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 | | From: | hal at nospam.com | | Subject: | Does anyone here know SpongeBob? | | Date: | Thu, 20 Jan 2005 10:04:30 -0700 |
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 | OH NOOOO ! SpongeBob is GAY !!!!!!!!!
Hal
Conservatives Pick Soft Target: A Cartoon Sponge
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: January 20, 2005
ASHINGTON, Jan. 19 - On the heels of electoral victories barring
same- marriage, some influential conservative Christian groups are
turning their attention to a new target: the cartoon character
SpongeBob SquarePants.
"Does anybody here know SpongeBob?" Dr. James C. Dobson, the 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
SpongeBob needed no introduction. In addition to his popularity among
children, who watch his cartoon show, he has become a well-known camp
figure among adult men, perhaps because he holds hands with his
animated sidekick Patrick and likes to watch the imaginary television
show "The Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy."
Now, Dr. Dobson said, SpongeBob's creators had enlisted him in a
"pro-homoual video," in which he appeared alongside children's
television colleagues like Barney and Jimmy Neutron, among many
others. The makers of the video, he said, planned to mail it to
thousands of elementary schools to promote a "tolerance pledge" that
includes tolerance for differences of "ual identity."
The video's creator, Nile Rodgers, who wrote the disco hit "We Are
Family," said Mr. Dobson's objection stemmed from a misunderstanding.
Mr. Rodgers said he founded the We Are Family Foundation after the
Sept. 11 attacks to create a music video to teach children about
multiculturalism. The video has appeared on television networks, and
nothing in it or its accompanying materials refers to ual identity.
The pledge, borrowed from the Southern Poverty Law Center, is not
mentioned on the video and is available only on the group's Web site.
Mr. Rodgers suggested that Dr. Dobson and the American Family
Association, the conservative Christian group that first sounded the
alarm, might have been confused because of an unrelated Web site
belonging to another group called "We Are Family," which supports
youth.
"The fact that some people may be upset with each other peoples'
lifestyles, that is O.K.," Mr. Rodgers said. "We are just talking
about respect."
Mark Barondess, the foundation's lawyer, said the critics "need
medication."
On Wednesday however, Paul Batura, assistant to Mr. Dobson at Focus on
the Family, said the group stood by its accusation.
"We see the video as an insidious means by which the organization is
manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids," he said. "It is a
classic bait and switch."
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