SpongeBob Squarepants is one of the popular children's TV characters appearing in a new 'tolerance' video.
Posted on 01/08/2005 7:02:35 AM PST by 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.
You signed up today as "all for Spongebob" just for this thread?
You're really into this Spongebob thing, aren't you?
Disgusting. Post #6
I emailed this thread to my daughter to give her a heads up. Post #7
Indoctrinate our children early. Thank goodness for watchdogs like The American Family groups. To stop this horrific attack on our children's young minds. Post # 12
And the posters go on and one. So who are YOU to single ME out. GET A LIFE AND LEAVE ME ALONE PERVERT.
"And the posters go on and one. So who are YOU to single ME out. GET A LIFE AND LEAVE ME ALONE PERVERT."
???
I KNOW you don't mean me.
????????????????
Yes he is!!!
Just out of curiousity, I would appreciate knowing why my screenname was included in your post, SheLion.
Hurry up and post something, so I can have you zotted again.
Nothing against you, that's for sure. But yours was the last post and I just clicked on your post to get across to that idiot that posted to ME!
Sorry. I guess I better quit while I'm ahead! heh!
LOL
I've done that a million times.
:-)
I have to admit, I was floored.
LOL
Well, I meant no offense to you, that's for sure!
Chicken!!!
:-)
I replied to myself so as not to offend anyone! -- but it is meant for ALL!)
What the liberal media fails to realize is that the video in question makes 2 separate references to the Foundation, including a clip from the character "Mouse" from PBS's "Between the Lions" which shows he apparently has found the Foundation's website on his computer.
The Foundation, itself, beyond just the "Tolerance Pledge" has at least SIX different references to homosexuality, sexual identity, or sexual orientation in its site's materials, mostly in suggested lesson plans (from previous campaigns) aimed at school-aged children.
The actual lesson plans that will be accompanying the video are not publicly posted anywhere for review, so no one knows what the exact package will contain (Though MSNBC supposedly has a copy).
My website's discussion board has research showing at least SEVEN references on WAFF's website as well as a sample letter to school administrators who might be showing the video or other pro-gay material in the classroom (see links, below).
Yes tolerance can and should be promoted, but would it not be better to use more neutral or all-inclusive language, like "tolerance for individuals no matter what there difference is." "You should not tease other kids no matter what the reason is." "You should try to get along with others even if you disagree on things."
These are simple statements that ANY sane person would accept as true and healthy for young children to hear, but SPECIFICALLY singling out homosexuality among a list of other groups does something more -- it attempts to bring homosexuality to the same level and status of other minority or oppressed groups as if it is something to be honored, not just shown tolerance to.
In addition, I find it fascinating that not only has WAFF threatened a lawsuit against AFA but has also REMOVED most of the offensive pro-gay pages from its site, especially the ones that AFA has specifically referenced (including #'s 1, 3 & 4 from my earlier post). Is this an attempt at making peace or an attempt at removing evidence?? (for more info on this see: http://www.earnedmedia.org/sbm0125.htm )
Research: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exgaydiscussionboard/message/13428
Letter: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exgaydiscussionboard/message/13456
--Alan
errr... spongebob is in love with Sandy and he does go bonkers when she wears a bikini. Now, you wouldn't expect a cartoon show to show Sandy with hooters, would you?>
(while I totally ignore this last post since every one knows by now that SBSP's "orientation" was NEVER the point of the ORIGINAL controversy -- only media SPIN, I offer this...)
To further prove the makers' intentions, some of the makers have also produced an episode of "Postcards from Buster" (An Arthur Spin-off on PBS) that shows them visiting a real lesbian couple with a child in Vermont. The Bush Administration heard about it and has denied it being able to air it on PBS, but I guess FCC rules state that individual stations are free to air it if they wish but it will not be shown nationally (The Boston affiliate -- WGBH -- who was one of the producers is still planning on airing it.)
BTW -- Arthur, Buster and the gang ALL appear on the spongeBob video as well! Coincidence????
--Alan Levering, Director & Founder, NCXDS Ex-Gay Internet Christian Ministries
Web: http://geocities.com/exgaylinks
Discussion Board: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exgaydiscussionboard
What is the Ex-Gay Internet Christian Ministry?
bttt
But isn't it the responsiblity of us as parents to educate our children on such subjects? I know my children will learn about homosexuatily, but I want them to know what God says about it, too.
Since this forum is still active, let me throw in my two cents:
The We Are Family Foundation website hosted the "Writing For Change" lesson plans. These taught topics such as:
- "Heterosexuality leads to the notion of women as inherently 'weak', and the institutionalized inequality of power: power of men to control women's sexuality, labor, childbirth and childrearing, physical movement, safety, creativity and access to knowledge."
- Help students examine assumptions about the "natural order" in gender relationships.
- Write the first sentence in a description of the term "lesbian"
- Specify the characteristics that learners think define a person as homosexual.
- Talking About Being "Out"
- Uncovering Attitudes About Sexual Orientation
- Introduce the concepts of homophobia and compulsory heterosexuality
Since all the controversy, the We Are Family Foundation have conveniently removed the "Write For Change" and lots of other material from their website. But you can still access old copies through the Google "cache" feature, which web pages that have been removed
The We Are Family Foundation had a section called "Educational Gateway" which was removed. Here is a link that still shows it:
http://www.wearefamilyfoundation.org/MOVIES/WAFF_ChildrensDVD_Single.htm
There were sections for Parents, Teachers and Kids. You can't get to this from the home page any more.
To find the "Writing For Change" on WAFF, use this Google search:
site:www.wearefamilyfoundation.org "section i"
Use the Google "cached" link to see what used to be there. Google retrieved this page from WAFF on January 25, 2005.
The "Kids" link is still there:
http://www.wearefamilyfoundation.org/kids/Kids_Index.swf
To get from Kids to alternet.org you
- Click on "kids 10 and up"
- Click "News"
- Click on "Do you Believe?"
This will open alternet.org in another window.
The articles a kid could find on alternet.org includes:
* Masturbate Online! - In the "we're not sure we're part of the United States" Bay Area, we like to enjoy a little masturbation with our free speech - www.masturbate-a-thon.com
* You Sexy Animal, You - Bestiality is back, and its hotter than ever, now that famed bioethicist Peter Singer has taken up "the love that dare not bark its name."
* The World's Weirdest Sex Machines - What do you get when you cross a bicycle rim, three pairs of used women's shoes, and a metal chain gear? Why, the best masturbation device available in 1920s Germany, of course. Such curious inventions dot the landscape of the little-known history of sexual machinery.
Some of these articles have links to other sites. For example, once you're on www.masturbate-a-thon.com there's plenty of places to go.
Nile Rodgers, the We Are Family Foundation guy, says the only reference to sexual orientation is their "tolerance pledge". That's not the case.
If parents want to know that WAFF endorses, this is just a sampling.
The "Kids" link is still there:
http://www.wearefamilyfoundation.org/kids/Kids_Index.swf
To get from Kids to alternet.org you
- Click on "kids 10 and up"
- Click "News"
- Click on "Do you Believe?"
This will open alternet.org in another window.
The articles a kid could find on alternet.org includes:
* Masturbate Online! - ............
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