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 and I will never agree on this.
Not really. I recognize that people have inherent human rights but there is no requirement, religious or otherwise, to respect that which one fines abhorent.
You know, that's what's really pissing me off about this whole sickening issue.
How about a pledge to learn the Periodic Table? Or a pledge to understand subject/verb agreement?
F**king government schools won't be happy until they produce a lowing herd of retarded, pliable cattle.
What part of "I don't care whether or not you think same-sex sex is okay" was unclear on my position on your right to have a different opinion? You have the right to your opinion on whether or not homosexuality or drug use is okay. What you don't have is the ethical right to mistreat or disrespect people just because they are different from you.
Fine by me, and this more or less what I've been advocating in the thread...
I notice no tolerance of Religion stated, only "beliefs" whatever those are yet they state "sexual identity" to 5 year old kids. No this is a huge step for the homosexual agenda and my 13 yr old son loves Spongebob!
Pray for W and Our Troops
If we were talking about a pro-plagiarism group would you be so calm about it? How about pro-smoking and drinking? Other negative behaviors?
The part of your posts that advocate this teaching curriculum as appropriate for children.
I don't live inside your head, so the fact that you found it isn't of much interest to me. Given that much of these discussions are driven by out-of-context statements, I'd simply like to have an original source before commenting.
I think we differ on defintions, as one poster suggested above, by respecting people as people, I simply meant that we should treat others with kindness and respect regardless of what we think of their lifestyle.
Is there an epidemic of that sort of thing to your knowledge? A red herring. I send my children to school to get a proper education -- not socially engineered, no matter on whose behalf.
Oh? Some people believe that the human race is a cancer on the earth and we should all die. Should I respect this?
Some people believe that sex with children is good. Should I respect this?
So people believe in killing Jews simply because they are Jews. Should I respect this?
Some people believe that setting fire to automobile dealerships is good. Should I respect this?
The list goes on and on. There are a number of things in the world that should not be respected or tolerated. Sorry but I refuse to respect things that a wrong and I refuse to teach any child that they should.
Exactly on your post 63.
Quite so. But nobody has a right to get in my face with his perversion and demand that I, or my kid, approve of it. But I do have enough respect for sodomites to accept the fact that they deserve to be expected to be held to the same standards as everybody else. So, if they would refrain from offending me with public display of their abomination, and from pushing it on our children, I would be willing to refrain from bothering them.
Themselves...from my reading of it, it's a means by which teachers are supposed to think about these issues and not really intended to be asked of students though some of course may ask students.
Vatican Document On Homosexual Unions
Homosexual unions are totally lacking in the biological and anthropological elements of marriage and family which would be the basis, on the level of reason, for granting them legal recognition. Such unions are not able to contribute in a proper way to the procreation and survival of the human race. The possibility of using recently discovered methods of artificial reproduction, beyond involving a grave lack of respect for human dignity,(15) does nothing to alter this inadequacy.
CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION TO UNIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS
Teaching kids that they should actually respect others as human beings? Again what part of that doesn't allow you the right to your own beliefs on homosexuality?
Oh come on, who here didn't already know that Barney was insanely gay?
This company is into racing sponsorships in both open wheel and now Nascar this coming season. I don't think their fanbase will be happy about this!!
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