They just don't get it....

Okay, first let me state that I am NOT politically correct, and there is a large portion of humanity that manages to jump up and down on my last nerve. However, I try to be basically a decent person most of the time. Those members of society that manage to earn my ire and and its related commentary are typically deserving of such when their personality traits (and flaws) are reviewed by a larger group of their peers than simply yours truly.

And while I will note that their hearts are in the right place, this is flawed on so many levels. As anyone that has raised a teenager will tell you, teenagers will tell you flat out that you can't tell them what to say. And then they will prove that statement to you. Our public school system already has reams of rules and regulations on what can and can't be done....what REAL percentage of compliance are we getting out of that now? And think about teens, and kids in general...don't most kids already learn the EXACT WRONG lesson from whatever is trying to be taught, BECAUSE they are so impressionable?

And why, or why, did someone NEED to create a new acronym for this? Do we really want to make sure we openly accept EVERYBODY for everything? And before you bash me for being intolerant, read the following sentence slowly.

There is a difference between acceptance and tolerance, although it can be very blurry. And there is no "magic" answer, as far as I can see. As parents, if we "accept" the Goth subculture for our teen, how EXACTLY doe our teen interpret that "acceptance"? Most teens, since they ARE still immature, will push our acceptance as far possible. How many times have you had a discussion with your teen that sounded like this: Parent - "I told you to do (X) by (X) time, why did you not do (X)" Teen - "I thought you meant do (X) by (X)" or the well-used "I forgot."

If you allow too many "doors to be opened" for your teen, you will never figure out which one you lost them through. Interpret that as you will.