U.S. Networks Bar Church Ads That Welcome Gays

[Champ]

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two leading U.S. television networks angered gay rights groups on Thursday by refusing to carry an ad by a church welcoming gays to their congregations, a message the networks found too controversial.

The United Church of Christ, a Protestant denomination which has about 1.3 million members, said the 30-second commercial was aimed at making gays feel included and they were disappointed by CBS and NBC's decision to reject it. Cable networks have accepted the ad.

In the ad, heavy-set bouncers stand behind a red velvet rope line outside a church and with bells chiming in the background, hand-holding gay couples are turned away.

"Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we," is the message of the ad.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=597&ncid=763&e=2&u=/nm/20041202/tv_nm/media_gays_dc

[Just Me]

1. The ad showed a number of people being turned away,...

,...a young black woman, an "underdressed" teenager, a gay couple,...

The ad was effective in demonstrating that churches basically drive people away.

[bushisanidiot]

2. What the fuck happened to the 1st Amendment??!!!!

just because it doesn't fit their political agenda doesn't mean it shouldn't be shown!!

fuckhead nazi scum!

[quiet.american]

3. Obsessed!

The Kool-Aid drinkers are now absolutely obsessed with this whole "OMG, gay people!" thing. And the irony, is, right at the heart of them is their greatest fear (Ken Mehlman, anyone?)

Most disturbing about this incredibly disturbing situation is the networks' feeling totally comfortable in committing publicly to this retro bigotry as well as their blatant support of the Bushco agenda. This should be proof enough that our "democracy," if not dead, is at least fast approaching the stage where the priest should be called in for last rites.

[progressiveBadger]

4. I'm trying to play devil's advocate here...

My wife got me thinking about this story this morning. When I was living in Madison, a billboard went up that said: "Homosexuality is not a family value. Homosexuality is a Sin". I remember hating that damn thing and being so pissed off that I had to look at it every day I drove past it.
If the Religous Right aired an anti-gay advertisement, I know we would all be very pissed off.
Again, just TRYING to be neutral here. I haven't seen the ad, and my first reaction to this story was outrage too.

[Just Me]

5. The ad is pro-tolerance,...pro-inclusiveness,...

,...not pro-gay. Being a person who "quit church" because of the hypocrisy and discrimination (and rejection of others who failed to fit into strict conformity),...the ad impacted me enough to consider checking out that particular church.

It was an impactful ad.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. But the billboard company ran that ad

so shouldn't the TV comapnies run this one?

I think this shows how frightened they are of the Bush regime:

" In a written statement to the church, CBS, a unit of Viacom, said the fact that the Bush administration had proposed a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman made the advertisement "unacceptable for broadcast."

NBC said the ad violated a long-standing policy of the network not to allow commercials that dealt with issues of public controversy."

The ad doesn't advocate marrying homosexual couples. It says the church is happy for them to come to church (and implies Jesus would be too). But CBS now thinks that any move by Bush stops any discussion of homosexuality. What bullshit. And NBC is just as bad. It's not 'public controversy' whether a church allows homosexuals to go to its services - yet, at least. If it ever does become controversial, then you know you're living in a theocratic state. For now, this is craven buckling by the broadcasters because they can't be botyhered to stand up for freedom of speech and commerce in the face of some stupid grandstanding by religious bigots like Albert Mohler.

[AmandaRuth]

Frankin did a funny bit on this

played the commercial, then played a commercial for a Viagra type product (featuring a couple in a hot tub with lots of sexual innuendo) which has had prominent play on the networks.

[CBHagman]

7. Send a message at www.cbs.com

If you go down to the bottom of the page, you'll see a "Feedback" link. You can send the gang at CBS a message. I'm going to do it when I get home tonight.

I suppose you could do the same thing at ABC's website, or Viacom's, or maybe GE's.

It kills me to see all the annoying ads and absymal programming on the networks and then find out they've rejected a church ad on inclusivity because of a (very bad word) constitutional amendment that has not even passed yet. Is the entire Constitution going to be dismantled bit by bit?

[Dr Fate]

8. But absolutley NO problem showing false Swiftboat smear ads though.

Blatant, slanderous Lies are okay- but tolerance is "controversial"

Damn that "Liberal Media"!!!!!

[VolcanoJen]

9. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion within the original LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1036780

Thanks!

VolcanoJen
DU Moderator