In the days leading up to the broadcast, religious extremist organizations, particularly the virulent Traditional Values Coalition (TVC), have been mailbombing Nickelodeon in an attempt to crush debate on the issue, with the false premise that the show would "promote homosexuality." It should be noted that TVC was asked by Nickelodeon producers to supply them with information on the views of anti-gay fundamentalist Christians and with an example of a typical fundamentalist Christian family; the TVC adamantly refused. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD), however, was happy to offer resources to Nickelodeon about gay families.
In citing evidence for the show's supposed pro-gay bias, the TVC believes that the sheer number of fundamentalist Christians on the show compared to indifferent or gay-friendly people is good enough evidence to suggest a pro-gay bias. Unfortunately, their argument bears little weight. For example, the fundamentalist Christians featured on the show, who were identified solely as "Christians" so as to suggest that all Christians feel that homosexuality is a "sin," went unchallenged when making such points as "the Bible clearly says that homosexuality is wrong" (when we know that this is not the case). In addition, the feature with Jerry Falwell, who was presented as a kind, gentle, grandfatherly figure, even when his public comments suggest otherwise, likewise went unchallenged. Finally, pro-gay views were outnumbered 2-to-1 in a feature with a fundamentalist Christian family and Peter LaBarbera, a member of the anti-gay Culture & Family Institute (CFI), on the anti-gay side and Winnie Stachelberg, Political Director of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), on the pro-gay side. Gee...What a pro-gay biased show!
More misconceptions, this one from the Family Research Council (FRC), include the assertion that the show was free of commercials because either advertisers didn't want to touch it or that Nickelodeon wanted to maximize kids' exposure to the "homosexual propaganda." Unfortunately, the FRC knows that both these conditions are untrue and has thus clearly pulled a False Dilemma fallacy. The fact is that all Nick News Specials of an important and/or controversial nature (including shows on HIV/AIDS and Monica Lewinsky) have been aired commercial-free.
The TVC and FRC weren't alone in the fundamentalist Christian opposition to debate. AFA President Don Wildmon, apparently now being referred to as "Tim Wildmon," believes that only God can define the word "family." So, "Tim," where is God's definition of the word "family" in the Bible? I honestly don't see anything like this in the Bible:
"The definition of the word 'family' is that of one heterosexual chaste Christian male and one heterosexual chaste Christian female joined together through an official Christian wedding ceremony. One or more heterosexual Christian children are strongly encouraged and the child(ren) must be conceived during wedlock. Anything other than this is not a family."
Perhaps "Tim" can enlighten me on that one. Fundamentalist Christianity's War on Gays, however, continues...
Correction: Apparently Tim Wildmon is Don Wildmon's son, who has (quietly) taken over the AFA from his like-minded father. I apologize for the confusion, but it is a little difficult to discern between the vitriol either one of the Wildmons spew. Like father, like son, I guess. Special thanks to reader Dr. Awkward for pointing that one out.
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