Maybe you’ve heard, maybe you haven’t. Either way it’s a nice story to read once, or multiple times. The reminder: blessings and love are all around you just need to keep your eyes open.
The story is about Juan Mann (and now many others all over the world) who in a moment of uncertainty created a cardboard sign that said “Free Hugs.” He went out on the street and held up the sign and although many people looked at him with fear, many others took him up on the offer. Now, after being banned and shunned, he’s made it perfectly acceptable to ask for hugs and is also well-known. He’s been on Oprah and has a kick-ass Web site, www.freehugscampaign.org
Have you read about the eighth-grade girl from Missouri who received two days of detention for hugging her friends? Apparently the school district has a strict rule against public displays of affection, which is evident in the fact that this otherwise well-behaved 13-year-old served her second day of detention yesterday.
The associated press quotes the student saying: “I’m just hoping the school board will open their eyes and just realize that maybe they shouldn’t be punishing us for hugs.”
I agree that public displays of affection (often referred to as PDA in middle-schools across the country) is inappropriate. I don’t like doing it and I don’t like seeing other people doing it, but what is IT? I think the problem here is in the semantics.
According to the DatingTales First Edition Dictionary, public display of affection is defined as physical contact between two or more people romantically involved in the presence of others who are not romantically involved with the subjects performing or receiving the affection. Example: kissing (with or without tongue), groping, grabbing personal parts, or sexualized hugging. See bump and grind.
So there is your answer. I don’t think we should teach our young people that affection is bad. It is certainly not punishable. However, the grabbing personal parts thing may be.
ng it, but what is IT? I think the problem here is in the semantics.
