Dancing around reality

A loud, flamboyant minority that just can’t handle reality wants special privileges.

This fussy, self-righteous pressure group has plunged a small Indiana town into the national spotlight.

We’re talking, of course, about a group of students, teachers and parents at Sullivan High School in Sullivan, Ind. that wants to have an alternative “traditional prom” excluding gay students.

It would be the ultimate anti-prom: one magical night where anti-gay fanatics can drink fruit punch awkwardly in the corner while they ignore the existence of people who are different from them.

On one hand, Sullivan’s gay students would be able to go to prom without having to worry about being bothered by intolerant peers.

On the other hand, “traditional prom” attendees would probably have a pretty boring night all by themselves and would come off looking like a bunch of bigots to a national audience.

Since Gallup estimates that 3.4 percent of the U.S. population identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and Sullivan High has about 270 total juniors and seniors, it’s hard to see why “traditional prom” supporters are so uncomfortable sharing the dance floor with nine schoolmates who happen to be attracted to members of the same sex.

Are they not aware they share classrooms, hallways and locker rooms with these students on a daily basis?

“Traditional prom” supporters’ statements certainly don’t give any rational answers to these questions.

Student Bonnie McCammon says, “We want to make the public see that we love the homosexuals, but we don’t think it’s right nor should it be accepted.”

Yes, young Bonnie is doing a great job of showing the public just how much she loves gay people by making it a point to avoid them like lepers on the biggest night of their high school careers.

Diana Medley, a special education teacher at a nearby school who supports “traditional prom,” says, “Homosexual students come to me with their problems, and I don’t agree with them, but I care about them. It’s the same thing with my special needs kids, I think God puts everyone in our lives for a reason.”

Does Ms. Medley also “not agree” with people of different races and religions? What about the special needs children she teaches? We certainly hope she doesn’t also believe they chose their lots in life.

As it happens, simply proclaiming you love and care about people does not make it acceptable to simultaneously cordon them off from you. Making your intolerance politically correct doesn’t make it any better.

Students, parents and teachers at Sullivan High School have every right to hold a “traditional prom” not sponsored by the school if they really want to.

Gay students, students who truly believe in love and toleration and students who can handle the existence of homosexuality would probably prefer that they not attend the school’s prom.

It’s no fun to hang out with people who believe some people’s love doesn’t count.

Ultimately, “traditional prom” supporters are only excluding themselves from the real world. If they went to their school’s prom, they might be surprised by just how remarkably normal their gay peers are.

All nine of them.