Hands Off SpongeBob!(Reuters more accurate than the NYTIMES)

Toonzone via Instapundit. ^ | 01/21/05 | Maxie Zeus

[Pikamax]

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First they came for the Teletubbies and I did nothing, because I hate mewling horribles who live in Orwellian romper rooms. But then they came for SpongeBob SquarePants. Now it's time to march.

That's the reaction a lot of people--not all of them cartoon fans--seem to have had when The New York Times on Thursday reported that James Dobson had criticized Nickelodeon's cheerful yellow sponge for appearing in a video promoting tolerance. The problem, apparently, is that the kind of tolerance being promoted would extend to (among others) people who are gay.

People who read the Times account weren't very happy with Dobson. Over dinner, for instance, my sister laid it on the table with the off-hand remark, "I see that now they're attacking SpongeBob for being gay." "They" are not one of her favorite groups. Nor one of mine.

At Toon Zone, we haven't followed this story with focused interest. But I have watched, with a mounting dread, as each piece of the current controversy started to fall into place. Last November we reported on the video now being criticized.

We reported, too, when the attacks started earlier this month.

And on Thursday we duly carried a summary and link to the Times article (registration required; here is a hassle-free copy).

So I'm not exactly surprised to see this break out into the wider world. While posting the earlier articles I could be heard silently muttering to myself: "3… 2… 1… Make controversy go now!" Complaints that cartoons are corrupting our kids are about as bewhiskered as the Bugs Bunny in a dress gag. This kind of hysteria makes me very tired, both because it's very silly and also very old.

At the same time, let's remember that it's The New York Times we're dealing with. These days it helps to have an advanced degree in Kremlinology while perusing their articles.

Look at the Times opening grafs:

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

"Does anybody here know SpongeBob?" James Dobson, 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.

In many circles, SpongeBob needs no introduction. He is popular among children and grownups as well who watch him cavorting under the sea on the Nickelodeon cartoon program that bears his name. In addition, he has become a camp figure among adult gay men, perhaps because he holds hands with his animated sidekick Patrick.

Now, Dobson said, SpongeBob's creators had enlisted him in a "pro-homosexual video," in which he appeared alongside other children's television characters such as Barney and Jimmy Neutron, among many others.

Compare it with this summary from Reuters:

Christian Conservative groups have issued a gay alert warning over a children's video starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney and a host of other cartoon favorites.

The wacky square yellow SpongeBob is one of the stars of a music video due to be sent to 61,000 U.S. schools in March. The makers -- the nonprofit We Are Family Foundation -- say the video is designed to encourage tolerance and diversity.

But at least two Christian activist groups say the innocent cartoon characters are being exploited to promote the acceptance of homosexuality.

Notice the difference?

The Times: Several conservative Christian groups are criticizing SpongeBob SquarePants for appearing in a video that they claim promotes homosexuality. (Those are the words of our reporter Ace the Bathound.)

Reuters: Christian groups are criticizing a video that exploits cartoon characters to advance a pro-gay agenda.

As Reuters describes it, Christian groups are attacking a video; the various cartoon characters and entertainers who appear in it are being criticized indirectly (if at all) for lending themselves to an agenda that these critics deplore. As the Times describes it, though, these groups are specifically attacking SpongeBob. And by sticking in an early and gratuitous reference to SpongeBob's popularity with gay men (a point utterly irrelevant to a story about the video), the Times creates the impression that Dobson is attacking SpongeBob for being a gay icon. No wonder a casual reader comes away with the impression that Dobson is attacking SpongeBob for being gay.

In fact, if you read the Times article carefully you'll see that it adds nothing to the story carried by WorldNetDaily two weeks ago, except for some innuendo about a popular cartoon character. (Reuters' more pellucid summary makes clear that the story hasn't advanced in the last two weeks.) Of course, I don't know for sure: maybe Dobson went off on an anti-gay tirade in which he mocked SpongeBob for his cheerfulness, his tendency to skip and sing, and his fondness for holding hands with his best friend Patrick. But if so, why is the only Dobson quote in the Times the colorless "Does anybody here know SpongeBob?"

I'm not interested in the "gay" angle to SpongeBob, and as an editor and reporter on this site I have no interest in gay marriage, gay rights or any of the other social controversies that so exercise Dobson. I think Dobson and his allies are very foolish to treat what sounds like a bland grammar-school video as a threat to American values; I think it is execrable that he should try piggybacking his social agenda onto innocent cartoon characters and their innocent creators.

But the Times, intentionally or not, appears to be guilty of the same thing. Deliberately or not, it appears to have twisted Dobson's position and imputed to him (without evidence) an argument he does not seem to have made. And in making SpongeBob sound like a martyr, it appears to be trying to piggyback a rival agenda onto his very thin shoulders: Save SpongeBob from the bluenoses!

Cartoons don't deserve this. SpongeBob doesn't deserve this. And SpongeBob's creator, Stephen Hillenburg, certainly doesn't deserve to have his creation kidnapped and turned into a giant puppet in some freak protest parade, no matter what its cause.

To Dobson and the Times I've a simple message: Get your hands out of SpongeBob's square pants.

Update: Dobson's organization has released a statement on the controversy.

[Corin Stormhands]

Fair enough. Thanks.

[jwalsh07]

You're welcome CS.

[Boazo]

After reading this thread,And many of the other threads lately
There seems to be more than a few from DU! They keep it close to the line so as not to be ZOTED.

[Thumper1960]

FYI

Giving Mr. Dobson a KrabbyPatty is the same as giving a whining kid an ice cream cone.

There's yer sign.

[EdReform]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/668271/posts?page=153#153

[Thumper1960]

I am waiting for the first person on this board to finally say what's probably deep within their hearts: Execute the homosexual.

Reading and hearing so many comments over the years, here and elsewhere, it's pretty clear there are people who verge upon apoplectic fits whenever the mere word "homosexual" is uttered. While the 'persuasion' may well be un-natural, it's been practiced for millenia. It's presence in the world hasn't yet caused the destruction of human-kind, by deity or by disease or by social chaos.

I sure wish some folks would get a grip.

Flame away, O, insecure ones.

;-p

[nicmarlo]

very interesting. IMO, it's just willful blindness to the truth.

[Thumper1960]

Uh oh............

We've been spotted.

It's a vast Left-wing conspiracy to subtley brainwash and influence the Conservative community by incremental communization.

The jig's up! All sleeper cells, back to the Bat cave!

[scripter]

Didn't see this posted... yet:

Targeting Children, Part 1: How the gay movement intends to capture the next generation

Targeting Children, Part 2: How the homosexual movement uses public schools as instruments of change

Targeting Children, Part 3: Activists encouraging experimentation

Targeting Children, Part 4: Access to children: homosexuality and molestation

[nicmarlo]

That's quite a jump. Because I don't want my children brainwashed, behind my back, into believing that it's normal and natural to be a homosexual, that means I want people murdered?

When I teach my children right from wrong, I am called names?

Because we are vociferously refusing to allow groups to get away with interfering with values I and others teach our own children, we are "preached at" by people like you and told to "get a grip"?

When were people like you given the right to take away my parental authority?

You also sound like my children when I'd tell them "no" about something....I'd often hear, "well Patty's mom lets her do it," as if that's a justification to allow them to do something immoral, too.

I'm not into moral relativity. There is right and wrong and I refuse to accept wrong being taught as right.

[Boazo]

apoplectic fit,Are you having one?

[scripter]

Another great read for those who just don't get it.

The Homosexual Propaganda and Media Manipulation Game...

[DaveDCMetro]

No, any smart conservative should be able to tell that we are not DU trolls, but, in fact, fellow Republicans. How? Simple. A Democrat argues with emotion. We, like all Republicans, argue with logic. They may not agree with our premises or conclusions, but the logic that lies therein is sound. If we were DUers, you would be seeing lots of rants, raves, insulting words, whines, and whimpers.

The nice thing about being a conservative/libertarian type is that reason always trumps emotion.

[EdReform]

Indeed, those articles are an excellent source of information!

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

SpongeBob is not gay. Patrick Starfish is gay.

Oh no ya don't! Make no mistake it's Squidward that is gay.

[EdReform]

I encourage you to get a copy of the book The Death of Right and Wrong: Exposing the Left's Assault on Our Culture and Values by Tammy Bruce, and read Chapter Four: First the Culture, Then the Children: The Agenda of the Radical Gay Elite and Chapter Seven: Destruction of the Innocents: The Left Targets Children.

Excerpts from Chapter Four:

"The radicals in control of the gay establishment want children in their world of moral decay, lack of self-restraint, and moral relativism. Why? How better to truly belong to the majority (when you're really on the fringe) than by taking possession of the next generation? By targeting children, you can start indoctrinating the next generation with the false construct that gay people deserve special treatment and special laws." (Pg.88)

"I believe this grab for children by the sexually confused adults of the Gay Elite repesents the most serious problem facing our culture today." (Pg.94)

"Between GLSEN, the Happy Penis, Phil, and now Kami, I'd say the Gay Elite have your children as a captive audience. Whether you like it or not, they have appointed themselves your children's moral tutor." (pg.119) (emphasis added)

I encourage you to get a copy of the book The Death of Right and Wrong: Exposing the Left's Assault on Our Culture and Values by Tammy Bruce, and read Chapter Four: First the Culture, Then the Children: The Agenda of the Radical Gay Elite and Chapter Seven: Destruction of the Innocents: The Left Targets Children.

Excerpts from Chapter Four:

"The radicals in control of the gay establishment want children in their world of moral decay, lack of self-restraint, and moral relativism. Why? How better to truly belong to the majority (when you're really on the fringe) than by taking possession of the next generation? By targeting children, you can start indoctrinating the next generation with the false construct that gay people deserve special treatment and special laws." (Pg.88)

"I believe this grab for children by the sexually confused adults of the Gay Elite repesents the most serious problem facing our culture today." (Pg.94)

"Between GLSEN, the Happy Penis, Phil, and now Kami, I'd say the Gay Elite have your children as a captive audience. Whether you like it or not, they have appointed themselves your children's moral tutor." (pg.119) (emphasis added)

I encourage you to get a copy of the book The Death of Right and Wrong: Exposing the Left's Assault on Our Culture and Values by Tammy Bruce, and read Chapter Four: First the Culture, Then the Children: The Agenda of the Radical Gay Elite and Chapter Seven: Destruction of the Innocents: The Left Targets Children.

Excerpts from Chapter Four:

"The radicals in control of the gay establishment want children in their world of moral decay, lack of self-restraint, and moral relativism. Why? How better to truly belong to the majority (when you're really on the fringe) than by taking possession of the next generation? By targeting children, you can start indoctrinating the next generation with the false construct that gay people deserve special treatment and special laws." (Pg.88)

"I believe this grab for children by the sexually confused adults of the Gay Elite repesents the most serious problem facing our culture today." (Pg.94)

"Between GLSEN, the Happy Penis, Phil, and now Kami, I'd say the Gay Elite have your children as a captive audience. Whether you like it or not, they have appointed themselves your children's moral tutor." (pg.119) (emphasis added)

[Nightshift]

Hi,annyokie,

Just because someone sends their kids to public schools does not mean they don't love their kids. Yes, their are good schools out there, both public and private, with good teachers.

Their also bad schools out there and parents need to be involved in what is being taught. Homeschool gives the parents complete control over this. Private schools give parents considerable control but not complete, however public schools offer very little control over what is taught.

Parents are the key.

Whether you homeschool, private school, or public school, Stay involved, stay tuned in.

[jwalsh07]

I am waiting for the first person on this board to finally say what's probably deep within their hearts: Execute the homosexual

Has it occurred to you that the only folks who type such words are folks like you and the left?

[Thumper1960]

Although the post was not directed at you, (reading a name at the header is an indication of the respondee's status) I'll respond.

First off, the actual video isn't the problem: it's the "We are family" website's pledge that people be tolerant of others, no matter the age, color, blah---ad nauseum.

As for the gist of my post, you were not specified. I don't know what may or may not be in your heart. Ultimately, I don't really care. I have read comments from others that lead me to believe they have a severe problem with those who are homosexual. True-blue, dyed in the wool, the Word is inviolable types have said that society should follow Biblical precepts....and in essence, deal with homosexuals in a Biblical way.....I'm sure you can guess how that would happen, eh?

Leaving aside the one segment of society that the foundation requests be shown tolerance, perhaps the other segments would be acceptable for tolerance?

Don't worry. It's not my job to raise your kids. It's not a task I'd want. Just be sure to do it right. Failure to do so could affect me, or others. As for "tolerance", let's hope that all children are raised to respect others in a way that will not create another generation of racist lynchers; woman domineering wife-beaters; anti-Catholic religious bigots; anti-Jew neo-NAZI's or granola crunching enviro-whackos.

[Thumper1960]

Nah.....

cool as a cucumber.

Just got chilled by removing what nature gifted me.

:-)