Day of Silence is a way for GBLTQ students and allies to show the rest of the student population what it is like to be robbed of being able to say and be who you are without being taunted, teased, persecuted, murdered, bullied, etc.

At the end of the day, there is usually a big speaking out rally where people open their mouths and demand a voice.

While it is a good idea, I personally do not endorse it because I believe that in order to combat needless persecution, it is better to speak up and demand a voice instead of letting yourself be self-silenced. Essentially, I think that the breaking the silence rally should be a day-long event and that on DoS, instead of being silent, they should coordinate a way to TEACH students what it's like to feel persecuted for who you are. At least where I went to high school, it was liberal enough that there were more idiots than people who would be religiously offended. With that in mind, the idea of educating everyone with words would have been a good idea.

By the way, I commend all of you who can be silent. I tried it once and failed. That attempt was what got me thinking about how useful DoS really is. While in cases like at Cap's school it proved to be useful, I do have to wonder how it would have been had you chosen to speak up about it in every class, like say that 1/3 GBLTQ students commit suicide (I could be wrong on that stat... It's been awhile since High School). Some people react more with the facts than with emotions and vice versa. And some people just want to be silent because they don't feel like talking in class.

And random thought: If you've read Speak by Laurie Halsie Anderson, the part where Melinda refuses to give the oral suffragette report and David Petrakis chastises her for not speaking because being allowed a voice was what the suffragettes stood for is essentially what I'm going for with this post.

I'm still not really sure what Day of Silence is. I've never seen it acted out in my hometown.

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My 7th hour teacher made everybody stand up and say their name last year on day of silence and if they didn't they got points off.

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Seriously.

I don't remember any body participating in Day of Silence when I was in high school. But then, we didn't have a GSA, which I assumed was because the school was too small to really justify that kind of club. Not enough participation, I suppose.

I participated today too.. it was a huge success. It started out as just me and my three best friends; not a single person other than us knew about it. By the end of the day at least 200 people (including two teachers, and a bunch of kids I've never met) came up to me asking for "silence cards" to give their teachers and friends, and tape to put over their mouths to make it known that they were participating too. My entire English class did it, and my teacher (who's a complete idiot and the only one who doesn't support DoS) got really pissed off and told everyone to take the tape off their mouths and answer him. Most of the people did it, but me and the other three people who were originally doing it, plus another kid who's really good friends with us, refused and we walked out of class. We knew we wouldn't get in trouble though because our principal is really cool and he told us we could do it, and to go see him if any of our teachers told us not to. So he told our English teacher we could do it and it was totally awesome.

Anyways. Awesome day. I think I'm gonna go to Famous Dave's, (this really really really awesome rib place with a sauce called "Devil's Spit" which is by far the best type of rib sauce I've ever had in my life.)

Today is Day of Silence. I am participating. My principal gave the teachers permission to give us checklists if we refuse to speak in their classes. checklist=detention. Luckily, I only have two classes + lunch left. I know my 8th hour teacher won't care. My 7th hour teacher made everybody stand up and say their name last year on day of silence and if they didn't they got points off. I have already heard that somebody dong day of silence received a checklist today in one of his earlier classes, but I do not know the whole story.

I've been walking out in the rain all day. I love it! So refreshing.

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I have exactly one month from today left of school.

I have exactly 13 hours and 4 minutes from now left of school.

I still have a marketing assignment that I need to do and my marketing exam to study for. I will be lucky if I get any sleep tonight.

I did have a legal research paper due tomorrow, but I went and was talking to my professor about classes for next semester, and I asked if I could have an extra hour to finish it. She said that, even without the paper, I had an A in the class, and I really didn't need to turn it in. Seeing my face of "is my professor really suggesting that I fail to turn in an assignment?" she told me "In fact, I'll give you permission to skip your paper." There's a reason she's my favorite professor...

Cool, letz. I was gonna take martial arts, but then I decided if I was ever in a situation where I'd need martial arts, whoever I was gonna fight would be too intimidated by coolness.

I have hot chocolate and it is GOOD.

New ER tomorrow!!

Is anyone doing DoS this year?

Its not for school but I will be taking 2 martial art starting next week.

I have exactly one month from today left of school.

I think tonight, since I have already studied as much as I think I can for microeconomics, I am going to do a bit more research for my marketing project and then finish my paper due on Thursday.

I cannot wait until Thursday afternoon...

Today in my history class I accidentally cut open my finger while trying to cut my nail, and it was totally freakin' awesome. And now I have a Batman bandaid! (it bled through the Superman one AND the Catwoman woman). It still looks sliced open too.. I hope it stays like this forever. Seriously awesome.

I have Abnormal Pshychology finals coming up in like a week & a half & a research paper for Humanities. The paper will be on the corelation between Greek mythology & MARVEL comic books. Then I'm going to be writing in my book in hopes of finishing my current chapter & I'm going to try to get my lazy friends to get out of there houses so we can start working on our dance moves. I also plan on geting my WoW character to level 70. Not as busy as you guys, but eventful nonetheless.

Happy Earthday!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

I have an article critique due today, and only about 40 minutes left to do it... and yet I'm on here. hahaha...

Also, I have a presentation this week and a final on Thursday.

But next week will be worse.

Political Philosophy final this morning.

Then, this afternoon, I am babysitting, going grocery shopping for my grandpa and dancing.

Tonight I need to study for my economics final and my ballet final. I also need to invest at least an hour on my marketing project that is pretty non-existent at the moment.

Tomorrow, I'm on call 6-10 and I need to both complete my marketing assignment and study for my marketing exam (which is at 8 o'clock in the morning on Thursday).

Then I somehow need to write a brief reflection paper for my legal research class due Thursday by 11am.

Basically, I'm not really going to breathe or sleep until 11am on Thursday...

Last night was so hype. My school rented out the skating rink for just us, and it was awesome (I don't know whose idea it was to do it on a Monday though). And then afterwards a bunch of us went out to dinner at Ponderosa and they had AMAZING brownies! Seriously.

My exams are the last week of May... I think I'm having one in math, science, Spanish, history, and possibly something else. I know I'm not having one in English, but if I did, it'd be about how to play the Saki Shots drinking game, various liquids that can be used for molotov cocktails, the amount of molasses to pour into the various liquids used for said molotov cocktails, a closely detailed account of my teacher's wife leaving him, and the time it takes to drive from U of M to his house to retrieve a passport to get across the border to Canada to drink. 'Cause that's about all I learned in that class.

Mind you, it isn't until the afternoon of June 16 that I am truly free for the summer...that's the date of the most important exam of my life thus far.

Lucky Meg. I still have 46 days left.

Silly Letz...getting a real job instead of just creating a fund for himself...

FOUR DAYS AND EIGHTEEN MINUTES FROM NOW AND I WILL BE DONE!