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 | | From: | Derek | | Subject: | The Politics of SpongeBob | | Date: | Mon, 24 Jan 2005 07:50:34 -0000 |
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 | The Politics of SpongeBob
Conservative Christian American organizations have accused a children's
cartoon character, SpongeBob SquarePants, of being part of a secret agenda
to promote homouality. The character appears in a music video, produced
by the non-profit We Are Family Foundation, which was established following
the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to promote greater cultural
understanding. The video, which is being distributed to 61,000 elementary
schools, features SpongeBob, Winnie the Pooh, and other popular children's
characters. Although the video does not mention uality, the website of
the foundation asks people to take a tolerance pledge by respecting those of
different abilities, beliefs, culture, ual identity, and race.
Ed Vitagliano, of the American Family Association, criticized the video by
writing that "A short step beneath the surface reveals that one of the
differences being celebrated is homouality." Dr. James Dobson, the
founder of the ultra-conservative evangelical group Focus on the Family,
spoke to members of Congress last week about SpongeBob, accusing the
foundation of using the character to promote a "pro-homoual video." A
spokesman for Focus on the Family, Paul Batura, said "We see the video as an
insidious means by which the organization is manipulating and potentially
brainwashing kids." Critics have based the accusations on the fact that the
cartoon character is effeminate and occasionally holds hands with his
starfish side-kick, Patrick.
Ex-Teletubby Tinky Winky, who 1999 was outed by evangelical minister Jerry
Falwell because he was purple, his antenna was shaped like a triangle, the
pride symbol, and because he carried a purse, commented on the current
situation from his home in the Village in central Manchester: "AAAA-OOHH!"
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