Amazing!!! Great Idea.

First, as Bill Jacoby has noted, James Dobson never said that Spongebob Squarepants is gay. Dobson just objected to a pro-tolerance video that Spongebob and several other kid-friendly characters appeared in. The whole "Spongebob is gay" thing is just a big urban legend. Having said that, though, I'm hardly a supporter of Dobson's homophobic, hard-right agenda. In fact, I think that Dobson, in his role as a longtime advocate for corporal punishment, has done more harm to children than any TV show or movie ever could.

http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/commentary/a0035376.cfm and http://family.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/family.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_... fyi

Thank you Mr. Robinson for this article. As a gay man, this hostility, ignorance and fear, is something I deal with on a daily basis, either directly through personal experiences or indirectly through the media reporting of "concern" over the Buster series. It is a particularly difficult time right now with the current conservative political climate in this country. I thought living in some place as "cosmopolitan" as New York would be a safe place not to have to be confronted with the idea that gay people are the root of all evil, but at the animation studio I work at I have heard people say things like "that is so gay" and like this past week, a woman in our studio discussed openly in front of ten of her fellow co-workers, how disgusted she was when a woman came on to her once. The very idea that she felt it was acceptable to say something that might cause another person to feel like the environment they are working in is somehow inhospitable (or even hostile) to them is and was shocking to me. And painful. Another example from last week was when I was looking at a co-worker's comic book and in the back there were rough sketches of the character designs. On one of the character sketches that the artist was unhappy with the word "Fag" appeared. On another sketch the artist liked, the words "Not Gay" appeared. This is really painful stuff to have to see. I am 37 years old, openly gay and have a strong sense of myself (thanks to my 12 Step recovery) and these things are still not easy for me to deal with. Can you imagine how much more difficult a 13 year old boy trying to come to terms with his sexuality would be if he picked up that comic book and read those words? Comics are supposed to be a place of escape for kids (and adults). But not a gay kid. Not with the very plain message that being gay is not acceptable, at least in that comic book. Forget how horrible President Bush is and how he has created an environment in which blaming gay people for societal ills and denying gay people basic human rights like marriage is acceptable; these hurtful acts are being done by comic book artists and my fellow animators. You are dead on that the gay youth of this country have it even more difficult time of staying alive and keeping their self esteem in tact. The most bizarre thing about all of the fear and hysteria that the conservative Right is stirring up, is how much pain and suffering these events which are meant to protect children actually cause them harm. First of all gay people are born gay. There is no such thing as being persuaded into being gay or "turned" gay. Telling gay children that they have no value (which is what all of the Sponge Bob and Buster stuff boils down to) hurts them on a very deep level, but when all is said and done, they are still gay. So what has been accomplished? Then when we become adults, many of us are gay, filled with self-hatred, and spend a great deal of time trying to destroy ourselves through drugs, sex and food. In essence, we become, through the unloving and often emotionally and physically violent acts of certainly the Moral Majority, but also our parents, neighbors, classmates and colleagues, the very thing they fear so much; men and women who have lost their sense of connection to G-d. I could go on and on about this topic. But the end message here is that first of all, it is easy to point fingers at the stupidity of calling Sponge Bob gay, but it is much more difficult to check yourself and acknowledge where you are contributing to a world environment in which gay people are not allowed to live with the same dignity and respect as all other people. (A little hint: if you are publishing comic books with the words "Fag" in them or are talking openly and loudly at work about how uncomfortable it is to be hit on by someone of the same sex, you can safely call yourself a contributor). I also want to say that gay people will not win our rights on our own. We are going to need straight people with some common sense (like yourself) to stand up and speak out against things that go against the humane treatment of all people in our society, for the better of everyone. Thank you for your support. Doug Allen NYC

another great piece of insight chris, grats yeah, as always, money makes the world go 'round too bad so few care to wake up from their self-induced comas to pay more attention to what all life is really about keep tilting at em, bud even if you only reach one per post

Pimp-Baby, We miss your rants,and I also argued with people about Janet Jackson's ' breast' as the very nourishing item every baby needs to survive. but did you ever notice the 'flashing' blank-white screen,done in milliseconds,which are all over the networks,that possibly DAMAGE the eye? these 'Pavlovian' response 'flashes ' are timed to coincide with brand name-anouncments,like the 'dodge' commercial ,saying 'HIT-IT!" with the timmed 'flash' ,which is supposed to 'burn' the sound and image into viewers brainwashed minds?Where are our 'lawmakers' when all this is allowed to continue,without a wimper from protesters who value their eyesight? If canada had a tropical zone, i would be applying for citizenship, but BC would be my choice,if things get any worse-here,in "AMERIKA". And why did (not) the religious idiots complain about this eyed damaging stuff,as it is probably causing damage to viewers retnas!Don't believe me,then just turn off the room lights, and look back,as the room flashes on the wall during such commercials. I choose beautiful 'nipples-exposed' for a millisecond,instead of 'bright light flashing commercials that are designed to brainwash viewers.

What a sensible, articulate, interesting article. I too have wondered what the fuss is about with gay characters, when in contrast other "adult" issues are free for the pickin' but justified as "ok for kids entertainment" I came accross your link from stripperweb.com - I am a comic writer. Will book mark this site.

I thought this sight was suppose to be on animation, not sexual preference.

Fuck! Liberace a faggot? Are you sure about that Pimp? Shit, who knew!?!