probably the most poorly debated issue in the world
Your child has the Leaving Cert to contend with in a couple of years.
You find out that a TV program has alleged that one of the poets on the English syllabus has been bribing teenage boys with gifts in exchange for sexual favours.
What do you do?
Is it…
(A) Absolutely nothing on account of your selective deafness, and if actually challenged, mutter something about it being a “free world”.
(B) Go completely mental and make a point of ringing every radio station that will take your call, writing letters to every newspaper that will print your views, and rant to every friend, neighbour and associate that will listen to you, in such a way that you make absolutely sure everyone outside your immediate family knows that you are against “this sort of thing”. You also imply that anyone who isn't as vocal as you are is somehow "defending the gays".
These would appear to be the prevailing viewpoints I have heard to date.
Well how about this option…
(C) Sit down with your child and use your rapport (Don’t have one? Then you need to be answering questions on a broader level, mate!) with them to explain your views on the matter as best as you can. Let them know that no matter what about this particular poet, the most important thing to you is that they make their future better for themselves and suffer the minimum of pressure in this high-stakes examination which will be the sole credible summary of their secondary education. You never know, they might appreciate being acknowledged as rational human beings into the bargain.
As those Danish brewers love to say...it’s not just A or B, there’s probably C.
You find out that a TV program has alleged that one of the poets on the English syllabus has been bribing teenage boys with gifts in exchange for sexual favours.
What do you do?
Is it…
(A) Absolutely nothing on account of your selective deafness, and if actually challenged, mutter something about it being a “free world”.
(B) Go completely mental and make a point of ringing every radio station that will take your call, writing letters to every newspaper that will print your views, and rant to every friend, neighbour and associate that will listen to you, in such a way that you make absolutely sure everyone outside your immediate family knows that you are against “this sort of thing”. You also imply that anyone who isn't as vocal as you are is somehow "defending the gays".
These would appear to be the prevailing viewpoints I have heard to date.
Well how about this option…
(C) Sit down with your child and use your rapport (Don’t have one? Then you need to be answering questions on a broader level, mate!) with them to explain your views on the matter as best as you can. Let them know that no matter what about this particular poet, the most important thing to you is that they make their future better for themselves and suffer the minimum of pressure in this high-stakes examination which will be the sole credible summary of their secondary education. You never know, they might appreciate being acknowledged as rational human beings into the bargain.
As those Danish brewers love to say...it’s not just A or B, there’s probably C.
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