Shark tale may trick you into loving your kids

Before there was Sponge Bob, there was Lenny the shark. In 2004, the American Family Association carried an "activism" article warning people about the movie coming "far too
close to taking a bite out of traditional moral and spiritual beliefs."

Is the story pro-gay or pro-family?

Before there was Sponge Bob, there was Lenny the shark. In 2004, the American Family Association carried an "activism" article warning people about the movie coming "far too close to taking a bite out of traditional moral and spiritual beliefs."


Is the story pro-gay or pro-family?

The article gives the producers some credit in saying that Lenny isn't explicitly gay in the story. Personally, with the voicing method, the conflict (he's a vegetarian shark) and the eventual outcome of Lenny dressing in a Lavendar tight outfit while cross dressing as a dolphin and dancing at teh car wash - stereotype or not, it sent a pretty clear message to me about the intended metaphor.

With Alan Keyes recently cutting off housing and education from his young daughter for coming out in her blog and in the streets of activism, and "family" groups attacking Sponge Bob for promoting tolerance - I really should expect someone to attack this story.

Metaphors or not, the plot is one where a father accepts his son even though "he's different" and won't fill his father's shoes in the "family business."

This attack on the story reaches deep into the world of metaphors to have it override everything that is on the surface. Acceptance of our children for what they are. Alan Keyes and the AFA don't appear to favor tolerance - not even of our children.

And let's be clear - tolerance isn't praise. It's the cynical approach that says "I'll let you exist in my presence even though I may despise you." Baby steps that some can't take.

What bothers me is that these people attack the basic family values of sticking together, going through rough times together and loving your children for what they are in favor of banishment and paranoia. How does the press and public respond? By tolerating them as legitimate voices for Family Values.

Whose family?