Spongebob video premiere today
- Thread starter HomerJS
- Start date
Because it was designed to be shown in elementary schools. It was designed as a program for young children.
SpongeBob Heads To Schools
by Karen Matthews, Associated Press
March 8, 2005 5:01 pm ET
(New York City) A children's music video that conservatives charge is part of an effort to encourage acceptance of homosexuality is being distributed to more than 60,000 schools nationwide this week, producers said Thursday.
The video features about 100 children's TV characters including SpongeBob SquarePants, Miss Piggy and Oscar the Grouch singing the disco hit "We are Family." It will be accompanied by a teaching guide that promotes tolerance of diversity.
"The opportunity to bring that message to children around the entire country is truly exciting," said Caryl Stern, senior associate national director of the Anti-Defamation League. "We know at ADL that people are not born as little haters, we learn to hate. And just as we learn to hate, we have to unlearn to hate."
To produce and distribute the video, the ADL has teamed up with the We Are Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by music producer Nile Rodgers, who co-wrote the hit 1979 song "We Are Family."
Television networks and production companies also are involved, and FedEx has agreed to ship the videos for free.
The effort sparked controversy in January when the Mississippi-based American Family Association, in an article by the editor of its monthly journal, charged that the video had a pro-gay subtext. (story)
"On the surface, the project may appear to be a worthwhile attempt to foster greater understanding of cultural differences," wrote Ed Vitagliano. "However, a short step beneath the surface reveals that one of the differences being celebrated is homosexuality."
The video was also criticized by James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, who alluded to SpongeBob SquarePants' role in a "pro-homosexual video" during remarks to a pre-inauguration dinner in Washington.
In a telephone interview Thursday, Vitagliano said he does not object to the "innocuous" video itself but to the accompanying teaching guide, which he said "distorts the definition of family to produce a nontraditional model."
Although the guide does not specifically mention sexual orientation, Vitagliano said it is designed to lay the groundwork for acceptance of gay parents.
He pointed to a section where children are asked who is in a family, and if they say "a mommy," "a daddy," "a sister" or "a brother," the teacher is prodded to "ask further questions of the class."
"We feel that this is part of an attempt to include same-sex couples in the institution of marriage and the family," he said.
Rodgers, who joined ADL officials and others at an event launching the video at Public School 87 on Manhattan's Upper West Side, said the project is not about sexual orientation.
"We're not talking about sex at all," he said. "This is for young children."
Christopher Cerf, the author and children's TV producer who is another of the video's creators, said he was "amazed" by the criticism.
"At first I thought this was so ridiculous that it's funny," he said.
First-graders at P.S. 87 sang along with the catchy disco classic as the video was screened Thursday. It features characters from popular children's TV shows including "Sesame Street," "Blue's Clues," "Dora the Explorer" and "Winnie the Pooh," with cameos by Bill Cosby, Diana Ross and Whoopi Goldberg.
Afterward, children were asked to share artwork they had made about their families and to say what family means to them.
Answers included "Family means to me that when you want to do something you can sometimes do it with your family, and they'll take you and you'll have fun" and "It means that when I'm mad they let me be mad."
©Associated Press 2005
The high levels of bullying occurring in government funded schools justifies this type of program, I would have thought.
UglyCasanova
Lifer
- Mar 25, 2001
- 19,275
- 1,361
- 126
Bullying occurs in every school, always has always will. Sucks, but that's just part of life. Then again I have no problem trying to teach tolerance and diversity either.
This is not about diversity, in fact its about them throwing their agenda upon us with or without our approval. Who gives a rats you know what about diversity? If the parents want to teach them about it they surely can.
So 7 year olds should learn about how much Tommy loves John? Should they learn about STD's also?
Teaching kids homosexuality and other BS is perfectly fine with some people, however the word "under God" gets under their skin.
Ah, the moral decay.
Moral decay, degeneration and lack of family values leads to end of culture and tradition. That leads to civil unrest and that leads to complete collapse.
Thats how the past empires have fallen.
Yes, I understand that the "We Are Family Foundation" claims this is not about the above mentioned. But is it necessary to throw in little bits about homosexuality? I certainly don't believe kids that young are capable of understanding the concept even.
What little bits about homosexuality are you referring to?
I could identify no reference to homosexuality in the song itself, or the accompnaying video.
remember, never teach kids how mommy loves daddy or any mention of love between females and males because then god forbid you have to teach about STD's
Red Dawn
Elite Member
- Jun 4, 2001
- 57,529
- 3
- 0
Hmmm I think if it prevents one kid from being strung up on a fence with barbwire and beaten to death it's a good idea.
That said, the little of SpongeBob Squarepants that I've seen seems pretty innocent to me. To even pick out some vague Homosexual overtones one would have to look pretty hard and I seriously doubt that the target audience (children) would even have a clue about those things.
That said, the little of SpongeBob Squarepants that I've seen seems pretty innocent to me. To even pick out some vague Homosexual overtones one would have to look pretty hard and I seriously doubt that the target audience (children) would even have a clue about those things.
raildogg
So right! We need to stop all of these secret gay messages from getting to our kids. You censor them watching "the Flintstones" don't you? That guy Fred, wearing what is an obvious dress. His nickname on his bowling team is "Twinkletoes Flintstone". He spends way too much time with Barney too. Even the theme song ends in "We'll have a gay old time".
And we need to do something about those liberal historians too. They make constant reference to a whole decade in American history as the "Gay 90's".
Yessir! You can find that "gay agenda" stuff anywhere you look if just use your imagination.
I can't believe so many people are so busy just living their ordinary lives that they can't see the imminent danger lurking everywhere. We must acknowledge that we are at war against "gayness" if we are to defeat it.
:roll:
So right! We need to stop all of these secret gay messages from getting to our kids. You censor them watching "the Flintstones" don't you? That guy Fred, wearing what is an obvious dress. His nickname on his bowling team is "Twinkletoes Flintstone". He spends way too much time with Barney too. Even the theme song ends in "We'll have a gay old time".
And we need to do something about those liberal historians too. They make constant reference to a whole decade in American history as the "Gay 90's".
Yessir! You can find that "gay agenda" stuff anywhere you look if just use your imagination.
I can't believe so many people are so busy just living their ordinary lives that they can't see the imminent danger lurking everywhere. We must acknowledge that we are at war against "gayness" if we are to defeat it.
:roll:
The Flintstones? What about Winnie the Pooh?
First off - winnie is a girls name. Second - what was with him and Piglet? You can't tell me that there was something going on there - they held hands, they slept over at each other's place, and piglet's voice! Blatant Homosexual Propaganda!
Its no coincidence that the Spongebob video "features characters from popular children's TV shows including [...] "Winnie the Pooh,"
And while I'm thinking on it - what about Kanga and Roo? Trying to force acceptance of unmarried mothers!
Disney has gotten away with this for far too long - its high time that the Godless Walt Disney Corporation was slung out of this country! WONT SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
- 50,879
- 4,268
- 126
Families exist. Why is there a video then?
I don't want a school teaching acceptance of homosexuality. I don't want them teaching against it. That's my job. The job of the school is to teach them how to read and write etc. I decide what morality is to be taught. I don't like this because of the same reason I don't like recruiters approaching my kids. Keep your hand off.
I don't want a school teaching acceptance of homosexuality. I don't want them teaching against it. That's my job. The job of the school is to teach them how to read and write etc. I decide what morality is to be taught. I don't like this because of the same reason I don't like recruiters approaching my kids. Keep your hand off.
All the freaks that have a problem with this video, remember just one statement....
THE INTOLERANCE OF TOLERANCE IS HATE!
Enjoy your hatred.
THE INTOLERANCE OF TOLERANCE IS HATE!
Enjoy your hatred.
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
- 50,879
- 4,268
- 126
I have a problem with this video, among other things and that is there is no parental involvement. I don't care if they hand these things out to families to watch. Then the parents get to decide.
Agreed. But, how many parents don't push hatred onto their children? Let's start counting with the Fund-A-Mental cases, shall we? I think we'll be able to use one hand to track the numbers.
I know I shouldn't, but man, it gets frustrating having to drag them into the 21st century kicking and screaming.
Maybe you'd like to point to the part of the video/ song/ teaching materials that addresses homosexuality..?
When I was in elementary school we saw short videos about not making fun of the retarded kid, or treating other students differently because of their race, nationality, physical appearance, or how much money their family had. I guess you're not OK with this either because that's the parents' job, right?
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
- 50,879
- 4,268
- 126
No, I haven't. I haven't seen the associated folder with it. I do know the mission statement from the site. That means they like everyone else has an agenda. They don't make films about whale migrations, do they?
If this organization wants to raise money, and offer these to parents, fine. It is still not the job of schools to raise my kids. There are things I happen to like. Some videos I have at home the kids watch which reinforce values I believe worth having. Do I want to have the kids in school watch them? Not in school. That's not their job.
Hayabusa Rider
Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
- Jan 26, 2000
- 50,879
- 4,268
- 126
When I went to school I didn't have these and I didnt have one that taught me not to rob a bank or blow up people. I didn't have an anti-terriorist movie. I didnt have one that taught me which end of the fork to use and I havent a problem with any of these nor with what you list. Neither do my kids.
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 21K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter