Day of Silence?

[Sexual Spork]

We stayed silent all day.
Didn't say a word to anybody.
The silence represents who all stayed silent about being harassed & beat up at school.

Also. To those who have a real problem with it...
If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.
Don't be such douches about the whole thing.
If you believe that we solved nothing, or you oppose us,
then good for you.
We don't care.
If you think we look like a bunch of dumbasses,
let us look like it.
We just care about the message we're trying to get across.

[Reva-Pretty-Rave-Girl]

Inspirationator

It's a movement. You don't have to like it. You don't have to support it. But I am afraid you will just have to deal with it and let people have the freedom of protest. Now please don't start bashing people for their beliefs. If you disagree, calmly say so and prevent making rude comments. Thanks. That would be great.

'End

[Accurite Typur]

So far, I don't see three good reasons.
All I see is a bunch of whiny queers that think you're a douchebag for not completely supporting this ridiculous ******** day. And trying to tell us what it represents.
I love the "It represents how their voices aren't heard."
So, obviously, if the voice isn't heard, to remedy it, you, uh, shut up? Wait a second.
Let's apply this to a real life situation.
Problem: You're being attacked by a mass of scorpions.
Solution: Have someone throw more at you.

No, not seeing it. And I will wait here, too, because I want to see what this so-called movement has done.

[Aphotic Halo]

My guess is that it invoked unity for them. Quite a few people in my area were involved.

[Yushin]

Oh, I get it.
See, they're applying their tactics on me. Giving me the silent treatment. I get it now.

[moontakesrevenge]

I did the day of silence, and I'm straight. It means more than "stop gaybashing" and accept gays. It's a demonstration of how hard it is on someone to stay silent out of fear of social or in some cases physical retribution. (In my opinion) It's more of a protest against the preverbial "closet" than anything else.

By the way, I'm almost ashamed to have participated hearing some of the things the "supporters" have said in this thread. Solve aggression with aggression? If you want to make your point, do it calmly and with an open mind. That said, I know some things like this can be annoying, but seriously its purpose is to help people.

It's easy to get emotionally charged, but how is that supposed to do anything other than convince anyone listening that you're anything other than angry?

Oh three things it did for me:
1. I showed my support for my gay/lesbian/bi friends
2. I demonstrated to my classmates and teachers that people ARE having to hide a part of themselves out of nothing less than fear
3. I learned what it's like to really, really want to tell someone something but know I can't

[Accurite Typur]

Here's what I've noticed, and I'm sure you have, too, but let's just put it out there for everyone to see.
Day of silence does nothing.
They all says it's to represent such-and-such and it means this-and-that. But how do we KNOW it means that?
Easy. They told us beforehand. And that's the only reason people know what's going on for this day. Because someone SPOKE to them and TOLD them, not because they were being quiet. If someone went up and asked a participant why they were being quiet, they couldn't respond, leaving that person in the dark, which does NOT help in the Day of Silence cause (Which I'm still a bit fuzzy about. I heard it was because that gay ****** got shot. OH WOW THAT'S NEW).
I'm going to start a day of silence in order to support Prisoners of War.
And not tell anyone about it when I do it.
And we'll see how far it goes.

[Yushin]

moontakesrevenge

I did the day of silence, and I'm straight. It means more than "stop gaybashing" and accept gays. It's a demonstration of how hard it is on someone to stay silent out of fear of social or in some cases physical retribution. (In my opinion) It's more of a protest against the preverbial "closet" than anything else.

By the way, I'm almost ashamed to have participated hearing some of the things the "supporters" have said in this thread. Solve aggression with aggression? If you want to make your point, do it calmly and with an open mind. That said, I know some things like this can be annoying, but seriously its purpose is to help people.

It's easy to get emotionally charged, but how is that supposed to do anything other than convince anyone listening that you're anything other than angry?

Oh three things it did for me:
1. I showed my support for my gay/lesbian/bi friends
2. I demonstrated to my classmates and teachers that people ARE having to hide a part of themselves out of nothing less than fear
3. I learned what it's like to really, really want to tell someone something but know I can't

First reasonable post, and guess what?
He's straight.
Despite disagreements, I applaud you for your efforts.

And I wait for more.

[l l c h a b o l l]

Hahahahahah.

Well sir, I participated about half way and said ******** it. I'm strait, I have gay friends and accept them for who they are, the end.

You're completely right, today didn't physically DO anything. I'm not on your side or theirs. Look on the bright side, at least they shut up for a day?

I personally think that LGBT are accepted in society a WHOLE lot more, and this holiday is sort of silly. But HEY, it's entertaining to see how long you can go without speaking.

[Kaosgirl]

Yushin

Somebody tell me 3 things that the Day of Silence got done.
Just three things. Three legit things that helped you in your plight as homosexuals.

Funny how a bunch of people going silent got everyone else talking, no? So there's the first one: it raised awareness.

If you participated, you were making a statement about where you stood. So in that way, it demonstrated who clearly stood against the idea of "gay = fair target."

It also provoked a number of anti-gay "christian" pundits into sponsoring a protest campaign that... oddly, still aimed at spreading the same general message - that bullying or harassing people is wrong, even if they're gay.

[satoshi-san_2-]

We actually did that today at school. Some people wrote it on their hands, made shirts or ductabe over thier face. I opted shirt and hand. But yeah, no talking all day. Some of the teachers got upset and I had an administrator tell me they do not "recognize the dayof silence" so if someone wants to talk to me, I have no right and will NOT be allowed to ignore them (teachers mainly).

But the fact that they noticed is a good step in the right direction. Nothing worth it was done, made or conquored overnight. Neither will this.
:3

[Yushin]

The funny thing about this is that a lot of people have never heard about this "Day of Silence." I'm talking to someone right now and she had no idea what it was, who it was for, and why it exists to begin with. And by not talking, you're harming your own cause.

If you did nothing, accomplished nothing, and many still don't know it even happened, you're taking a step SIDEWAYS not FORWARD.