Constance McMillen's case in Mississippi has felt a few legal bumps. Her high school banned Constance from bringing her girlfriend to prom and then canceled the prom because of the hubbub surrounding Constance's protest. The ACLU attempted to force the school to hold the prom and permit Constance's attendance with her date. A judge ruled against them.
The judge's ruling found that Constance's rights had been violated, but found that, since there was an alternative open prom organized, the community would be too confused by any further changes and the status quo could stand. The judge expressly stated that one foundation for his ruling was the fact that Constance was invited to the alternative prom.
Well, today we learn that Constance, in cruel high school form, was directed to a country club on prom night along with two other members of her class (both of whom have learning disabilities) while the rest of the school partied it up in a private prom-like party. The actions of the people organizing the prom were cruel and disgusting, but not illegal since the supervision and accountability acquired from a school-sponsored prom were absent from this celebration.
We have the judge to thank for this event. I stated then, and will state again that he got it wrong when it came to this injunction decision. It was a cop out and a failure of the justice system and I, for one, am appalled at the fallout from his faulty legal reasoning.
I am appalled, but not surprised. This is why we need good judges willing to make hard decisions: because without their protection, the tyranny of the majority will always win out.
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Candace Gingrich-Jones: Prom Shocker: Constance McMillan Invited to Fake Prom
We can all learn a lot from Constance McMillan and how she has handled herself -- when we see something that doesn't seem right, it probably isn't. And it is the responsibility of every one of us to take some kind of action on behalf of fairness.
Michael Seitzman: You Wanna Go to the Prom?
I have a challenge to every prom committee out there in every city, town, and village across America. Show the world that we're not all like the parents and students of the Itawamba County School district.
Michelle Lamar: 'Fake Prom' Parents: Despicable
To the parents of Itawamba, MS high school who were involved in the "fake prom" hoax, I just want to say that I hope you rot in hell.
This is about how a town has actively and gleefully mistreated a lesbian teenager who just wanted to attend her prom with her classmates. The same classmates who, valuing their fun over what was right and just, choose to exclude her form the REAL prom they threw and in doing so, also excuded several learning disabled teens.
I wonder what kind of legal action their families have?
Someday America, they'll ooze back into the shallow end of the gene pool from whence they spawned.
when you're in a hole..... QUIT DIGGING
stellar little community....... Fulton MS, I bet their tourism ad for Mississippi will pay off bigtime for them..
The judge was way out of line to state that her constituional rights were violated. There is no constituional right, and that is period, end of sentence.
This judge views the United States constitution way too liberally.
"she told The Advocate "They had the time of their lives," McMillen says. "That's the one good thing that come out of this, [these kids] didn't have to worry about people making fun of them [at their prom]."
Maan I would be so proud of her if I were her mother!
The other 'secret' prom on the other hand. Those parents really don't GET that the one's they've hurt is not Constance or the kids with disabilities, but their own children, who deepend their learning of bigotry, only to grow up and BE those sad, h8ful, confused baggers, clinging to their guns & bibles, (to co-opt a phrase) driven by fear and willful ignorance. THEY are the real losers in this.
these "religious " people just breed more hatred and violence to their own children and so the bad seeds keep on flurishing....."weeds or teabaggers" whatever you want to call those lost souls! It just keeps our country from moving forward, and holds us back to the dark ages of centuries past.
I have not noticed any posts that have advocated a promiscuous lifestyle - as opposed to those supporting her right to express her personal preferences, of which there are many.
I suspect that Constance indeed has caring, compassionate people in her life. Whoever they are, they have done a fine job - she is a fine young woman.
I would think that they didn't wear tuxedos then either.
What would have been so wrong in doing that?
Seems to me this was more about " Making a statement" then anything else.
Not everyone has to "Make a statement" to get along in this world and it's usually a lot easier that way and
easier on everyone else too.
While I appreciate your desire for a peaceful resolution, I do feel we have reached a stage in our society where we should not have to misrepresent ourselves in order to conform to the sensitivities of the majority - who often see no necessity to "get along" with those they disagree with.
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
...George Bernard Shaw
I sincerely hope that Constance and her learning-disabled classmates rocked out and had a wonderful evening that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
On another thread, posters mentioned a Facebook page for the students who went to the private party and apparently some posters have gone there and made hateful comments. I wouldn't do that, but I wonder how those students feel now that their bigotry is coming back to haunt them.