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Conservatives Saving the World


blzrul

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With credit to the New York Times, which requires a login many of you don't have. This is better than the Tinky-Winky scandal. Of course it would be better -for them - if they actually knew what they were talking about. But why let the truth ruin their fun?

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By David D. Kirkpatrick, New York Times

 

WASHINGTON - On the heels of electoral victories barring same-sex marriage, some influential conservative Christian groups are turning their attention to a new target: the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants.

 

"Does anybody here know SpongeBob?" Dr. James C. Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, asked the guests Tuesday night at a black-tie dinner for members of Congress and political allies to celebrate the election results.

 

SpongeBob needed no introduction. In addition to his popularity among children, who watch his cartoon show, he has become a well-known camp figure among adult gay men, perhaps because he holds hands with his animated sidekick Patrick and likes to watch the imaginary television show "The Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy."

 

Now, Dr. Dobson said, SpongeBob's creators had enlisted him in a "pro-homosexual video," in which he appeared alongside children's television colleagues like Barney and Jimmy Neutron, among many others. The makers of the video, he said, planned to mail it to thousands of elementary schools to promote a "tolerance pledge" that includes tolerance for differences of "sexual identity."

 

The video's creator, Nile Rodgers, who wrote the disco hit "We Are Family," said Mr. Dobson's objection stemmed from a misunderstanding. Mr. Rodgers said he founded the We Are Family Foundation after the Sept. 11 attacks to create a music video to teach children about multiculturalism. The video has appeared on television networks, and nothing in it or its accompanying materials refers to sexual identity. The pledge, borrowed from the Southern Poverty Law Center, is not mentioned on the video and is available only on the group's Web site.

 

Mr. Rodgers suggested that Dr. Dobson and the American Family Association, the conservative Christian group that first sounded the alarm, might have been confused because of an unrelated Web site belonging to another group called "We Are Family," which supports gay youth.

 

"The fact that some people may be upset with each other peoples' lifestyles, that is O.K.," Mr. Rodgers said. "We are just talking about respect."

 

Mark Barondess, the foundation's lawyer, said the critics "need medication."

 

On Wednesday however, Paul Batura, assistant to Mr. Dobson at Focus on the Family, said the group stood by its accusation.

 

"We see the video as an insidious means by which the organization is manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids," he said. "It is a classic bait and switch."

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I always thought that fruity little bastard grabbed his ankles. One less show my kid is going watch...

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I refuse to let mine watch Barney.

 

I don't like the message that if you love everyone enough, they'll love you back.

 

It's just not true. Kids need to learn that in the world today there are predatory and ruthless people.

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I refuse to let mine watch Barney.

 

I don't like the message that if you love everyone enough, they'll love you back.

 

It's just not true. Kids need to learn that in the world today there are predatory and ruthless people.

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Barney is also on the list. I'm still deciding about the Wiggles.

 

At least there is Builder Bob...

 

:D

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Barney is also on the list. I'm still deciding about the Wiggles.

 

At least there is Builder Bob...

 

:D

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Wiggles are OK, IMO, they tach a lot of good stuff, like eating right, good hygine and the songs are fun, too. Trust me, once you get one in your head, you'll never get it out of there :P

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Oh, please let there be a special circle of hell reserved for people like this and let them get ass-raped with razor wire for all eternity.

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Reminds me of a funny scene from Firefly:

 

BOOK: If you take sexual advantage of her, you're going to burn in a very special level of hell. A level they reserve for child molesters and people who talk at the theater.

 

http://www.fireflywiki.org/Firefly/OurMrsReynolds

 

CW

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This is the sort of nervous, victorian bullschitt that gives conservatism a bad name. Religious organizations like this are the equivalent of the aclu on the left...doing more harm to the party that it's most affiliated with.

 

I wish these people would get over their fear of homosexuality

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I'm not saying anything about the "video" because I have not seen it...

 

but, why do I or my children have to respect or tolerate the "sexual identity" of others if they are practicing something that I don't agree with?

 

http://www.tolerance.org/101_tools/declaration.html

 

"Tolerance is a personal decision that comes from a belief that every person is a treasure. I believe that America's diversity is its strength. I also recognize that ignorance, insensitivity and bigotry can turn that diversity into a source of prejudice and discrimination.

 

To help keep diversity a wellspring of strength and make America a better place for all, I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, or race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own."

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Interesting to see so much time spent by parents deciding which TV shows their little ones can watch.  Try turning it off and playing games with the kids.

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Exactly. Some parents like my older cousin even tell their kids to go play in the back yard. I think that parenting technique died way back in the late seventies.

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