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.

[Zechariah11]

You make inferences and then run away from them. Forget it, Jack. You are a waste of time.

[Long Cut]

Yes. The character wasn't going about saying "Gay IS Great!!! Join up NOW!", or even anything close to it.

While the group which produced the video may have had an agenda, it was not obvious in what they produced.

Dobbie just HAD to jump in, though, and do "what parents can't do for themselves", as his site says.

All of which misse sthe point that I was trying to make...such battles as this are wholly useless, distract from the current agenda, weaken the Right greatly, and open us all to ridicule. Even IF Dobbie wasn't directly attacking the character, it will now be spun that way!!!. He and all who follow him will be know as those folks "going after a cartoon character", which was a foregone conclusion. He apparently ignored it.

[k2blader]

What's wrong with "mosque"?

Perhaps, I should check with a priest, minister or rabbi?

I strongly encourage you to do so. You will be quite surprised.

[Thumper1960]

LMAO

Specify the day education was NOT an exercise in indoctrination.

One man's indoctrination is another man's enlightenment.

Please, keep the peasants ignorant, lest they discover what we're doing to them is an abomination. (unsaid thoughts of Chairman Mao)

[Shortstop7]

Note that characters like Jimmy Neutron and Clifford the Big Red Dog also appear in the video. Why is it that SpongeBob is getting all the attention?

Rumor has it Kermit is jealous.

[Thumper1960]

See ya, coward.

Have a nice day.

[k2blader]

First, are you a Christian? If not, that might explain why you feel differently than some of the rest of us.

[scripter]

Scroll through this thread --- there are tons of them.

Yes, there are a lot of links, but which links are nutty?

[Zechariah11]

Gee, you are funny. Tell us more.

[Thumper1960]

In respect to a religious death penalty for homosexuality, I'm sure that Islam is indistinguishable from Biblical teachings. Though, I wouldn't know since I'm not muslim.

[Zechariah11]

Coward? Not from you. I jist won't stand around playing guessing games with someone who makes clear inferences. Then, when called on the carpet, denies making such a suggestion.

[nicmarlo]

yet, it's okay for "those folks on the left" to attack cartoon characters, such as Joe Camel?

[nopardons]

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've never seen Sponge Bob,myself,so I haven't a clue.But this pathetic garbage is ridiculous! Today's cartoons stink.They're mindless,worthless twaddle.The overprotective lunatics,who railed against LOONEY TUNES,brought this upon themselves and everyone else! Looney Tunes were written by adults,for adults,with lots of inside joke;but, children not only loved them,but through them,were exposed to grand opera,wonderful classic music,Shakespeare,and all kinds of very clever,intricate plots,many taken directly from the Comedia D'el Arte.

You don't like SpongeBob? Don't let your kids watch it. I wouldn't allows my child to watch SESAME STREET,so don't tell me you can't prevent your kids from seeing some dumb show now.

Righty-o LC,this is really the least of things we have to worry about and Dobson was on Hannity & Colmbs a few nights ago,saying that he NEVER said that SpongeBob was queer. So what's up with all the nervous Nellies here,anyway?

[k2blader]

BTW, you appear to be trying to say that Christians shouldn't say or do certain things because others will distort/spin it against them. We were warned of these things a long time ago and will never let that kind of fear trump supporting what is right and good.

[jwalsh07]

Wow, nice hairpin turn.

Until you dropped your pants and took a crap in the middle of this thread, there were no epithets flying, the debate was heated but respectful and more often than ot pretty good.

But your agenda was not to discuss whether or not the WAF organization should be opposed, it was to brand those who disagree with you on the subject of homosexuality as murdering bigots.

I expect that from left wing fascists, not from self proclaimed conservatives.

So lets get back to the issue at hand.

Do you spport organizations like WAF attempting to paint homosexuality as a morally equivalent alternative to heterosexuality to children in grade schools or do you take the conservative position that sexuality is the province of the family, not the school?

[Shortstop7]

What? I was just making a joke........

[nicmarlo]

You don't like SpongeBob? Don't let your kids watch it. I wouldn't allows my child to watch SESAME STREET,so don't tell me you can't prevent your kids from seeing some dumb show now.

But, had you read the thread, you'd would understand we are not talking about watching SpongeBob at home on the television, the place where a parent could turn it off if they so chose.

[Long Cut]

"yet, it's okay for "those folks on the left" to attack cartoon characters, such as Joe Camel?"

Equally ludicrous, but for entirely different reasons. Don't put words in my mouth.

[Thumper1960]

I'll state clearly that this issue is a redherring. Not only is it a non-issue, those who actually give this video/cartoon/homosexual indoctrination connection any serious consideration as some sort of evil subterranean agenda aimed at perverting America's children and undermining Western society, are in desperate need of a long vacation at the Green Valley Happy Ranch.

[Zechariah11]

Not now, the grown-ups are talking.