Journalist for Life Michael Coren

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from someone named Chris Topple. He described himself as being a fairly typical Canadian. He lives in Oshawa, Ont. He said he wanted to tell me about his experience, and that of his four-year-old granddaughter. He wrote that she came home from junior kindergarten in her public school with a book in her backpack given her by her teacher. The book was entitled Mom Marries Mum. Here is the rest of the story, as told by Chris.

“Her mother was upset with this and sent the book back without reading it to her daughter. She felt the topic was too much at a young age. I called Durham Public Board trustee Larry Jacula and a Board bureaucrat. They both told me ‘it’s the law’ and referred to Dalton McGuinty’s curriculum and applauded the action by the school. I had two questions for them. The first was did they have any discretion within the curriculum as to at what age gay matters are introduced to young children. They both stated they had no discretion and said the topic is ‘age appropriate’ from JK to grade 12. My second question was since they do not teach certain subjects like geography, history, or math until children have learned the basics, then how could children understand gay matters in JK? They felt they could and it was needed to avoid discrimination against gay people. I pointed out they were labelling people when my granddaughter does not label anyone, whether involving race, religion, or sexual orientation. I said that children of tender years should not be exposed to any sexual teaching because they are not developed enough emotionally and cognitively. We agreed to disagree and the two conversations ended politely.

“My granddaughter is into the princesses including the dresses and pretends to marry her prince. Teaching her this topic at her age would confuse her needlessly. She is taught to love people and accept them as they are. Dalton McGuinty is dead wrong on this curriculum. It seems anyone who does not conform to it is labelled homophobic, a term which reminds me of the old term ‘anti-Soviet’ which the Soviet government labelled dissidents. It is possible to discuss this without meaningless name calling. Thanks for listening.”

It’s my pleasure my friend. Chris Topple is obviously a balanced, good, kind, and intelligent person, but balance, goodness, kindness, and intelligence are not respected these days. Today we prefer false emotion, hysteria, extremism, intolerance, and dishonesty. There was a time, sadly, when gay people were treated terribly in Canada. But today, saying anything critical about any aspect of the gay agenda is similarly assumed to be a moral, political, and intellectual crime. Let us be direct here: this entire issue ceased being about equality and respect a long time ago, and is now about a fawning affirmation. Yet what always stuns me is that some of the very people who obsess about this issue, and want tiny children indoctrinated, are so often part of a left that says hardly anything about those countries where gays are truly discriminated against. It’s more than mere hypocrisy, it’s a direct ideology and agenda.

We need to remember that the parent is the primary educator, but we also need to know that there is a war on the family. It’s quite simply really. We are told that both parents must work, that children should be raised communally, and that to question the wisdom of that communal education makes us fearful and foolish. Chris Topple mentioned the Soviets. I used to think this was hyperbole, but now I’m not so sure. If our children are moulded into something they are not supposed to be, and if their sense of being rooted in a moral, sexual, and physical context is completely destroyed, we will be in terrible trouble. There are people within churches, and certainly in greater society, who are intent on destroying childhood in the guise of loving and caring for children. Never was such a war so important, and never was it so vital to win at any cost.

Frankly, I think that the school system, public and Catholic, will deteriorate morally and spiritually to the point where those of us who are pro-life will need to establish an alternative system of private and home schools. I wish it didn’t have to be that way, but I am not optimistic. As for Mr. Topple, he’s what a grandpa ought to be.

Michael Coren’s most recent book is Why Catholics Are Right (McClelland & Stewart). He hosts The Arena, weeknights on Sun TV. He can be booked for speeches at mcoren@sympatico.com.