All right, time for my rant(not intended to cause ragewars).
Point 1: This may not be the case for anyone else, but despite living in a relatively conservative area, the school I go to is rather liberal. This means that our GLASS(Gay Lesbian And Straight Society)Club is very prominent. Hell, last year they and their banner were at the front of our homecoming parade, and THAT was the picture that made it into the yearbook. But that's not my main point here. A while back I called my friend "gay"(because TBH he was indeed acting a bit gay)and then I had somebody off GLASS say, "I'm offended by that." Now, for starters, that shows they at least are definitely NOT silent to bullying, even when it was just joking to my friend and not even remotely having to do with them. The other thing is, who was expected to be silent there? The glares I got from the members sitting at their table tells me that they at least think I shouldn't say stuff like that, even though I have Freedom of Speech(which is unfortunately be destroyed by a number of factors)and I wasn't bullying them, or talking to them, or even LOOKING at them in any way intending on getting them riled up. At any rate, why should that happen because I was talking to my friend? If this is where all this gay-rights stuff combined with that God-awful political correctness is going, life's gonna suck for me and others who, again, make such jokes like that with their friends.
Point 2: I am more than willing to admit that I have not, did not, and probably will not participate in the Day of Silence. My reasons are few but likely controversial, so I will keep them brief. I am no supportor of gay marriage and the like. While I support the natural-born rights of everyone(although in this day and age, "everyone" means only minorities, thanks political correctness), I don't exactly consider marriage to be a right, certainly not a right everyone has. The whole "tolerance" idea, while I'm not a big fan of the whole homosexual thing(concerning yourself with my reason is unwise at this or pretty much any other time), is something I'm fine with. Just don't come up surrounding me with all your groups and your banners up in my face and try to make it like I have some kind of problem because I'll have nothing to do with your protests and meetings.
Point 3: Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, ever got better treatment by just being silent. Just look at the United States. If we hadn't opened up our mouths and told the British exactly what we wanted and how far we would go to get it, the USA may full well never have existed. If you expect anyone to listen to you, or what you believe in, you cannot be silent. No one will hear you, even if they want to.
Well, that'll be enough outta me. Again, this is not intended to offend, or cause rage wars.