The American Spectator : CBS Double Standard: Network and Church Battle Over Ads

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CBS Double Standard: Network and Church Battle Over Ads

By Jeffrey Lord on 2.2.10 @ 6:08AM

United Church of Christ attacks liberal network for "arbitrary" banning of church ad: Tebow at issue.

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There are no gallows for dissent in America today, in considerable part thanks to the earliest members of this church like Hancock and his fellow UCC layman John Adams, who helped frame the basic documents that protect our human rights. But there is a disturbing tendency, ironically, that has surfaced in the UCC leadership that is unwelcoming to dissent, that tries to give the impression they speak for all members on any manner of issues like abortion when in fact they can speak for none.

It is the same reasoning that is, in addition to finances, surely at the core of the CBS decision not to show the UCC ad. CBS is manifestly uncomfortable showing even the mildest of ads that implies tolerance for gays in the same fashion that Rev. Guess leads people to believe the UCC is manifestly uncomfortable admitting its ranks are filled with pro-lifers. The same dynamic, the same impulse -- to repress the uncomfortable Other and simply deny its existence -- is ironically present in the hierarchies of both network and church. This hyper-political correctness is seen repeatedly all over America in incidents as varied as denying Rush Limbaugh a chance to buy an ownership role of an NFL team, (grossly slandering him with made-up comments that he never uttered), the recent banning of Webster's dictionary from the Menifee, California school district because it contained offensive words and for that matter the banning of all manner of other books ranging from the Harry Potter series to John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men and Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn.

The United Church of Christ should never be on the side of book banners and burners, of those who wish to hush-Rush or Drop Dobbs. All too easily the tables can be turned, which is exactly the effect of the CBS decision to ban the UCC ad.

CBS should have one crystal clear standard for those advocacy groups -- be it Dr. Dobson's Focus on the Family or the United Church of Christ -- who wish to pony up the bucks to advertise on national television.

At the moment, what CBS has is a standard -- a double standard. It might begin to make amends by finally running that UCC ad.

During the Super Bowl.

Page: < 1 23

topics:
Abortion, Free Speech, United Church of Christ, Super Bowl, Danica Patrick

About the Author

Jeffrey Lord is a former Reagan White House political director and author. He writes from Pennsylvania at jlpa1@aol.com.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (56) | Leave a comment

Appleby| 2.2.10 @ 6:33AM

While I had no objection per se to the UCC ad, it struck me as misleading, in that it intimated that homosexuals were not admitted to mainstream churches at all. Except for the Anglican/Episcopal church, which worships homosexuality, apparently, I have never heard anyone asking the sexual preferences at the door. Of anybody. Except for Anglicans and deliberate troublemakers, people simply do not come to church to have sex or celebrate the same.

Heck, our Catholic congregation does not even ask for proof that the man or woman with you is your original husband or wife, that you have no condoms in your wallet, or that you have ever played Bingo.

That commercial is misleading in its suggestion that the UCC is the only church that actually admits sinners. It may be the only church, except for the Anglicans, that does not admit there are such things as sinners, and I would love to see that ad when you produce it.

Alan Brooks| 2.3.10 @ 9:41PM

Is the Weather Channel still safe? or should one sprinkle saltpeter on the popcorn before watching?

RRRoss| 2.2.10 @ 7:56AM

See B.S. Their network acronym says it all. Seeing the double standard up close is a beautiful thing.

Mattled| 2.2.10 @ 8:03AM

The less we watch of these whore-rific networks, the better.

The sooner the local affiliates start dropping network news, the sooner they'll have me back.

Otherwise, Food Network (albeit the Moochelle Obama garden fiasco made me wretch) will be my number one network.

Stephanie| 2.2.10 @ 8:23AM

Mattled, ma shell my bell was on the Food Network? Good Lord!

crookedwren| 2.2.10 @ 1:06PM

I refused to watch the White House Iron Chef thing. The sight of the Obamas, Biden, Pelosi, Reid, and Barney Frank give me indigestion. Michelle on the Food Network, arugula in hand or not, is just too much.

blackwatch| 2.3.10 @ 12:17AM

what worse is that phony plea from michelle--text whatever and send $10 to Haiti.

Hey Michelle why don't you send your brother in law in Kenya the $10. you are a hypocrit!! Now your loser husband wants to end the charitble tax deduction for the wealthy. who the hell do you think gives money to charity? It ain't the poor and it surely is NOT LIBERAL DEMOCRATS!

WHERE'S THE NOBEL PRIZE MONEY SHELLEY?? Huh? Can't part with yet?

Ryan| 2.2.10 @ 8:33AM

Several questions:

Can the UCC afford the ad? I'm hearing rumors that this could just be a publicity ploy, and that the $3mm for the spot may not be there...

Does CBS not have a right to what it airs on TV?

I think there is a valid point - that they should consider advocacy ads with equal weight - but this IS a private company with responsibilities to shareholders and its audience.

Mattled| 2.2.10 @ 8:49AM

Stephanie,
Yes she was. It was a Super Iron Chef thingy with the secret ingredient being the Moochelle WH garden.

Only problem is (and I'm paraphrasing) is that the vegetables out of that garden are treated with raw sewage http://answers.yahoo.com/quest.....06AAJQBvj.

So just at the Obambi dictatorship goes, so goes his garden.

I started calling him Ocaca----after he called the (previously undefeated) Kentucky team to wish them good luck----they lost to SCarolina.

South carolina basketball players must be racist!
Just like Olympic organizers, VA, NJ and MA voters.

Everything the guy, and his pretend-wife touch, turns to caca.

Curly Smith| 2.2.10 @ 8:54AM

No, no, no.

CBS had to accept the Tebow ad because CBS has a "pro sex" advocacy policy. Take a look at the ads... they're dominated by alcohol and ED meds and if that doesn't lead to procreation then you should change your ED medication.

Seriously, though, CBS is just looking at their prospective audience and predicting what their reactions will be. They don't want to offend the great unwashed. It's like Harry Reid looking out for the bigots of America with his "light skinned and with no Negro dialect" analysis of Obama. But neither CBS nor Harry Reid understand that the great unwashed aren't liberals, the great unwashed are very tolerant and inclusive. In fact, the great unwashed knows that the First Amendment gives others the right to advocate for issues with which the great unwashed disagrees, which immediately disqualifies them from becoming a Justice on the Supreme Court.

gearjammer| 2.2.10 @ 9:24AM

Been a Patriots fan my entire life, just about, and I am almost happy they have flamed. This old loyalty kept me watching as they had a great decade. But, in the last few years the NFL has lost me. It has so merged with pop culture, and major media that the game's soul has been sacrificed. The noise, the noise, the endless commercials, the slick video spots, so slick and silly and smarmy. I'd yell at the set " the game the game ! where is the game ?" I could give a shit less about it all now. My wife and I will enjoy the days together as a long married couple we will figure something better to do, than listen and view the mandatory bedlam and nutso circus acts that take up 80 per cent of the presentation. What silly rockers will be doing the half time show ? What bunk.

northern Rebel| 2.2.10 @ 9:44AM

I have mentioned this story before, but it's worth retelling:

My wife was told that if she attempted to have her second child, both her and the child would die, and she should abort forthwith.

Everyone except my sister and I, urged her to have an abortion, including her husband, the biological father.

She refused and as a result, I have a 25 yr old princess that calls me daddy, and a 5yr old granddaughter, who calls me Papa.

I thank God every day, for the courage my wife displayed, when everyone told her to take the "easy" way out. She is the bravest person I have ever met, and I am humbled , and honored, to be her husband.

What are these people afraid of?

Follow the money.

Take a look at the financial books of Planned Parenthood, and see where the money comes from:

KILLING UNBORN CHILDREN!

My wife can sleep at night. I don't know how these other folks do it.

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 9:46AM

Lord, you completely missed the point here. CBS is a business. When Roger Ailes was on "This Week" he said his business is "ratings", not a morality play. He uses his ultra right wing bias to gain an audience with little competition and high frequency. MSNBC has made the BUSINESS move of moving strongly to the left to better segment that audience.

The CBS move has nothing to do with being biased -- is has to do with ratings and profits. They must have research indicating that they have little to gain by putting this on the air as most right wing viewers will not watch CBS much in any event.

It is about business, not right wing ideology.

Jeffrey Lord| 2.2.10 @ 11:15AM

Bob...
Not only did I not miss the point, I made the point and applauded CBS for having a bias to profit. Else, why exist?

Simon Templar| 2.2.10 @ 10:16AM

Let's cut the crap and get to the real issue and what is really happenning here. Your UCC does not give a rats a$$ about freedom of speech and fairness. You are attacking CBS now because you, as a progressive liberal so-called church, do not like the message of pro-life. Your so-called exclusive inclusiveness is a typical left wing ploy to sound so sweet and nice in order to promote homosexuality and convince others that it is normal and not an abomination as the scriptures of your supposed religion advocates. What better way to stop the prolife ad then have a church attack CBS on an unrelated issue rather then the obvious Planned Parenthood and pro-abortion groups. ..very clever. Yes, CBS is a business..a private one...a left wing network...but nevertheless a business that knows it must make money to exist..so when it is necessary it will do things that step outside of its own biases and left wing journalistic slant.

Jeffrey Lord| 2.2.10 @ 11:12AM

Simon..

Hello? I am pro-life, and so are lots of UCC members. The national folks, no. The members in the pews...lots of them. Respectfully, you err.

Simon Templar| 2.2.10 @ 11:19AM

I stand corrected...the UCC Leadership. Something I would not be proud of if I were you..perhaps you should start thinking about taking back your church and setting it back on the path of your christian beliefs and values...you know... those outlined in your bible.

Jeffrey Lord| 2.2.10 @ 12:03PM

Simon...

The polity of the UCC - the descendant church of, among others, the Congregationalists, is that each local church runs itself. Mine does. There's nothing to "take back" because we spend our time as a community of faith, not doing politics.

Anita B Day| 2.19.10 @ 5:23PM

Bless you, Simon! You know, I think back to our beloved Southern Baptist Convention, founded on the belief that the Bible was clear on the morality of not only homosexuality but slavery, namely: that slavery is moral but homosexuality isn't! The Bible is clear on many things, indeed!

Pam| 2.2.10 @ 3:01PM

you are exactly right, simon! Thank you for cutting throught the obvious bs

Appleby| 2.2.10 @ 10:25AM

P.S. Can anybody identify the person pictured at the head of this column and tell us what she did to get there?

Jeffrey Lord| 2.2.10 @ 11:20AM

Appleby...

Start your engines. The photo is of race car drive Danica Patrick, who starred in the banned beaver ad.

Appleby| 2.3.10 @ 6:47AM

She also did a naked-in-the-shower GoDaddy ad and posed for what used to be called *Gentlemans Magazines* sprawled supine in very little clothing across the hood of her car. And she came in fourth at Indianapolis and got more PR for that than the person who actually WON -- who bought himself a t-shirt that said I WON THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS T-SHIRT.

Faffnir| 2.2.10 @ 11:23AM

The lady is Danica Patrick. She races in the IRL and appears in commercials for GoDaddy.com, a web development company. She has also done modeling for Sports Illustrated, I believe.
I have a serious crush on her.

Paul from SA| 2.2.10 @ 2:27PM

Danica is an exceptional woman, truly a one-of-a-kind, and I too have a huge crush on her.

----------------------------------
The liberal media cares more about ratings and profits than turning our country left? Nope.

NavyBrat| 2.2.10 @ 3:11PM

She's only the hottest woman ever to strap into a race car. Danica will also be running in NASCAR's ARCA series this year, along with driving Dale Jr's Nationwide Series car on a part ime basis. Her old Maxim layout is UN-REAL!

Northern Rebel| 2.2.10 @ 10:26AM

Bob:

You are correct concerning the business related issues, regarding advertisements.

You are wrong, however, in your assessment of Far rightwingers.

If you were correct, I'm sure you would be dismayed to find that the vast majority of America is "far right."

We are a conservative country, and that's why we are the place people try to flock to.

Nobody flees a conservative country that believes in liberty, to go to a liberal, socialist, communist country.

But we'd immediately become a better country, if you attempted to go against the norm.

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 11:50AM

Rebel -- did you know that 40% of those who called themselves "conservative" were Democrats and believe in pro-choice and gay rights? Most people who must live within a budget consider themselves "conservative". You need to read something besides the headlines.

Tony in Central PA| 2.2.10 @ 10:44AM

I'd like to add my voice to those who can't get too worked up about this as a free speech matter. CBS is not a public entity, in the name of free speech they should also be allowed to air what they want, given it meets standards of decency, which of course has become increasingly difficult for our culture to define. As has been pointed out, CBS is a business and the objective of any business is to make more money than you spend. They apparently believe airing the prolife ad will boost viewership, what a radical concept !

I am amazed, however, that any prolife ad would ever be shown on national television, let alone during the Super Bowl. There has been an unwritten code on network and entertainment TV going back probably close to thirty years that says you can't portray abortion negatively. There's a similar code about how homosexuality is portrayed. The author indicates the UCC's commercial was allegedly not shown out of concern that it would offend a conservatively - oriented audience. This is laughable given the kind of news and programming we have seen for at least the last ten years on this and other networks.

Barbarian Heretic| 2.2.10 @ 11:46AM

Unfortunately, the line between 'offensive' and 'controversial' speech was blurred long ago. In the 21st century, groups of opposing views spend more energy in attempts at stifling opponents speech than promoting their own.

A private enterprise such as a television network is ill-equipped to consistently manage the tug-of-war, and is ironically torn between its own political bias and profit motive...

Northern Rebel | 2.2.10 @ 1:08PM

Bob:

Don't be condescending. Implying that I'm uninformed only makes you look that much more foolish.

The vast majority of Americans do not believe in murdering innocent children, although they do believe in gay rights.

However gay citizens already have rights. They are the same rights accorded to all Americans.

Conservatives don't believe that any citizen deserves SPECIAL RIGHTS! Homosexuals, are no more or less special than any other American.

They are simply, Americans, and should feel fortunate that they were born here, rather than in Iran, where they would be summarily executed because of their sexual preference.

If you read any of my previous posts Bob, it would be obvious to you, that I am a friend of the gay community. We don't want special rights, we just want to be left alone. It is the militant gay rights wackos who we are the most angry at, because they are a black mark on otherwise patriotic Americans.

There is no such thing as "pro-choice". There is murder, and there is life. There is no in between.

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 1:21PM

Rebel, the only poll that supports your view of anti-abortion is a Fox News poll (surprise, surprise) where they ask if you are "pro-life" or "pro-choice". In that poll, there was a slight benefit to "pro-life". But you can be pro-life and still believe that abortion should be legal -- and that is the fallacy of that poll. In ALL other polls, most people believe abortions should be legal. Here are the results:

http://www.pollingreport.com/abortion.htm

And the results are not even close. You need to learn that what you see on Fox News is highly biased because as Roger Ailes says, his job is getting ratings and he has people like you who are willing to believe their every word rather than looking at the sum of objective data.

win| 2.2.10 @ 1:54PM

Pew Research April 30, 2009
"The proportion saying that abortion should be legal in all or most cases has declined to 46% from 54% last August."

win| 2.2.10 @ 1:58PM

May 15, 2009 Gallup

"More Americans “Pro-Life” Than “Pro-Choice” for First Time, Also, fewer think abortion should be legal “under any circumstances”

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 3:16PM

Man, you just can't read can you? The same poll says that 76% of the people believe that abortion should be legal. So what is your point. I am certainly in the mainstream of that study. Life is good but abortion should be legal.

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 3:13PM

Here's the title of the study:

"Slight but Steady Majority Favors Keeping Abortion Legal"

Their numbers are consistent with all of the other polls. Did you get this from Fox News or did you just not read the study?

Convert| 2.2.10 @ 1:26PM

Come on, "CBS put this benign ad", benign? This ad is a not so subtle statement that Christianity includes, and therefore condones homosexuality. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The UCC might, but Christianity, thru God's holy word, certainly does not.

CBS was right to refuse to air it, as it's plainly deceptive and misleading in it's content about Christianity in general and God's very clear condemnation of homosexuality.

win| 2.2.10 @ 2:07PM

As the first posted hinted at, I find the ad intolerant of other faiths that do not share their views.
Its been a long time since I have been to a church of any kind, but I am sure they have not started turning people away, or having bouncers. If they had we'd see more then an ad about it.

Try doing an ad that promotes the nice things about your Church without attacking other churches.

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 3:19PM

Win, you've completely misread those polls.

In the Pew Poll you referenced, 76% of the people believe that abortion should be legal. So what is your point. I am certainly in the mainstream of that study. Life is good but abortion should be legal.

You need to learn how to read data, fella. Pro-life does not mean anti-abortion. Only on Fox News and at AmSpec do you see that mistake.

"Slight but Steady Majority Favors Keeping Abortion Legal"

Their numbers are consistent with all of the other polls. Did you get this from Fox News or did you just not read the study?

In the Gallup poll you referenced,

Nick| 2.2.10 @ 3:38PM

"Pro-life does not mean anti-abortion."

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Pay no attention to 3/5 Bob, folks.

He doesn't know the scientific fact of when biological human life begins because he's not sure when "ensoulment" happens!

Also, until recently (last June), he thought that blacks had 3/5 of a vote under the U.S. Constitution, as originally written.

Do not waste your arguments on the ignorant and foolish.

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 3:55PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensoulment

Perhaps, someday, Nick can show us that facts don't matter. Or perhaps he can contribute to the discussion. By the way, Nick, I wish I was in Alaska so I could understand foreign policy better....

Nick| 2.2.10 @ 4:23PM

What a shock.
3/5 Bob still gets all his information from wiki!

Your post makes no sense. Not a shock.

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 4:03PM

For those of you who want to really believe the liar, Nick, here are quotes from the dialog:

"Bob| 6.13.09 @ 11:30AM
Baker, you are right. The nature of human behavior hasn't changed. Let's bring back slavery and take the vote away from women. After all, women should be barefoot and pregnant, right? These things are, indeed, self-evident. I especially want to bring back the provision that gives blacks only 3/5ths of a vote. That will reduce the impact of minorities on Republican success."

Mr. Baker responded to your stupidity:

"Richard Baker| 6.13.09 @ 5:25PM
Bob:
If you don't know why 3/5 is in the Constitution. please don't embarrass yourself."

You countered with more ignorance and inanity, Bob:

"Bob| 6.13.09 @ 6:20PM
Richard -- so you think it was right to count slaves as 3/5th even if it was for apportionment purposes? How can you justify that under ANY circumstances? Do you have any morality?"

You can come to your own conclusions.

Nick| 2.2.10 @ 4:20PM

Those are the quotes I compiled, 3/5 Bob. Nice attribution.

How do they make me a liar?
You clearly thought the U.S. Constitution gave blacks 3/5 of a vote.

In the words of Mr. Baker, why do you continue to embarrass yourself?

Steven Ertelt| 2.2.10 @ 4:17PM

Join LifeNews.com, Americans United for Life and 121,000+ people as we support Focus on the Family and their pro-life ad celebrating Tim Tebow and his mother's decision to not abort him. http://www.facebook.com/TebowSuperBowlAd

Bob| 2.2.10 @ 4:57PM

I apologize to everyone here that my mother didn't exercise her right to choose.

Nick| 2.2.10 @ 5:03PM

3/5 Bob,

Rejoice in your mother's choice.
I do.
For I believe in the redemption of all men, because I am a Christian.

It's Not too Late Bob| 2.2.10 @ 4:58PM

You can still exercise that right-----and you'd be getting rid of your carbon footprint.

Northern Rebel| 2.2.10 @ 5:05PM

The child in the womb does not have a choice BOBBY!

There is murder, and there is life.
There is no in between, BOBBY!

BTW: full disclosure:

My name is also Bob. My mother didn't name me Northern Rebel. So I get to call you BOBBY, if I want to.

Northern rebel| 2.2.10 @ 5:11PM

In addendum:

I don't give a shit about polls. I live in America, and actually speak to Americans. I don't think polls are an accurate reflection of thought.

I suppose if you live in LA, or NY, or Chicago, then you will get the pro-murder poll in your favor.

Most people don't live in these hellholes, and those that do, are largely socialist, perverted or misguided. That's why real Americans send them there, so they're out of out hair.

Reinhard| 2.3.10 @ 9:24AM

It's interesting that the article is about some football pro-lifer and his Mom, but the photo used is Danica Patrick. I don't see how she's relevant to the article but nothing like a pretty girl to get people to read the article. If the rebuttal to my comment is going to based on her "racy" (oh my!) ads for GoDaddy, I suggest you get back on the Mayflower and sail home. The 17th century is long gone.

Hydraulic Tools| 2.3.10 @ 10:24AM

Manufacture Hydraulic Tools, offer from hydraulic crimping tool, cable cutter, pipe bender, gear puller, hole digger and hand pumps.

Charles Stevens| 2.3.10 @ 6:26PM

This is a confused essay by a confused man. The UCC is revealed as a church with no fixed morality... instead it has a man-made "value system" that avers all are allowed to "do their thing" devoid of God's laws given to man.

The most basic question every Christian (and every citizen in the US) has to answer is this: Do you believe that only God is perfect, or instead do you believe that mankind is perfectible? All else, including politics, flows from the answer. It is obvious that UCC has answered that mankind can be perfected, and thus God is made subservient to the State which will enforce such perfection on every person, whether they like it or not.

Warren Taylor| 2.4.10 @ 11:10AM

Here is a letter I wrote to CBS:
I'm writing to complain about something that has not even happned yet, the Tebow ad which is sponsored by the political action committee, hiding out as a religious group, aka "ministry," called Focus on the Family. This ad should be called "Focus on the Money!"
First of all, the Tebows'story is based on a lie, as I am sure you already know. Abortion is a crime in the Philippines where Tim was born. I don't believe they were offered the abortion option. Right wing religious groups often lie, believing as they do that their cause justifies it. This is a venerable practice among believers going back to Eusebius, who said that in writing the history of the church it is lawful and fitting to use fictions (psuedos) or falsehoods.
Second, you are violating what must have been at least unwritten policy in as much as you have turned down advocacy ads before. I know of one church group, the United Church of Christ, whose ad was once denied.
Regardless of one's beliefs, the Super Bowl is not the place to air controversial politcal and religious opinions. Sports is a place for all of us to come together, not a place which divides us, as religion consistently does. I would object to a pro-choice ad being aired at the Super Bowl also. You are making a terrible mistake in airing a anti-abortion ad whose credibility is questionable. "Truth in advertising" is supposed to be the mantra of business ethics. Shame on you!

Warren Taylor
Porterville, CA