Private: SpongeBob SquarePants Fuels Ideological Debate

by Colleen Berry, Editor-at-Large
Regardless of your opinion about the SpongeBob SquarePants cartoon, chances are you probably have an opinion about either the current controversy involving the character, his music video debut, or Dr. James Dobson. How you describe this controversy depends upon with whom you're talking, but the very convoluted timeline begins with the destruction of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.
In response to the catastrophic events of September 11th, some 200 celebrities were assembled to re-record the renowned song, "We Are Family." From this gathering was spawned the We Are Family Foundation, whose mission is to celebrate "our common humanity and the vision of a global family." On November 10, 2004, the Foundation released a press statement about their newest endeavor. More than 100 popular children's characters, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney, Winnie the Pooh, Big Bird, and Dora the Explorer, are all featured performing together in a music video of the song, "We Are Family." Producer Christopher Cerf stated, "The producers and performers from each show embraced the spirit and message of this project. They were thrilled to allow their characters to appear with other characters from different shows simply because they understood the importance and meaning behind 'We Are Family.'"
The music video is scheduled for distribution to over 60,000 elementary schools this spring. The We Are Family Foundation has partnered with the Anti-Defamation League to publicly distribute the video, which will coincide with the premier broadcast of the video on Nickelodeon, PBS, and the Disney Channel on March 11. Coupled with the video's distribution to the schools is educational material for teachers, intended to help inform children about diversity and tolerance. FedEx also teamed up with the We Are Family Foundation, and offered to pick up the tab for the shipping costs of the educational materials.
So, where does the controversy fit into this harmonious collaboration?
Dr. James Dobson, founder of the non-profit organization Focus on the Family, is of the opinion that the popular cartoon characters have been "hijacked to promote an agenda that involves teaching homosexual propaganda to children." His organization, amongst others, has decried the upcoming distribution of the music video to elementary schools. At a black-tie presidential election celebration earlier this year, Dr. Dobson addressed the crowd by asking, "Does anybody here know SpongeBob?" Dr. Dobson's outspoken position on homosexuality, coupled with his public commentary about SpongeBob, has prompted a flurry of discussion and speculation.

Prior to the most recent comments made by Dr. Dobson, the "conservative news and discussion forum" Free Republic reported about the upcoming distribution of the video to elementary schools, which sparked a response thread of nearly 500 comments. Shortly thereafter, TalkLeft's article "Dobson v. SpongeBob" resulted in a discussion thread that continued for three days. When uber-blog DailyKos posted Dr. Dobson's statements, the thread generated more than 300 comments.A pro-Christian site emphatically asserted that smearing SpongeBob SquarePants is a just terrible public relations move, never mind the public policy or ideology issues.
Credit for first "outing" SpongeBob generally goes to the Wall Street Journal. In 2002, the newspaper reported that SpongeBob had gained iconic status in the gay community. In his interview with the Wall Street Journal, SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg denied that the cartoon character is homosexual and stated, "I do think that the attitude of the show is about tolerance. Everybody is different, and the show embraces that."
While some are offended by the television show regularly portraying SpongeBob holding hands with his best friend Patrick, Dr. Dobson's camp contends that they do not take issue with SpongeBob's sexual identity. Rather, they take issue with the "Tolerance Pledge" that is posted on the We Are Family Foundation website. The pledge reads, in part, "To keep diversity a wellspring of strength and make America a better place for all, I pledge to have respect for people whose abilities, beliefs, culture, race, sexual identity or other characteristics are different from my own."
Of the pledge, Dr. Dobson stated, "Their inclusion of the reference to 'sexual identity' within their 'tolerance pledge' is not only unnecessary, but it crosses a moral line." Subsequently, Dr. Dobson attempted to clarify his position in the February issue of his monthly newsletter: "I expressed great concern about the intention of the We Are Family Foundation in using SpongeBob and company to promote the theme of 'tolerance and diversity,' which are almost always buzzwords for homosexual advocacy." He further stated, "Every individual is entitled to respect and human dignity, including those with whom we disagree strongly . . . But kids should not be taught that homosexuality is just another 'lifestyle,' or that it is morally equivalent to heterosexuality." Thus, the present SpongeBob controversy does not center itself on the sexual identity of SpongeBob Squarepants, or any of the other children's characters in the video. On the contrary, it is argued that homosexuality is being imposed upon SpongeBob and his little friend Patrick, for the purpose of "brainwashing" today's youth. As posted on DailyKos, "SpongeBob can proudly join the pantheon of nefarious cartoon characters complicit in the insidious gay agenda, alongside other stalwarths as Barney the Purple Dinosaur and the Teletubbies." Bugs Bunny has taken fire for his cross-dressing antics, Bert and Ernie were the subjects of scandal in the 1990's, and the Teletubbies' Tinky Winky drew plenty of disdain for the purse he carried. SpongeBob SquarePants is currently the pundit of the hour. On the other hand, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann noted, "[N]ot only did I not see any sexual identity in [the music video], I didn't even see very much of SpongeBob either. Although Winnie the Pooh wasn't wearing pants."