I had originally planned on writing a rather low-key article on Jane Austen to follow our new theme. However, in light of recent events, Brave New World has now taken precedence.
In the book Brave New World, families become obsolete and sexuality is reserved purely for pleasure and is not intended for procreation. Thus, “mother and father†are foul words in their society. Reading this in high school, I was shocked that the author would even imagine such normal terms of relationship becoming an obscenity. I thought, only in a society that has completely lost its sense of human identity and dignity would terms denoting marital relationship be banned. Now, reading the headlines as a 23 year old young woman, I am shocked to see that one author’s dystopian fantasy has become a reality.
In California, a law was just passed outlawing the gender specific words “mom and dad†in textbooks, unless a same-sex couple was also presented. In addition, restrictions have been lifted on all gender specific activities and locations (like school restrooms and locker rooms). According to law, it is now an act of discrimination to insist on keeping these words, activities, or locations gender specific in a way that limits free execution of an individual’s choice of sexual identity. In Brave New World, families are extinct; in California, traditional gender identity has now (at least legally) ceased to matter.  Verbal engineering always proceeds social engineering…if this is so, what will we see next?
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58130
Check out the article. Many other sites also cover this news (I double checked on its validity).
5 responses so far ↓
1 Kelly // Oct 17, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Here’s an article from the group who initiated much of the legislation. They fail to expound on the practical implications of the wording of this act. http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=9oINKWMCF&b=40337&ct=4514709
2 John // Oct 18, 2007 at 12:15 pm
This kind of thing is just the next step in the “gender equality” that many people (mostly modern feminists, it seems to me) have been promoting for years. I’m sure the vast majority of Californians will be thrilled to hear that their daughters will have creepy guys following them into the unisex bathrooms.
3 Olivia Stear // Oct 20, 2007 at 8:08 pm
When I read about these things I get terrified. I become so overwhelmed by what these decisions will do to our future and hope. I walk into book stores at the airport and I read some of the popular political titles and every one seems to have an opinion on what this country/world is going to look like if anti-family, anti-patriotism, anti-moral decisions continue to be made law. The Brave New World and 1984 are eery predictions. What I think is being left out of the equation in these predictions is the Church. If this all continues without the Church an end is most certainly near. No one is factoring the New Evangelization. No one is including the future of Vatican II, Theology of the Body, Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy. Things are going to get worse before they get better but John Paul II said we were coming up on the Spring time of the Church… and I believe him. There is so much hope out there. God has equipped us with so much in our recent Church history. It is good we are aware of what we are up against. It is up to us to use the weapons of JPII and B16 to turn things around. It is also true that if we don’t… maybe no one will. Keep up the good fight.
4 Kelly // Oct 21, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Beautiful reflection! Thank you for making sure we keep in mind the gift of Christian hope. It is essential when considering the “signs of the times” that we look for the good before being overwhelmed by the bad. One of the devil’s primary weapons today is discouragement.
5 Kathryn // Nov 28, 2007 at 2:23 pm
There is a powerful scene in the 1950s movie “The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima.” During the miracle of the sun, a blind woman asks her husband what is happening.
“It’s the end of the world,” her husband says.
“It can’t be,” the woman replies, beginning to cry, “for I can see again. I can see!”
The “signs of the times” are frightening, but we can turn to the Divine Mercy and thank Our Lord that we can see again!
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