And The Religious Right Go Marching On!!!!

[Dave The Dov]

US conservatives upset at 'Buster' bunny, 'Sponge Bob' cartoons' pro-gay use

Mon Jan 31,10:47 AM ET


WASHINGTON (AFP) - Two US children's animated characters, "Buster" the rabbit and "Sponge Bob," have whipped up a storm, with conservative Christians and the new US education secretary scrutinizing pro-gay associations in viewing for young children.


AFP/File Photo



Education Secretary Margaret Spellings denounced an episode of children's TV series "Postcards from Buster" in which its rabbit star Buster Baxter is shown visiting a lesbian couple and their children.


"Many parents would not want their young children exposed to the lifestyles portrayed in this episode," Spellings wrote to the president of PBS, shortly after her appointment. The secretary was previously an adviser to the White House.


The episode, filmed in Vermont, the northeast US state that authorizes gay civil unions, was due for release February 2.


However, television channel PBS, which received public funding to make the episode, opted not to broadcast it. Instead of returning monies used as suggested, it will film a new episode.


A channel in Boston, Massachusetts, meanwhile, that was involved in making the program chose to broadcast the episode, saying it teaches tolerance towards family differences.


A number of Christian conservatives expressed appreciation for the government's position.


One such was "Focus on the Family" director James Dobson, who also caused a stir recently when he raised concerns about a video, due for release March 11 to children in 61,000 elementary schools, to celebrate the proposed 'National We Are Family Day.'


Dobson claims the video's sponsors, The We Are Family Foundation, has a pro-homosexual agenda, using a host of cartoon characters, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Big Bird and Winnie The Pooh, to infiltrate schools with their message.


Dobson said on his internet site that comments he made about the video at a 2005 Presidential Inaugural dinner were "about the way in which those childhood symbols are apparently being hijacked to promote an agenda that involves teaching homosexual propaganda to children."


The We Are Family Foundation said on its website that more than 100 "beloved children's characters, have united to re-record the smash hit 'We Are Family' (1979) in an unprecedented music video to promote tolerance and diversity to America's children."


AFP watching the video saw no reference to sexuality issues.


Another conservative organization, "American Family Association", said in a release: "While the video itself does not overtly promote homosexuality, it serves as a hook to entice children and teachers to use the web site and the materials there such as teacher lesson plans, which explicitly promote the homosexual lifestyle."


A letter from the foundation accompanying the video gives question-answer advice relating to questions possibly raised by children on different family situations.


The New York Times quoted Mark Barondess, lawyer for The We Are Family Foundation, as saying that anyone who sees harm in the video "needs medication."


President George W. Bush (news - web sites), in an interview broadcast Sunday on C-Span, when asked about the cartoon controversy, said:"They put an 'off' button on the TV for a reason. Turn it off.


"Look, we are a great society because we're a free society," Bush said. But added: "On the other hand, it is very important for there to be limits .. to what parents have to explain to their children.





"Parents' first responsibility is to pay attention to what their children listen to, whether it be rock songs, or movies or TV shows."

This is not the first objection from conservative Christians against characters from the small screen. In 1999, British "Teletubbies" personality "Tinky-Winky", bag in hand and a touch effeminate, also came under scrutiny.
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