I actually value the criticism, I take no offense at all to your analysis. It's actually helped me in spotting some errors I can fix (mind you I was very angry when I originally wrote this, one reason why I wanted others to view it). I'll go paragraph by paragraph in responding to your post, it's easier that way.

I do take offense to the fact that this community can have an event like this be present in a public school setting. I don't particularly care one way or another about them "expressing their gay pride", I care about WHERE they are doing said expressing. To me it just does not belong in a public school system, it should be an out-of-school event if it is going to exist. That's issue #1 and it's a big one for me in talking about this, because of issue #2, which I'll hit on in a minute.

I by no means want to sound like a bigot - I don't at all want that. Like I have said, I have no problem with someone being homosexual, provided they respect that I (or others) don't want to SEE it physically expressed in front of me - I don't want to be walking down the hallway passing two guys making out in front of the locker (it's happened, true example). I simply want to articulate that the Day of Silence event is too deeply rooted in deeper ideologies for it to just be a "anti-discrimination" demonstration, as the creators would have it described. To me it comes across as a "I'm gay/lesbian/etc and proud, accept that we are here" demonstration. At my particular school, and pardon the bluntness of it, the Day of Silence legitimately has taken the form of a "F you" to the heterosexual majority. People have physically fought over this event at my school in previous years and yet it is still allowed to continue... it causes conflict.

I actually really liked your third paragraph as I feel I can elaborate on my stance in that regard. The freedom of speech granted to students and faculty in a public school system is limited (issue #2)- as I said, those almost taboo topics are simply not acceptable for discussion or presence in these schools. I used the religion and gun advocacy as examples (though I do firmly support 2nd amendment rights) because they're common, at least where I am. But the point is that I absolutely agree that if they want to limit free speech in this setting, it needs to apply to ALL of the societal issues at hand, not a "pick and choose" approach. You're absolutely right in saying about the holidays, political demonstrations, advocacy shirts, etc. - it's got to apply to all of it. Homosexuality should not be discussed and as openly visible of a movement in the school system when other, sometimes less controversial topics are censored. If the goal of the school system is to promote an environment dedicated to learning the material required, and part of reaching that goal is censorship of controversial topics to prevent conflict between students who are there to learn, then by God they should either censor it all or let it all be uncensored. It amounts to either 100% in or not in at all, it simply cannot be a 75-25 majority censorship. So I completely agree with you in that paragraph, it's an excellent point!

Your next paragraph kind of raises the same argument as my previous one, about the censorship issue, but I will say that you're right here too, each side has rights. They're limited in the school setting, as I've stated repeatedly, which is why the last paragraph is the same argument I'd make here, it doesn't belong in the schools. But it also boils down to this - if I don't want to see it, and they want to express it, the middle ground would be for them to respect my wish and for me to accept their sexual orientation. Just a rough example of how an interaction based on mutual respect of personal rights should go:

Two gay males are kissing in the line in front of me at a store. I POLITELY say, "Hey guys, would you mind not doing that in front of me? I don't care that you're together, I would just prefer to not see you kissing." They should respect that, maybe reply with a "Of course, we understand", and we all go about our business and go on with the day. I'm not seeking an apology or anything for it, just a common understanding and respect. But in 9/10 cases, that exact event would lead to a huge argument in the middle of the grocery store line, because the two sides don't have that mutual respect - they want to be open and kiss all they want to, and the other guy doesn't want any part of that and gets pissed they won't put it off until they're in private.

I do really appreciate your final advice, I definitely think that's a good angle to look at it from. I see now after reading it a few times over that I missed the mark on personal defense in that I didn't defend my choice enough - my overall stance was clear but I didn't convey my side thoroughly. I'd really appreciate if you have anything else to critique or to point out, from this post or the original. You have been very helpful actually, not *****y at all, as you put it lol.