SpongeBob, Barney promote 'gay tolerance (FedEx to Sponsor in Gov't Schools)

WorldNetDaily ^ | January 6, 2005

[NYer]

In a new video to be distributed to 61,000 schools across the nation, homosexual activists are using popular children's TV characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Barney the dinosaur to surreptitiously indoctrinate young children into their lifestyle, a pro-family activist group charges.

SpongeBob Squarepants is one of the popular children's TV characters appearing in a new 'tolerance' video.

Based on the 1970s hit song "We Are Family," the video will be distributed to public and private elementary schools nationwide March 11, along with lesson plans for teachers, points out the American Family Association.

The distribution, sponsored by FedEx, will coincide with the video's broadcast March 11 on Nickelodeon, PBS, and the Disney Channel in celebration of the proposed National We Are Family Day.

AFA researcher Ed Vitagliano sees the project as an "open door" to a secondary discussion of homosexuality, noting the the foundation has a "tolerance pledge" on its website that children and others are encouraged to sign, which includes sexual orientation. [Editor's note: This story previously linked to the website of a group that has the same name but no connection to the video. WND regrets the error.]

"While we want everyone to respect other people's beliefs, we do not consider it appropriate for children's television to be used in an effort to indoctrinate children to accept homosexuality," he said.

Vitagliano says the foundation is employing a bait-and-switch approach, with popular children's figures such as Arthur, Dora the Explorer, JoJo, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Big Bird and Bob the Builder.

The objective is to get children to the foundation's website "and there they're given the full pitch about homosexuality," he said.

Video producer Christopher Cerf called the video an "unprecedented event."

"For the first time characters from all of the important kids shows came together to appear in the same video," he said in a November news release. "The producers and performers from each show embraced the spirit and message of this project."

The We Are Family Foundation was founded by singer-songwriter Nile Rodgers, who wrote the hit song recorded in 1979 by Sister Sledge.

The video was financed by a grant from the Toni Mendez Shapiro estate.

"Cooperation and unity are the most important values we can teach children," Rodgers said. "We believe that this is the essential first step to loving thy neighbor."

The We Are Family Foundation says its partners in the production are the Anti-Defamation League, Crown Theatres, Disney Channel, FedEx, Nickelodeon, HIT Entertainment, Nile Rodgers/Sony Publishing/The Bernard Edwards Estate/Warner Chapel, Nelvana, PBS, Scholastic, Sesame Workshop, Toni Mendez Shapiro Estate, and WGBH-TV in Boston.

A Federal Express spokesman said the company is "proud" to provide shipping for the project.

"Promoting diversity is part of our corporate culture at FedEx," said William G. Margaritis, senior vice president, worldwide corporate communications.

Characters appearing in the video are from award-winning shows including "Arthur," "Barney," "Bear in the Big Blue House," "Between the Lions," "Blue's Clues, Bob the Builder," "The Book of Pooh," "Clifford the Big Red Dog," "Dora the Explorer," "Jimmy Neutron," "JoJo's Circus," "Kim Possible," "Lilo & Stitch: The Series," "Little Mermaid," "Madeline," "The Magic School Bus," "The Muppet Show," "The Proud Family," "Rugrats," "Sesame Street," "SpongeBob SquarePants," and "Zoom."

The video also features cameo appearances by entertainers Bill Cosby, Diana Ross and Whoopi Goldberg.

[garbanzo]

Having no respect for someone does not equate doing them harm.

Respect, at least as I'm using it, has nothing to do with personal feelings about someone or something, but rather how you deal with them on a personal level.

[Cogadh na Siths Girl]

And one other thing, there is zero evidence that homosexuality is a heritable trait. See twinning if you don't believe me. Ergo, something in the social environment has moved folk in the homosexual direction. What that is I have no idea. i do believe you've read this, however, for every report that says it isn't, you can find one that says it is. i've read one that attribute it to the wiring in the brain and the chemical reactions that correlate to sexual attraction(and that it can be both something you are born with, and something created as a result of childhood trauma). So who knows? As with all such research it comes down to who's doing it, and what they want to prove. i don't agree with such issues being forced down the throats of society either. But it's the pendulum effect, and all O/one can do is hold-on and wait for the swing in the other direction while staying firm in Y/your own beliefs

[Politicalmom]

Little boys who are molested often have gender identity problems. They have been "indoctrinated". They never have a chance.

The gays are trying to bring this crap into Kindergarten classes. They have an agenda.

Gays prey on insecure and confused children. It is completely foul.

Perhaps you should take off your rose-colored glasses.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"Having different points of view and the freedom to express and act on them"

Yes. And exactly what ARE your points of view on the specific questions I have asked you upthread? You have replied to none and your comments are PC blather about tolerance. Are you outing yourself today here? Need help?

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Thanks for the post. FYI, we may have a troll, if you wanna ping anybody again to come join and see what happens.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Except for those who are harming other I do not interfere in their lives. I would never harm them, I just have no respect for them and on a personal level I prefer to have nothing to do with people that I do not respect. Why is this a problem for you?

Why do you feel that I must interact with those that I do not care to interact with? I do not force them to interact with me. I do not try to tell them what they should teach their kids. They do not in any way have to respect me. They just have to leave me alone. I do not understand why that is so hard.

[Politicalmom]

I JUST said to my husband that I have to make sure our school won't be using this crap. We have a very conservative school, so I have never had to remove my kids before, but this will do it.

[garbanzo]

Do you believe homosexuality to be a sin and a free will choice, or "orientation" something inborn that is not a matter of choice, and that teachers should keep all of their choice or orientation OUT of a K-6 classroom

Part a) Being an atheist, I don't believe in the concept of "sin". b)Same-sex sex is of course a free will choice, sexual arousal/orientation isn't. c) I'm split on that issue of how much info should be taught in K-6 classrooms. As said above, we live in a society where these things are discussed in the mainstream so something at some point may need to be mentioned.

Do you believe the death penalty is appropriate for adult who prey on young boys or girls, or when exactly is the death penalty absolutely warranted?

In general I'm not a supporter of capital punishment except for cases of murder and even then only probably even the most heinous ones with aggrevated circumstances.

[garbanzo]

Why do you feel that I must interact with those that I do not care to interact with?

To be honest what you do with your life is your business, however, personally I think it's sad to cut off other people simply because they disagree with you or you don't like some aspect of their life. It's simply so narrowminded, I literally can't get my head around it. But again, it's your life to waste.

[nmh]

"I don't teach my children to "respect" or "tolerate" sin.
We respect the good and worthy.

I teach my children kindness to everyone, but I will not minimize or downplay sin.

I also don't want to be forced to discuss sex with my six year old, or my other children for that matter.

*I* want to decide when they are ready for that information."

Ditto!

We simply don't teach our daughter to LOVE sin.

[nmh]

"I don't teach my children to "respect" or "tolerate" sin.
We respect the good and worthy.

I teach my children kindness to everyone, but I will not minimize or downplay sin.

I also don't want to be forced to discuss sex with my six year old, or my other children for that matter.

*I* want to decide when they are ready for that information."

Ditto!

We simply don't teach our daughter to LOVE sin and find it acceptable.

[Nightshift]

So if its legal to be gay we need to be respectful of their wishes?

In many countries it is legal to beat ones wife. Debate on Wife Beating I guess we need to be respectful to them as well? [sarcasm] Just because its legal doesn't make it right. Many of those women don't know it is not right to be beaten, but they are taught from an early age to accept this and so they believe it is their husbands right to beat them.

So would be it be intolerant of us to say no, if those other countries did a film about being respectful about beating ones wife and that we need to be respectful of their wishes? Never mind that we think it's wrong and I know and hope that you agree with this, but this tolerant/respect crap needs to go down the toilet when it comes to any acts like this.

Sodomy use to be illegal until leftist judges got put into office and changed that law.

Even before I became a Christian(that was at age 30) I thought that the homosexual acts we unnatural and disgusting. Does anyone here really believe that these kinds of sexual acts are natural? I vote no.

Our society has allowed such that now they want to train our kids that this so called lifestyle is OK, just like they train the little girls in other countries that it is OK to beaten by your husband after you get married

All the advertisers who advertise on these cartoon shows will now have their product banned from this household. I will not support The homosexual agenda or any company that supports their agenda, they will never get my respect, but because they are human beings the will treated with kindness up to the point when they try to sodomize my child.

I will be gathering a list of companies who advertise on these shows and will post them later if anyone cares to join me in this endeavor.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

To be honest what you do with your life is your business, however, personally I think it's sad to cut off other people simply because they disagree with you or you don't like some aspect of their life.

Why? Do you hang around with members of the KKK? If not then is it sad that you cut them off because they disagree with you?

[nicmarlo]

FYI, you may be interested in this 1999 article. Although dated, the efforts continue:

Activists use public schools as "instruments of change"

How the homosexual agenda is targeting children
Third in a series examining the state of the homosexual rights movement

BY Ed Vitagliano
AFA Journal News Editor

Homosexual activists have a vision for tomorrow, for an America in which their lifestyle is not simply tolerated, but celebrated. And to achieve that vision, activists have begun enlisting their footsoldiers for tomorrow's army: today's children.

The youngest Americans have been targeted for a change of heart. Since homosexual activists believe that adults in general – and parents in particular – have corrupted their own children with hate and homophobia, then children must be taught apart from their parents' influence....

[garbanzo]

All the advertisers who advertise on these cartoon shows will now have their product banned from this household.

But you'll still sinning by not taking even extra steps...do you shop at grocery stores that sell food to homosexuals?

[Cogadh na Siths Girl]

Hmmmm...had to get another cup before i started on this one.

i think that having a respect for life brings some level of tolerance with it. That they aren't mutually exclusive.

While i don't think it's the case with everyone, i do believe that some, by not being taught that respect, lack the judgment to view an act of violence as inappropriate. But that there are a lot of other factor in the human psyche that come into play with that as well.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

My complaint is using popular cartoon characters or objects such as candy to manipulate to entice children.

It is an attempt to use idolatry for recruiting new members to join this cult of perversion...

[ValerieUSA]

Excellent point.

[nicmarlo]

My complaint is using popular cartoon characters or objects such as candy to manipulate to entice children.

This very old "method" was used by Sparta to win the war against Troy: the Trojan Horse method.

[Cogadh na Siths Girl]

Little boys who are molested often have gender identity problems. They have been "indoctrinated". Only if you concider molestation indoctrination. Molestation is a vile act against an innocent. It isn't brain-washing. The gays are trying to bring this crap into Kindergarten classes. They have an agenda. Could it be this agenda is to stop the violence against them? Not creating "converts"? Gays prey on insecure and confused children. It is completely foul. Child molesters prey on children. Not gays. i've yet to meet one queer that was into little boys. As a matter of fact, all of them that i know are as discusted by it as the straights. Perhaps you should take off your rose-colored glasses. Why? They make the world such a pretty color!...*giggle* But they don't change the experiences or converstations i've had with the gay populous, or the understanding i have of their perspective.