My friend Mike has brought up the Spongebob issue.

Here’s the thing that bothers me about this. Once again, the media has incorrectly reported the real situation. If you’re interested, you can read the cause of all this hullabaloo here. In fact, go do that real quick.

Go on, read it.

Okay, Mister Stubborn, let me help you out…

Question
Why is Dr. Dobson objecting to the distribution of a video featuring such popular children’s characters as SpongeBob SquarePants?

Answer
From the outset, let’s be clear that this issue is not about objections to any specific cartoon characters. Instead, Dr. Dobson is concerned that these popular animated personalities are being exploited by an organization that’s determined to promote the acceptance of homosexuality among our nation’s youth.

We applaud the ideal of championing to children the value and dignity of every human life as well as respect for our differences. What we vehemently object to is using these beloved characters to help advance an agenda that’s beyond the comprehension of 6 and 7 year-old children, not to mention morally offensive to millions of moms and dads.

The video in question is slated to be distributed to 61,000 public and private elementary schools throughout the United States. Where it is shown, schoolchildren will be left with the impression that their teachers are offering their endorsement of the values and agenda associated with the video’s sponsor. While some of the goals associated with this organization are noble in nature, their inclusion of the reference to “sexual identity” within their “tolerance pledge” is not only unnecessary, but it crosses a moral line.

We believe that it is the privilege of parents to decide how, when and where it is appropriate to introduce their children to these types of sensitive issues. The distribution of this video trumps the authority of mothers and fathers and leaves it in the hands of strangers whose standards may very well be different than the children they teach.

By calling it to light this video and its affiliation with this larger organization, we are attempting to do for parents what their busy lives often prevent them from doing themselves–connecting the dots.

Now, did you see anything in that page that said that Dr. Dobson didn’t approve of Spongebob? Did you? I certainly didn’t.

Of course, you’d never know that by all of the news reports and media uproar and blog entries about it, would you. Certainly not. Why, all of these sources would have you believe that Dr. Dobson was condemning Spongebob as being a homosexual!!!

What absolute crap. That’s not what he said at all. Dr. Dobson isn’t condemning Spongebob. He called him a “beloved character”.

So what does he (and others, me included) oppose? What’s the real issue here? Is it Spongebob, as all of the media, hell-bent on distracting you from the real issue, would have you believe?

Nope.

It’s this: if an otherwise lovable character (i.e. the square, yellow guy) is being used to further the agenda of a group that is trying to influence anyone’s children, then that’s something that should probably be addressed. And that’s what Dr. Dobson has done.

Ohh, the humanity!! To think that someone is watching out for my children and trying to be a watchman on the wall when concerning issues come up! We have found a witch. May we burn her?