Month: January 2005

If you listen to the radio, flip through TV channels, or pick up a newspaper, you probably already know that the religious right is warning the public at large about the dangers of SpongeBob Squarepants. Somehow, this innocent yellow sponge has been forced into the ranks of those dangerous rabble rousers known as Barney and Tinky-Winky. We are to shield our children from the sponge because he is one of hundreds of cartoon characters featured in a video that — horrors! — preaches tolerance. How dare he! SpongeBob, Arthur, Winnie the Pooh and other beloved cartoon characters are featured in a video — with voice-over provided by Bill Cosby — produced by We Are Family Foundation, a group whose mission is to foster a greater understanding of cultural differences. Those of you who are around my age may remember the disco hit by the same title, performed by Sister Sledge. You’ll recall that there is nothing pro-homosexual about the song. According to...