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Cassius

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4190699.stm

US conservative groups are up in arms over a music video featuring children's TV heroes such as the cheerful cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants.

Focus on the Family and other groups say the video - a remake of the Sister Sledge hit, We Are Family - is a vehicle for pro-gay propaganda.

The video's makers plan to mail it to US schools in the spring to promote tolerance and diversity.

They say the attack is based on a misunderstanding.

The video also features children's favourites like Bob the Builder, along with characters from Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

But James Dobson, founder of right-wing Christian group Focus on the Family, singled out SpongeBob at a black-tie dinner in Washington in the run-up to President Bush's inauguration, the New York Times said.

SpongeBob - who appears on the children's cable channel Nickelodeon - is seen as an icon for adult gay men in the US, apparently because he regularly holds hands with his sidekick Patrick.

His creators deny that he is gay, but he is not the first such character to cause controversy.

In 1999 conservatives claimed handbag-carrying Teletubby Tinky Winky, an import from the UK, was a bad role-model.

'Easy lesson'

Nile Rodgers, who wrote the song and is founder of the We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) which released the new video, says it is intended to help teach children the values of co-operation and unity.

"We believe that this is the essential first step to loving thy neighbour," he said. "And the fun and exciting format makes it a lesson that's easy for children to learn."

But conservatives say it sees the video as a cunning attempt to promote homosexuality.

They point to the fact that the WAFF is linked to a pledge being promoted by some liberal groups which includes a recognition of tolerance of sexual identity.

"We see the video as an insidious means by which the organisation is manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids," Paul Batura, a spokesman for Focus on the Family, told the New York Times.

Mr Rodgers said the groups may have confused his foundation with an unrelated organisation with a similar name that supports gay youth.

WAFF spokesman Mark Barondeso told the newspaper that anyone who thought the video promoted homosexuality "needs to visit their doctor and get their medication increased".

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Stephanie S.

There were over 200 celebrities involved with this recording of "We Are Family". Unless Spongebob is depicted in this video engaging in ::gasp:: homosexual behavior (whatever that is) I do not understand why they singled out a Sponge who wears tightie whities. And the You Are a Big Whiny Baby Award goes to.......James Dobson! Yes folks, he'll teach you how to spank your kids and "teach" them using fear and toughness, and help you keep filth like Sponge Bob out of your homes! Join him at Focus on the Family, he's a peach!

From WAFF

peace

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"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." —George W. Bush, Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005 (Listen to audio)

Buzzby

I have a hard time understanding Dobson and his ilk.

If a cartoon incorporates black people, does that encourage children to become black? If there are Asians does that promote "Asianness"? Whether or not that obnoxious cartoon character, SpongeBob, is gay is of no relevance. The purpose of the cartoon, if I'm getting the picture, is to promote tolerance. Isn't tolerance a Christian value? Christ ministered to everyone and commanded his followers to love their neighbors as themselves. I don't remember reading any exclusionary clauses concerning sexual preference.

Far from being a Christian organization, Focus on the Family is a group set up to promote intolerance of anyone who doesn't fit within the narrow compass of what these narrow minds consider "Christian". As a non-Christian and student of religion I struggle to find the connection between the teachings of Christ and the bigotry promoted by his "fundamentalist" followers.

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Higher Logic

No surprise here. I've heard this "rumor" a couple years back. Anything that touches on the "gay" scale gives these clowns an "icky" feeling. Authoritarian personality, right Steph

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Niteshift

Guys like Dobson tick me off because they feed into the stereotypes about conservatives.

I'm a conservative and I could care sh*t less about the whole Sponge bob "issue".

The other "conservative" guy who routinely gets on my nerves is Brent Bozell, head of the Parent Television Council. He's nothing more than a self-important, meddling windbag. And I was happy to see him get his ass handed to him in court by Vince McMahon and the WWE.

Ok, I admit, there is the occassional thing I agree with Dobson on, but there is something being missed here.

We're calling Dobson "conservative", but that's not entirely accurate. We use "conservative" around here as an interchangeable word for "Republican". Dobson is the head of a RELIGIOUS organization, not a political one. Focus on the Family has MANY members who are Democrats. It's not a republican only organization.

So, let's make sure we see the difference between political conservatives and social conservatives and not confuse ourselves into thinking we mean Republicans.

For the record, I think the Tele-tubbies are just wrong (weird show that I won't let my son watch) and I think that Sponge Bob is probably pretty harmless so Dobson should get off it.

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Higher Logic

Well a lot of religious organizations, or should I say, politicians are using religious organizations to gain "support" for their ideas, which is something nearly synonymous with Republicans. It's not very often, if not ever, that you hear a Liberal or Libertarian complaining about Islam or something that offends religion. I've been to a lot of churches in my life, probably somewhere in the 30 range, and all of them were heavily Republican. But you're right, there are democrats in these groups too, but not as prevelant as the Repubs have.

Niteshift

I disagree. I think you see what you go looking for.

I don't like the religion argument, but I'll give you this example:

The United methodist Church supports gun control. I strongly oppose most gun control measures. I cannot, in good conscience, give money to them on a Sunday, knowing that on monday, they will spend it to support something that I oppose and, IMO, shouldn't even be involved with in the first place. Also, IMO, their position contradicts biblical teachings.

Why do I use this example? The gun control issue is a very liberal/conservative split issue and the lines are very often drawn right along the Republican/democrat party lines.

from my standpoint, I've seen a lot of issues that various churches are socially liberal on.

Buzzby

The Republican Party is largely controlled by the Religious Right.

Real conservatives no longer have a place in the Republican Party. It has been co-opted into a tool for the religious extremists. If they continue to have their way, the Republican Party will become an American Taliban.

Niteshift

The Republican Party is largely controlled by the Religious Right.

Can you really support that?

Did those people vote the way they did because they were "controlled" or because they simply feel that way themselves in the first place.

When you look at these report cards, keep in mind, the people doing them are only looking for issues that effect their agenda.

For example, if the NRA issues a candidate report card, they are looking at gun issues. If NORML issues one, they are looking at pot related issues. Does the NORML or NRA report cards tell you anything about how they view abortion? Or how they view defense spending? No, they focus on just their particular causes.

So, say NORML gave me an 100% report card for a congressional race because I said I'd vote to legalize pot and legalize hemp. Would that now make me a liberal? I'm sure the folks at the Brady Center would give me a big fat zero when they heard my views on gun control.

Saying that the republican party is "controlled" by the "religious right" (an organization that doesn't really exist ) isn't really very realisitic since organized religion (among Christian denominations) is split on a number of issues.

Buzzby

Don't you find it amazingly coincidental that the people elected to the highest leadership posts by the Republicans and the people getting the highest scores from the Christian Coalition are the same group of people?

Isn't it amazingly coincidental that for the first time in American history federal funding is going to religious (100% Christian) organizations for the support of social services?