Ed Brayton brings us the latest deep South pearl-clutching over gay teens at the prom:

Most of the dozen attending the rally said they weren’t bothered by Martin being gay or being allowed to attend prom with his partner. But they said the school system’s decision has brought too much attention to their small town.

What’s that I hear?

The school system, perhaps learning from the recent firestorm over Constance McMillen and her partner, decided to let a boy bring another boy to the prom. Some students are worried that this sudden show of tolerance might bring undue attention to their town, so they’ve decided to hold a rally at the courthouse.

That, my friends, is how you avoid undue attention.

It’s not really about avoiding attention, though, so much as about making sure Cochran gets the right kind of attention:

“We knew Derrick was gay,” said Keith Bowman Jr., a high school senior who showed up at the rally. “They don’t want (Cochran) to be known as a pro gay town.”

“This is a small town. Some of these students are sheltered, and I don’t think they can think for themselves.”