did God or Jesus appoint you to do this job on earth?? Wow! I think not! Ms. Medley, teachers are supposed be professionals just as I am a professional as a nurse. As professionals, we are supposed to check our own beliefs and the door and treat all equally. The LGBT lifestyles are by no means a choice! There is scientific proof that that is how they are born, just as some people are tall and short! You do promote hate and discrimination. Don’t call yourself a Christian just because you go to church and are taught that church’s interpretation of the Bible. Did Jesus shun anyone because they were different?? Not! He accepted everyone and cared for everyone. God loves all His children, we are not supposed to judge and bully. This is a form of bullying that you are promoting Ms. Medley. I too would pull my children out of your classes and that school if I were a parent there. I teach and promote acceptance, tolerance, and love of each other. I thought this is what teachers were supposed to do also. You are entitled to your beliefs but a professional does not thrust their beliefs onto others and send the message that it is ok to dislike and shun those who are different. You teach special needs kids, how can you be so discriminatory towards others? This whole thing is sad! How about we take all this negative energy and make it positive by promoting getting along and not segregation. Some of my best friends are gay, they are wonderful people. What if a good friend or one of your loved ones all of the sudden revealed they are gay? Would that change who they are and what you like or love about them? No, it would not! They would still be the same person before they told you. Would you feel differently towards them?? If you would that is lame and shallow and does not make you a good Christian at all. Do you feel this way about alcoholics, addicts and overweight people?? Who someone is attracted to is their own business, it isn’t our place to judge!
So, I guess Ms. Medley’s stupidity is a choice? After all, we are created equally, right?
I don’t understand this: christians, christians, he, god, christians.. We what, are in church? In rest, letter is perfect.
Thank you for sharing your comment in an intelligent manner that did not invoke intolerance towards her right to have an opinion. I do agree with you as a Christian woman and as a gay woman. I am saddened that she would teach intollerance to students who are needing to learn and understand that which is as natural as a straight child also confused and needing understanding…not judgement.
Thank you for writing your letter!
I doubt she was born an intolerant ignorant bigot – THAT is a trait that is chosen. Sexual orientation is not chosen and it is only benighted so-called Christians – fundamentalist especially, who continue to maintain that is is a choice – what are they afraid of anyway?
I work for a Catholic Church as a director of religious education. I pray daily that the Catholic church and all other religious institutions that discriminate against gay people will have a change of heart. Your attitude clearly demonstrates the teachings of Jesus – reach out, include, accept, love. Looking at the life of Jesus as presented in the gospels, who among us can imagine him inspiring a group of people to ban together to plan ways to exclude others from a feast? Who can imagine him saying that he finds people who want to live in loving relationship with each other “offensive”? Who can imagine him saying that any of God’s children don’t have a purpose? Thank you so much for your work in support of all those suffering from intolerance!
My name is rudy amd i am a trans man. I have lived with this disorder for over 30 yrs. I am starting a foundatiin to help awareness and mental health for my fellow tormented humans. Homosexuality is not a sin it is the act of sexual relations just as it is for heterosexuals that are sterile or unmarried. Religion can not control what one does in bed. It is everyones right to have their own relatioship with God without them being judged by humanity. When we spread opinions without being informed we create an acceptance of ignorance. I dont know you jist like you dont know me but if you took the time to listen to my words as opposed to seeing the cover of me you my start to understand that underneathe all my labels i am real, have feelings and would never ask you to walk in my shoes because they are only my size.
One indisputable fact is that every person has free will. It is dishonest to say homosexuals are born that way. Human sexuality starts mentally & then becomes physical. Heterosexuals are no better when they violate God’s commandment on sex. Let’s be honest & truthful & stop making personal attacks to people like Diane. To say Jesus endorsed homosexuality & everyone is a lie! Like Satan who tried to deceive Jesus you distort the scriptures.
Ben,
To say that Jesus endorsed the brutal killing of thousands in his name (that would not convert to Christianity), that is the true distortion of the scriptures!
The point I’m trying to make is that if you are going to admire a person like Christ and worship his teachings; How one day can you say “Thou Shalt Not Kill” and then the next day say that rule is suspended? It’s always been about power, greed, and control of the elite few over the masses.
Of course we are born this way … human sexuality is scientific in it’s nature … it is a basic instinct. It does not hurt anyone or bring anyone pain; it is traditionally based in love or simply carnal connection.
Diane is in the wrong. She is not promoting tolerance, love, and acceptance – She is the reason our youth feel that their lives are valueless and that they should just end it all. She is the reason innocent lives are being taken from this world in brutal ways; her rhetoric incites violence and hate. It has no place in our schools, in the United States, The World, or our Universe for that matter.
Ronnie
Ronnie, You’re the best. I’m amazed at how much time you devote to standing up for our community. You are an articulate, effective leader. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Ronnie for a respectful, thoughtful, dialogue. May God open minds and hearts that intolerance was and is not love but a form of hate. May those who hold the name of Christ with love and affection, truly emulate and live His very life…a life who loved all people, not a select few. May we always remember the greatest of all commandments…that we love one another as Christ as loved us. If I may, I will direct others to your dialogue. Thank you again. God bless!
Mr. Doffing,
I’ve seen this concern on your group’s Facebook page. What you all do not seem to understand is that it doesn’t matter what the students think. (Although from most of what I understand the overwhelming majority of students at SHS support the inclusive prom for all.)
Did you take government or civics in high school? It would be against the law for SHS to exclude any student from the prom or grand march based on sexual preference even if the majority of students were indeed against them attending.
These types of things happened all over in the 50s and 60s. Whites didn’t want their kids going to school with kids of color. First we had separate but equal, then that was deemed illegal as well. It didn’t matter if every white kid in that school wanted the school whites only, it was illegal to segregate.
You not only look like bigots, but also uneducated for thinking the kids had to be asked.
Mr. Kroell,
I’d like to thank you for the compassion that you show in your letter not only to the children whom you champion, but also for the people who are ignorant about the consequences of their actions. I know that the way that you reached out to this person was an act of Godly love. It is my hope & prayer that all people come to understand & see the truth that bullying & discrimination is always wrong, no matter who gives it voice.
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