Cartoon character Sponge Bob SquarePants, is a sea sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea, whose movie is currently showing in Australia, has been condemned by evangelical Christian groups. Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family and an author of such best sellers as Bringing Up Boys and Dare to Discipline, attacked the cartoon at a January 21 Black Tie Republican dinner. He pointed out that SpongeBob was often seen holding hands with his friend, Patrick, a cartoon starfish. He condemned the character’s appearance in a video distributed to 6000 primary schools, promoting “tolerance” and “diversity”, which he said were “codewords to promote homosexuality”. A copy of the video, which features children’s televison characters singing “We are Family”, is available at <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/>.

From Green Left Weekly, February 2, 2005.
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