Don't say gay - redux

My friend Bill Lindsey writes from Arkansas that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock, which covers the entire state, has issued new guidelines for dealing with gay people.  Stop using the word gay.  Not because it isn't sufficient to include LGBTI people, but because we should pretend all these people don't amount to a hill of beans in the first place.  Just don't say the name and maybe they'll go away.

Here's the actual wording of the pronouncement:

Students may not advocate, celebrate, or express same-sex attraction in such a way as to cause confusion or distraction in the context of Catholic school classes, activities, or events. When discussing homosexuality or homosexual inclinations, the use of the term "same-sex attraction" is preferred, as it is a more appropriate description in accordance with the truths of Catholic faith and morals.

I'm all for avoiding confusion, Lord knows.  There's so much of it going around these days.

And they don't stop there.

If a student’s expression of gender, sexual identity, or sexuality should cause confusion or disruption at the school, or if it should mislead others, cause scandal, or have the potential for causing scandal, then the matter will first be discussed with the student and his/her parents.

Cause scandal?  Have the potential for causing scandal?

Don't look now, folks, but we've reached the heart of the matter.

When it became obvious that priests were abusing young boys in large numbers, what was the church's response?  To circle the wagons.  To protect the church from scandal.  Throw the young'uns under the wheels, if you have to, but for God's sake don't let it get out that priests were using them for sex.  What a scandal that would cause!

God damn, you've got to give these buggers (yes, pun intended) credit for consistency.

Keep your eye on the donut, boys, not on the hole.  Watch out for scandal!

But I digress.  

You've got something there with being careful about your choice of words when speaking of people different from ourselves.  Let's be sure to control the discourse.  We choose the words to describe you.  Not you.  We are church. You are something "other than church."  If you will all just follow me, please, we can avoid confusion.

How about?

Students may not advocate, celebrate, or express race consciousness in such a way as to cause confusion or distraction in the context of Catholic school classes, activities, or events. When discussing race or racial identity, the use of the term "dark- or light-skinned person" is preferred, as it is a more appropriate description in accordance with the truths of Catholic faith and morals.   

Students may not advocate, celebrate, or express any aspect of the Hebrew language and culture in such a way as to cause confusion or distraction in the context of Catholic school classes, activities, or events. When discussing Jews or Jewish practices, the use of the term "Semitic" is preferred, as it is a more appropriate description in accordance with the truths of Catholic faith and morals. 

 Students may not advocate, celebrate, or express Mexican culture in such a way as to cause confusion or distraction in the context of Catholic school classes, activities, or events. When discussing people of Aztec, Mayan or conquistador heritage, the use of the term "south of the border" is preferred, as it is a more appropriate description in accordance with the truths of Catholic faith and morals. 

Students may not advocate, celebrate, or express German identity in such a way as to cause confusion or distraction in the context of Catholic school classes, activities, or events. When discussing Germanness or Germanic traditions, the use of the term "Hun" is preferred, as it is a more appropriate description in accordance with the truths of Catholic faith and morals.

Words matter.  Let's all use the right words, people!

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