What was Governor Jerry Brown thinking?

On Thursday, Governor Jerry Brown (D. Ca.) signed into law a bill that mandates that all California schools add lessons about gay and lesbians to their Social Studies programs.  Whether you have issues with gay rights or not, this law should outrage you for what it not so subtly accomplishes…divisiveness.

California law already requires schools to teach about women, African Americans, Mexican Americans, entrepreneurs, Asian Americans, European Americans, American Indians and labor.

Now,

‘[t]his bill will require California schools to present a more accurate and nuanced view of American history in our social science curriculum by recognizing the accomplishments of groups that are not often recognized,’ said Assembly Speaker John Perez, the first openly gay speaker of the California Assembly. [emphasis supplied]

What the heck is a “nuanced view of American history”?

But, I digress.

Notice, in California, at least, we have gay Americans, female Americans, black Americans, Asian Americans, Mexican Americans, European Americans and American Indians. 

It appears that the liberals love to “label” people.  Some would argue they do so in order to be able to pit one group against another.  But, dividing this country by labels, to me at least, is pathetic.  Are Americans’ contributions to history any greater because the contributor was, for example, black or female or gay?

Do our school administrators now have to search “by category” to find accomplishments, and teach those accomplishments, whether significant or not?

It seems to me that in our effort to eliminate discrimination of whatever kind, all we are doing is fostering discrimination.

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SoundOffSister

The Sound Off Sister was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and special trial attorney for the Department of Justice, Criminal Division; a partner in the Florida law firm of Shutts & Bowen, and an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, School of Law. The Sound Off Sister offers frequent commentary concerning legislation making its way through Congress, including the health reform legislation passed in early 2010.

9 Comments

  1. Sal on July 16, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    "In this country we have no place for hyphenated Americans."
    — Theodore Roosevelt



  2. Eric on July 16, 2011 at 7:54 pm

    California is just plain nuts… everyone knows that. They really can't help themselves! I wouldn't be surprised if they get some of the perverts at NAMBLA to come in and work as teachers aides. Jerry Brown has earned his nickname, Governor Moonbeam. I'll bet the Wicked Witch Of The West is very proud of him too. How do you CA parents feel about public indoctrination, I mean public schooling now?



    • ricbee on July 17, 2011 at 11:11 am

      Well said,cowboy.



  3. kateinmaine on July 16, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    nuance = bias, according to my liberal to english dictionary.? now, are those ‘american indians’ native americans or americans of india(n) descent?? why does ‘social science’ include race and ethnicity, along with sexual orientation, entrepreneurs and labor, but nothing about business, government, current events, religion and ideology?? so many questions. . .and no straight answers, apparently. . .
    ssssssssssssssssssssssss. . .



  4. Shared Sacrifice on July 16, 2011 at 11:42 pm

    Will they celebrate only gay martyrs like Harvey Milk, or will they also celebrate pink elephants like Mark Foley, Ted Haggard, and Larry Craig?? Will they still try to claim many historic figures like Abe Lincoln as gay??



    • ricbee on July 17, 2011 at 11:13 am

      They certainly like to claim every great historic figure was queer.



  5. Lynn on July 18, 2011 at 7:47 am

    This pandering to groups to buy their votes has got to stop. We wonder why our educational system stinks, we mandate all h*ll out of the system. Education is to make children think for themselves not mandate how they think.



  6. Tim-in-Alabama on July 18, 2011 at 8:44 am

    This law is a huge advance for the cause of homosexual rights. For too long, children have not appreciated the advances of homosexuals.



  7. Don Lombardo on July 18, 2011 at 11:17 am

    To the Moon – Alice – oops – Mr. Moonbeam? I mean.



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