SpongeBob comes out of the closet?

We had often heard rumors that SpongeBob SquarePants was gay but knew in our heart -- or so we thought -- that he was asexual.  Now his secret is out, we guess.  Or is he just being railroaded as Big Bird is into P.C. boosterism? How does his buddy, starfish Patrick feel about this "outing"?

"In a new video to be distributed to 61,000 schools across the nation, homosexual activists are using popular children's TV characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Barney the dinosaur to surreptitiously indoctrinate young children into their lifestyle, a pro-family activist group charges," reports World News Daily [via Happy Mills]:

Based on the 1970s hit song "We Are Family," the video will be distributed to public and private elementary schools nationwide March 11, along with lesson plans for teachers.

The distribution, sponsored by FedEx, will coincide with the video's broadcast March 11 on Nickelodeon, PBS, and the Disney Channel in celebration of the proposed National We Are Family Day.

The foundation has a "tolerance pledge" on its website that children and others are encouraged to sign, which includes sexual orientation.

That "tolerance pledge" reminds us of the "temperance pledge" our mother took as a little girl back in the day:

Temperence Pledge signed by many an innocent, including our own mother way back when -- an innocent child -- before she had ever had her first drink: "I hereby promise to abstain from the use of all intoxicating liquors, including wine, beer and cider, as a beverage: from the use of tobacco in any form, and from all profanity".

It's very much in the mainstream of American culture to try to indoctrinate other people's children.  What's new is that it's switched from the right to the left in the last period of time.

Comments

[goomp]

Mummie did stick to part of the pledge. I can't remember her using profanity.

[Jack]

My maternal great-grandmother, one Louise Lawrence, took "the pledge" as a child of nine in the early 1880s (that would be around 40 year before Prohibition). She never touched another drop.

In any case, when my father was being paraded around the family on the occasion of my parents engagement (circa 1960), my mother took him to see Louise's brother, my legendary great-great Uncle Dudley (you're getting a sense of my extreme WASPishness, I'm sure). When my father arrived, Dudley announced that "Louise called and made me promise that I wouldn't serve you any alcohol.... So you'll have to serve yourselves!" and then gestured to the well-stocked liquor cabinet.

A brother and sister in their eighties, still doing battle over the Pledge.

While I'm not too concerned about any indoctrination that uses Sponge Bob as a vehicle (did the "gay TeleTubby" have any impact?), I loved the way you linked it to the temperance pledges. Great post.

[Sissy Willis]

Yes, Goomp. I always think of Mummie's keeping a quality-control eye on this blog. Her effortless command of the language and rich vocabulary -- as well as her aversion to profanity -- are angels on my shoulder. Not to mention the knowledge that The Old Salt himself is checking in daily. :)

[Sissy Willis]

Thank you, Jack, for the kudos and a great story. I'll bet you give great toasts at weddings!

[Michael]

Is there no end to left-leaning PC indoctrination in our schools other than to home school? Sheesh.

Wonder what would happen if a conservative Christian group used one of the South Park characters to promote a heterosexual lifestyle within a traditional family ie with both mother and father and both functioning normally, and then paid to have it distributed throughout 61,000 public schools? Any guesses? How long before the ACLU would rise up in self-righteous indignation?

BTW: 61,000? Are there that many public schools in the nation? that would be more than 5200 per state. Seems high, but maybe not.

[Sissy Willis]

I report, you decide? Don't know about the figures, but your comments are well taken, Michael.

[Alan Levering]

I have been doing some research on my own on this video and came across this thread via Google so thought I would chime in.

[Note to Alan: Your comment was intrusively long and meandering, and that is why I have deleted most of it. Try to organize your thoughts into one or two brief paragraphs that will encourage others to understand and be sympathetic with your argument.]

[Alan Levering]

I have been doing some research on my own on this video and came across this thread via Google so thought I would chime in.

I have actual excerpts from the foundations website to prove the validity of the article.

please click for the full, detailed discussion of this "campaign":

Part 1 (Reprint of the first article): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exgaydiscussionboard/message/13426

Part 2 (Reprint of the second article):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exgaydiscussionboard/message/13427

Part 3 (My commentary/research):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exgaydiscussionboard/message/13428

email me at [email protected] for comments!!

[sinne]

Hi do anyone know where on the internet is the video already.
I am from the netherlands and I would like too know how the children in the US are educated

[Alan Levering]

The entire video is on MSNBC.com -- under "Countdown with Keith Olberman).

What the liberal media fails to realize is that the video in question makes 2 separate references to the Foundation, including a clip from the character "Mouse" from PBS's "Between the Lions" which shows he apparently has found the Foundation's website on his computer.

The Foundation, itself, beyond just the "Tolerance Pledge" has at least SIX different references to homosexuality, sexual identity, or sexual orientation in its site's materials, mostly in suggested lesson plans (from previous campaigns) aimed at school-aged children. (see "Part 3", above)

The actual lesson plans that will be accompanying the video are not publicly posted anywhere for review, so no one knows what the exact package will contain (Though MSNBC supposedly has a copy).

Yes tolerance can and should be promoted, but would it not be better to use more neutral or all-inclusive language, like "tolerance for individuals no matter what there difference is." "You should not tease other kids no matter what the reason is." "You should try to get along with others even if you disagree on things."

These are simple statements that ANY sane person would accept as true and healthy for young children to hear, but SPECIFICALLY singling out homosexuality among a list of other groups does something more -- it attempts to bring homosexuality to the same level and status of other minority or oppressed groups as if it is something to be honored, not just shown tolerance to.

In addition, I find it fascinating that not only has WAFF threatened a lawsuit against AFA but has also REMOVED most of the offensive pro-gay pages from its site, especially the ones that AFA has specifically referenced (including #'s 1, 3 & 4 from my earlier post). Is this an attempt at making peace or an attempt at removing evidence?? (for more info on this see: http://www.earnedmedia.org/sbm0125.htm )

[Alan Levering]

To further prove the makers' intentions, some of the makers have also produced an episode of "Postcards from Buster" (An Arthur Spin-off on PBS) that shows them visiting a real lesbian couple with a child in Vermont. The Bush Administration heard about it and has denied it being able to air it on PBS, but I guess FCC rules state that individual stations are free to air it if they wish but it will not be shown nationally (The Boston affiliate -- WGBH -- who was one of the producers is still planning on airing it.)

BTW -- Arthur, Buster and the gang ALL appear on the SpongeBob video as well! Coincidence????

--Alan Levering