I really dislike Sponge-Bob Squarepants. I think the animation is crude. I think the writing is awful. And I think it glorifies poking fun at stuff just for sake of poking fun, glorifying stupidity. It’s one of the shows that Katherine just plain ol’ isn’t allowed to watch (“Mommy and Daddy don’t like it”), and which we constantly struggle against, given the character’s iconic status on t-shirts and other tchochkes.<\/p>\n
All that said, I think this is the goofiest thing I’ve read in a long time<\/a>. Well, at least for the past few days.<\/p>\n Conservative Christian groups are criticizing a multicultural children’s video featuring SpongeBob SquarePants and other TV characters, claiming it promotes acceptance of gay and lesbian families.<\/p>\n […] The video does not explictly mention homosexuality but some Christian groups allege it promotes different kinds of families in singing “We Are Family.” The video encourages children to go to the We Are Family foundation’s Web site to sign a tolerance pledge.<\/p>\n “If you look at the Web site, it becomes pretty clear that a part of the agenda is to change the definition of family to include virtually anyone who chooses to be called a family, including homosexual couples and homosexual couples raising children,” said Peter Sprigg, senior director of policy studies of the Washington-based Family Research Council. “Much of what they have is coded language that is regularly used by the pro-homosexual movement such as `tolerance’ and `diversity.’<\/p>\n “Ultimately we feel that this is being used as propaganda to indoctrinate very small children to accept a different definition of family.”<\/p>\n Why is Sponge-Bob is being singled out for criticism, vs. all the other cartoon characters being used in the video (including such dubious types as Arthur, Barney, Dora the Explorer, and Clifford the Big Red Dog)? Probably because … well … there’s this deep-seated suspicion that Sponge-Bob may be … well … y’know … one of those<\/em>.<\/p>\n According to the New York Times, James C. Dobson, founder of the Colorado-based Focus on the Family, said the popular cartoon figure SpongeBob SquarePants would appear in “a pro-homosexual video.” Dobson made the comment while speaking at a congressional dinner in Washington Tuesday (Jan. 18).<\/p>\n “We see the video as an insidious means by which the organization is manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids,” Paul Batura, an assistant to Dobson, told The Times.<\/p>\n Well, if James Dobson is against Sponge-Bob, I might have to start watching the damned cartoon. Gee, thanks loads, Jim.<\/p>\n UPDATE: More commentary along this line here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I really dislike Sponge-Bob Squarepants. I think the animation is crude. I think the writing is awful. 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