SpongeBob In Crosshairs (Dobson Alert)

Kansas City Star ^ | January 20, 2005

[E Rocc]

SpongeBob in crosshairs

The New York Times

WASHINGTON — On the heels of electoral victories to bar same-sex marriage, some influential conservative Christian groups are turning their attention to a new target: the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants.

James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, said that SpongeBob's creators have enlisted SpongeBob in a “pro-homosexual video,” in which he appeared with other children's television characters.

The makers of the video, Dobson said, plan to mail it to thousands of elementary schools this spring to promote a “tolerance pledge” that includes tolerance for differences of “sexual identity.”

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Your saying that we're"exactly the same" suggests to me that you have a visceral reaction for some personal reason, and have never thought it through.

It doesn't surprise me that you think mine is simply a personal reaction. As I hinted at in my earlier post, you're too wrapped up in the righteousness of your own religious beliefs to see the forest for the trees.

Actually, me and my types founded the nation in which you enjoy your freedom. (You'll love hearing that.) The entire premise for the framework of liberty is the fabric of Biblical morality. That's John Adams I'm channeling there.

You don't have to give me a history lesson, my friend. Note my tagline.

Tear at that framework, and you destroy at the foundation of that liberty, to mix metaphors.

Dobson stands for the framework, and he's done terrific work. Your part seems to be to offer obscenities and juvenile taunts.

You expect to be taken seriously when you suggest that the "framework" you hold so dear could be threatened by a cartoon character? Let's see: this Republic survived a revolution shortly followed by a foreign invasion; the secession of an entire region, followed by a civil war; involvement in not one, but two modern global wars; a horrific attack by Islamic fundamentalists . . . yet a cartoon threatens the very fabric of its existence?

I suggest you, Dobson, and all the flakes out there who feel threatened by SpongeBob Square Pants (a) gain a well-needed sense of perspective, and (b) get a frigging grip on yourselves before it's too late for you.

[dfwgator]

I think Elmer Fudd is the one who had issues, I mean he was attracted to female rabbits, what a sicko!

[buwaya]

Jack Benny did much the same sorts of things way back then, and that was family entertainment in the good old days.

[buwaya]

Not only that, you should see the one where Bugs played a hairdresser.

[foreverfree]

I like SBSP's theme song, for some reason.

ff

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Franklin is always held up as if he were the sole signer, and he wasn't. Of all the Signers, only (I forget) two or three might not have been what we'd class as very conservative Christians. Even Franklin had come to have a high regard for Biblical morality. This is why I usually carefully speak in terms of a Biblical framework. They all had a high regard for that context, whatever their personal failures.

I think it's unquestionable that the Bible had a strong influence on the founding fathers. However, I don't think they all had the same interpretation of it.

[dfwgator]

I don't think Dobson's issue is with the normal Spongebob cartoons that show on Nick, it is with the promotional video that is being shown in schools.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

I think Elmer Fudd is the one who had issues, I mean he was attracted to female rabbits, what a sicko!

Maybe he thought they were Playboy bunnies.

[E Rocc]

Libertarians are liberals. I don't know why they have become linked to conservatism. Far from it.

Because they believe in limitations on government. Conservatives do for the most part (though some would make an exception where their interpretation of "decency" is concerned), and liberals do not.

-Eric

[buwaya]

Ditto. Precisely right.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

I'm not so sure about Cosmo on the Fairly Oddparents either. I think Wanda is his "beard."

Well, Timmy wears that pink baseball cap all the time, because his parents thought he was going to be a girl. OTOH, he clearly has it bad for Trixie Tang.

[buwaya]

Political coalitions. Stand together or be defeated in detail.

[E Rocc]

Jack Benny did much the same sorts of things way back then, and that was family entertainment in the good old days.

Didn't Milton Berle wear a dress on TV on a regular basis?

-Eric

[buwaya]

Yep, thats right.

[Celtjew Libertarian]

They refuse to see that freedom is at its strongest only when the people restrain themselves.

The people choosing to restrain themselves is one thing. Government enforcing such restraints is another.

[jamaly]

Protecting American families with info about their schools and other institutions is hardly a joke.

I agree completely. Dr. James Dobson is a man of highest integrity. He is extremely knowledgeable of the Bible as well as psychology and modern culture. When Dr. Dobson speaks I listen. I trust him more than any other Christian "spokesperson" today.

[BibChr]

This deep lesson in moral philosophy from the man who said Dobson needs a blow-job?

Skip pebbles off the surface all you want. Maybe your readers, like you, don't understand multi-front propagandizing. Hollywood loves and depends on you for your shrugging off their efforts to capture and re-mold the values of the next generation. Sing it with them, if you like: commercials are worth spending hundreds of millions of dollars, because they affect people's thinking — but half-hour cartoons and two-hour movies are just shows!

Deep, yes. Just not deep thinking.

Dan

[LearnsFromMistakes]

Seriously, what's different between Sponge Bob wearing a bra and Bugs Bunny going all out in full drag and seductively hitting on Elmer Fudd?

When Bugs did it, we all knew he was joking. These days, ya gotta wonder...

Did I get it right?