A national coalition of women's groups called on CBS on Monday to scrap its plan to broadcast an ad during the Super Bowl featuring college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, which critics say is likely to convey an anti-abortion message. "An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year - an event designed to bring Americans together," said Jehmu Greene, president of the New York-based Women's Media Center.
Bring Americans TOGETHER? What are we doing - holding hands and singing Kum ba yah? It's a FOOTBALL GAME, lady!
The center was coordinating the protest with backing from the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and other groups.
Network Approved Script
CBS said it has approved the script for the 30-second ad and has given no indication that the protest would have an impact. A network spokesman, Dana McClintock, said CBS would ensure that any issue-oriented ad was "appropriate for air."
The ad is paid for by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family and is expected to recount the story of Pam Tebow's pregnancy in 1987 with a theme of "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life." After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim, who went on to win the 2007 Heisman Trophy while helping his Florida team to two BCS championships. That's quite a story, and worthy of telling.
The controversy over the ad was raised Sunday when Tebow met with reporters in Mobile, Ala., before beginning preparations for next weekend's Senior Bowl.
"I know some people won't agree with it, but I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe," Tebow said. "I've always been very convicted of it (his views on abortion) because that's the reason I'm here, because my mom was a very courageous woman. So any way that I could help, I would do it."
Ads Selling For Up To $2.8 Million
Thirty-second commercials during the Super Bowl are selling for $2.5 million to $2.8 million. Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for Focus on the Family, said funds for the Tebow ad were donated by a few "very generous friends" and did not come from the group's general fund.
Schneeberger said he and his colleagues "were a little surprised" at the furor over the ad.
"There's nothing political and controversial about it," he said. "When the day arrives, and you sit down to watch the game on TV, those who oppose it will be quite surprised at what the ad is all about."
The protest letter from the Women's Media Center suggested that CBS should have turned down the ad in part because it was conceived by Focus on the Family.
"By offering one of the most coveted advertising spots of the year to an anti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization, CBS is aligning itself with a political stance that will damage its reputation, alienate viewers, and discourage consumers from supporting its shows and advertisers," the letter said.
So-called women's groups and other Liberal organizations talk about supporting the First Amendment, but only if it is in their (best) interest. If you discuss your beliefs and opinions then the Right to Free Speech immediately has limitations. They use buzz-words like anti-equality and homophobia, because like so many other 'Progressives' on the Left, they love playing the victim.
Listen, just because you remember the passage of Sodom and Gomorrah and do not condone homosexuals, does not make you homophobic. It makes you straight and traditional. These days, Heaven help you if you are any of that.
However, Schneeberger said CBS officials carefully examined Focus on the Family's track record and found no basis for rejecting the ad.
"We understand that some people don't think very highly of what we do," Schneeberger said. "We're not trying to sell you a soft drink - we're not selling anything. We're trying to celebrate families." And families are in danger of the rights from immoral Left.
The idea for the ad came from an employee in Focus on the Family's film department, Schneeberger said, and the Tebows "were thrilled" when it was proposed to them. The Tebows, including Tim, have been outspoken in discussing their Christian faith and their missionary work.
All the national networks, including CBS, have policies that rule out the broadcast of certain types of contentious advocacy ads. In 2004, CBS cited such a policy in rejecting an ad by the liberal-leaning United Church of Christ highlighting the UCC's welcoming stance toward gays and others who might feel shunned by more conservative churches.
CBS was criticized for rejecting that ad - and perhaps might have worried about comparable criticism from conservatives if it had rejected an ad featuring such a charismatic and well-known figure as Tebow.
CBS noted that it had run some advocacy ads in recent months, including spots taking conflicting sides in the debate of a national health care overhaul.
Terry O'Neill, the president of the National Organization for Women, said she had respect for the private choices made by women such as Pam Tebow (yeah, sure ya do) but condemned the planned ad as "extraordinarily offensive and demeaning." (Well, of course you do, as over-used as that line is.)
People from the Left are easily offended since they are afraid of losing their power and influence, let alone the notoriety. They are clearly anti-tradition, anti-First Amendment and yes, we'll say it, very anti-American, while being very pro-socialist. Do they not realize that in socialist countries, gays and lesbians are tortured and condemned? Maybe it is in these countries they should promote their agenda.
It's Free Speech, N.O.W., Women's Media Center, etc., and you're just furious that you didn't think about placing your own ad first. You'd rather spend your money on rubbers and needles for teens. Oh and by the way, next week we're having a Straight Pride Rally in the park.
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