Brandon Wegner Threatens School With Legal Action For Removing OpEd Mentioning Gays Be 'Put To Death' (VIDEO)

Earlier this month, Wisconsin high school sophomore Brandon Wegner, 15, published an editorial article in his Shawano Community High School student paper arguing gay couples should not be allowed to adopt. The school subsequently removed the article from remaining copies of the publication, allegedly claiming it was a violation of the school's bullying policy, WSAW TV reports.

Now, the school faces legal action after attorney Harry Mihet of the Liberty Counsel is taking on the incident.

"He did nothing more than to express his opinion on a particular topic," Mihet told the station. "An opinion in which with some are free to agree and some to disagree but an opinion which is absolutely protected with the First Amendment of the Constitution."

According to the report, Mihet says that the Shawano Community High School superintendant Todd Carlson pulled Wegner out of class, called the student ignorant, and made him feel "ashamed" of the piece.

"In a Christian society, allowing homosexual couples to adopt is an abomination," Wegner reportedly wrote in his piece.

Carlson sent the station a statement, noting that the incident has lead to threats to school staff. Carlson also denies accusations from Wegner that he called the student defamatory names.

American conservative blogger Rod Dreher has spoken out about the incident, saying that while he doesn't agree with what Wegner wrote, he believes the school's actions were hypocritical.

"Unbelievable. Granted, Wegner's editorial is a thoroughly lame piece of rhetoric, but remember, he was asked by a teacher to take the opposing side of a controversial public issue. For this, the kid gets punished? And not only punished, but his exercise of free speech in a school paper op-ed is 'bullying'?!"

A blog post by Fox Nation reports that Mathew Staver, founder of the Liberty Counsel, sent Carlson a letter demanding an apology for the school's "unconsitutional and irrational censorship and humiliation."

If the school does not comply, the firm is reportedly threatening legal action.

Clarification at Friday, January 27, 9:57pm: In the original article, The Huffington Post failed to identify that not only did Wegner state, "allowing homosexual couples to adopt is an abomination," but he also quoted several Bible passages including Leviticus 20:13 which calls for the death of a "man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman":

From Wegner's opinion piece according to Towleroad.com:
"...if one is a practicing Christian, Jesus states in the Bible that homosexuality is (a) detestable act and sin which makes adopting wrong for homosexuals because you would be raising the child in a sin-filled environment. Leviticus 20:13 states "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltness is upon them."

WATCH:

Comments

[aSaint179181567]

01:45 PM on 02/17/2012

Old testament is still in effect for anyone not of Christ.

Matthew 5:17-18
Jesus says
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."

The fruit and display of a person's action will show their true master (Their own flesh, satan or Christ). I as a Christian am stricken to the core of my soul and heart when I stray from what is truthful and good when I do that which I know is wrong. Letting sin spread without saying anything also bothers anyone who loves Christ.

This boy is wiser in the gospel than the majority of professing Christians. Our generation is filled with luke warm Christians who hide and avoid speaking the truth. A warning. Revelation 3:16

[cjohnson1966]

08:46 AM on 02/13/2012

And where does he get his idea that Jesus says homosexuality is a detestable act and so on? Does he have a different collection of gospels? There's not one word attributed to Jesus about homosexuality.

[lken06880]

07:44 PM on 03/13/2012

You will never convince the so called christians.

[Siylence]

02:13 PM on 04/16/2012

Jesus is the Word and He fulfilled the "Law of God" on the cross, which clearly stated what the penalty for homosexuality and every other sin is. He didn't fulfill it because it was wrong, He fulfilled it because God's Law is righteous and Justice had to be served. We could not survive the penalty so God sent His Son to fulfill His Holy Law so we could be saved from that penalty which we earned and deserve. Homosexuality is sin regardless what pseudo intellectual justification one might use to condone or support it's practice. Homosexuality is an abomination to God, i.e. an abomination to Jesus Christ.

Obviously that's not where this ends. We are all sinners, guilty and condemned without Christ because only through Him, through His sacrifice can we be saved, so does this mean that homosexuals can't be saved? Of course not, but they are required, just as all other Christians are required, to admit their guilt "in agreement" with God and repent/turn away from their sins; to deny themselves and pick up their cross and follow Jesus.

[tom follery]

07:38 PM on 02/04/2012

"Carlson sent the station a statement, noting that the incident has lead to threats to school staff". Speaks volumes of the kind of people who support this kid and his bigotry.

[nycmus]

10:26 AM on 02/04/2012

it's funny that the kid doenst know his supposed bible. jesuse only made one statement about anything gay relatedand that was in matthw 19:10-12. the bible reference the kid used was old testamant..if your going to be a bible pureest then the kid need to follow all the bible and not pick and choose. how would he react if a gay kid wrote that all christians should be killed like they did in the roman times. it's 2012 time the kid realize that united states is a secualr nation and has been from the beginning.

[aSaint179181567]

02:06 PM on 02/17/2012

Verse is out of context. A eunuch was not a homosexual. Eunuchs were people castrated for either service in a ruler's harem or by natural defect or live like a eunuch(celibacy).

This is NOT the same as lying with another man (gay related).

[Chris L Johnson]

02:44 PM on 04/16/2012

That Bible reference doesn't say anything whatsoever about homosexuality. It's about divorce and then eunuchs. If you're seeing something about homosexuality there, it's an interpretation that doesn't pay attention to the actual words of the text.

[opinionator63]

05:59 PM on 02/03/2012

All this kid did was to state an opinion, and clarify where he got that opinion by quoting the ancient document that is, if nothing else, a cultural basis for much of our society. He didn't say that he thought they should be put to death. It's called quoting your source- using an example from history. The issue of separation of church and state is profoundly misunderstood. It doesn't mean that people cannot give opinions in a state school or enforcing and athiestic view. It means that the government cannot govern the way you believe. The best example currently is Iran and places where people are forced to be "muslim" even if they're not. They have "virtue police" who whip a woman for a bit of hair showing from under her headscarf. They throw acid in the faces of women wearing makeup. People are stoned in stadiums before soccer games. THIS is what a theocracy looks like. THIS is what the forefathers were trying to avoid. The Spanish Inquisition is the best example of a Christian theocracy. The forefathers meant a government that enforces a religion.

[aSaint179181567]

02:20 PM on 02/17/2012

Right on the money!

More and more it seems America is under the thumb of a liberal humanist theocracy. America is losing its freedom of religion and it started with the twisting of the point you made about separation of church and state. In effect removal of anything religious that people practice enforced by the state. Which in effect accomplishes exactly what our forefathers were protecting us from.

[Northwest Granny]

10:54 PM on 02/02/2012

It does say in Leviticus "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltness is upon them." I believe this completely but would think it would be at the hand of God, not man. This being said, those who promote gay/lesbian relationships and force acceptance by those of us who believe it is a sin are infringing on our rights as well. This country was built on biblical, Christian principles and has prospered tremendously for 200 + years. I suggest that the problems we have seen the last 20 or 30 years began when we took God out of our schools, our lives and our government. Immorality is running rampant, unwed young mothers, drugs, violence etc. etc. America was a great nation blessed by our Creator. I fear if we do not turn back to our Christian beliefs we will not continue to be a great nation.

[gracemarie]

03:31 AM on 02/03/2012

Northwest Granny, I totally agree with you. The Bible says that that nation that turns away from God will not be blessed (in so many words). We need to turn back to God and repent of our sins so that God will again bless our nation.

[origamib]

06:18 AM on 02/03/2012

This contention that we are a Christian nation is relatively easy to rebut. Below is the Treaty of Tripoli, ratified by the US congress in 1796, a congress that included nearly all the original founders. It also appeared in multiple newspapers of the time with no public outcry.

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

Then there is this:

“"Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law." - Thomas Jefferson, letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, February 10, 1814”

It does not infringe upon your rights for gay couples to have the right to marry. It does you no harm at all. Unless, of course, you believe that you loving and benevolent deity will smite you for not interfering and deliberately trying to tear apart families.

[rjms]

02:23 PM on 02/20/2012

Well said

[DanInLA]

10:53 AM on 02/01/2012

Why didn't the authorities just encourage another student to write a rebuttal to this kid's article? I guess these liberal teachers don't believe in the freedom of speech, nor do they encourage kids to engage in debate or dialogue.

[David Marble]

07:24 AM on 02/02/2012

There is a sincere difference between freedom of speech and calling for a group of people to be put to death. Can we stop pretending every argument that can be made is a valid point of view and worthy of discussion? Hate is hate and it certainly isn't what Christianity is supposed to be.

[Northwest Granny]

11:21 PM on 02/02/2012

First of all, Brandon did not call for anyone to be put to death. He quoted from Leviticus. Secondly, if you think God does not hate some things you have not read your bible. He loves his people, but he hates whatever corrupts them. He has been known to get very angry all through the bible. I suggest you read it.

[DanInLA]

10:46 AM on 02/01/2012

Here is a kid whose is actually engaged in school and he gets punished because his ideas are not politically correct.

[David Marble]

07:26 AM on 02/02/2012

Calling for people to be put to death is way outside acceptable school behavior.

[origamib]

06:27 AM on 02/03/2012

Have you ever noticed how often people who use the term 'politically correct' in a disparaging way are generally the most political and the least correct.
I guess a group is only derided for being 'politically correct' if you aren't allowed by them to be as racist, bigoted, and/or offensive as you'd like to be with impunity.

[tom follery]

11:44 AM on 02/04/2012

Agreed! The rightwing are schooled on using catch phrase which releases them for any critical thinking or cognitive thought processes. Their ideas no matter what must be given free reign and even precedence even if such hateful ideas incite violence to a group of people as in this instance gays. Liberals are censored all the time. The print and TV, radio media basically has been co-opted by the right. But noooo a screed by an ignorant kid suggesting death to a gay by way of an archaic quote from a religious text should be put out there even it's been shown by recent events gays can be harmed by this. Wow, the hatred coming from the right boggles the mind.

[Freedomaphile]

06:35 PM on 01/30/2012

I read the article. It repeated the Leviticus quote several times and the seemed to be his only argument, save for it's never been allowed before.

Basically he is using a religious argument for how a state legislature should act. If you can find no other argument besides "the bible says so" you don't really have an argument.

That said, the school should have seen this coming with the set up of the op-ed.

[Northwest Granny]

11:25 PM on 02/02/2012

Just what do you think our government, including federal and state branches, was based upon? Our founders studied many forms of government and settled on variations of both Angle-Saxon and Israel's form of government with emphasis on freedoms granted by our Creator. Not only should you read your bible, but you should read about the founders.

[origamib]

06:37 AM on 02/03/2012

Nope. You shoud read about the founders, Granny.
Christianity and nationalism are totally incompatible ideas. It is an
absolute misapprehension that the founding fathers established an
America based primarily on Christian tradition. It's just not true. Here
are just a few reminders of what they had to say on the issue of
separating church and state and why they saw the need to do so.

“Lighthouses are more useful than churches.”
-- Benjamin Franklin

“This would be the best of all worlds if there were no religion in it.”
-- John Adams

“Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man”.
– Thomas Jefferson

Still more...

"I have examined all the known superstitions of the world and I do not find
in our particular superstition of Christianity one redeeming feature. They
are all alike founded on fables and mythology. Millions of innocent men,
women, and children, since the introduction of Christianity, have been
burnt, tortured, fined, and imprisoned. What has been the effect of this
coercion? To make one half the world fools and the other half hypocrites; to
support roguery and error all over the earth."
– Thomas Jefferson

And there is much more historical evidence that shows clearly that the founders had absolutely no intention of creating a "Christian" nation.

[glarnz]

01:12 AM on 02/04/2012

I dare you to find this phrase in YOUR bible. It's one thing to be afforded free speach, but it's another thing to lie......

that homosexuality is (a) detestable act and sin which makes adopting wrong for homosexuals because you would be raising the child in a sin-filled environment.

Follow this link
http://thinkexist.com/quotes/bible/

[anchises868]

05:59 PM on 01/30/2012

Hate speech is protected speech. However, purposely inflammatory speech designed to elicit a violent reaction is not protected speech. The boy's op-ed is clearly in the latter category and the school was right to pull it.

[DanInLA]

10:43 AM on 02/01/2012

"purposely inflammato­ry speech designed to elicit a violent reaction is not protected speech"..."The boy's op-ed is clearly in the latter category "

How did you determine that?

[Annette Falvo]

05:00 PM on 01/30/2012

I think that I am going to sue them for hate speech, because that's exactly what that was. Condemning an entire group to death is hate speech. That lawyer is an idiot, and that kid is a future Republican candidate.

[DanInLA]

10:43 AM on 02/01/2012

He quoted the Bible...and that is hate speech?

[tom follery]

12:12 PM on 02/04/2012

"If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:13), What's you definition of hate speech if this is not hateful? (this could be interesting)

[Luluesq]

03:28 PM on 01/30/2012

Jesus doesn't state anything about homosexuality.The bible does-and it is written by man.But my question is-what does this kid really think?He was asked as an assignment to write an opposing op-ed piece.

[monstersfromtheid]

03:17 PM on 01/30/2012

Lawyer looking to make money from a case he must know has no merit.

[novabird]

02:37 PM on 01/30/2012

1. That boy learned those hateful homophobic ideas at home.
2. He is very possibly a closeted gay. Males who are confident about their own sexuality are rarely homophobic.

[monstersfromtheid]

03:20 PM on 01/30/2012

Seriously, have you ever met a teenage boy who was confident about his own sexuality?
I so tired of this homophobe = closet gay trope. Do racists secretly want to be a different colour?

[tom follery]

12:14 PM on 02/04/2012

The boy maybe a closeted gay but I bet his father is. So much research out there about extreme homophobic views and their own homo erotic leanings. There's a lot of self loathing going on by the right leaning evangelicals.

[listgirl3]

02:34 PM on 01/30/2012

Somewhere there needs to be a teacher to teach these kids the difference, how to write an editorial, what free speech really is and what defamation is. Allowing this kid to slam someone in a school paper does him no justice, and them again humiliating him does him no justice either...