Outing SpongeBob

Here's further proof that I don't have gaydar. In addition to the character of the assistant DA on "Law & Order" outing herself in the actresses' last appearance, apparently, SpongeBob Squarepants is gay. Really? I think SpongeBob's homosexuality is about as dubious as Tinky Winky's alleged homosexuality, but maybe you don't know about the Teletubbies. My daughter watched the Teletubbies a few years ago, and so I have an excuse. I'm doubting that Tinky Winky carrying around a bag means anything, especially since the bag was red and Tinky Winky is purple. Come on, let's stick to the stereotypes that we all can recognize. Would the guys from "Queer Eye" give a red bag to a purple person? Well, I really don't know, and I don't care. It seems to be more ridiculous fear-mongering.

All this was brought up by reading
an article on the Chicago Tribune's site. One passage that stood out:

What the SpongeBob controversy has revealed is that pledging allegiance to diversity and tolerance is religion by any other name--just as irksome to the devout as Dobson and Vitagliano are to the secular. The purveyors of Feel Good Vibes can be just as dogmatic and unyielding as those who condemn from the pulpit. Whether defending literal scripture or advancing bumper-sticker virtue, the self-anointed protectorate are essentially cut from the same cloth.

This passage reminded me of something a friend had mentioned when I was in college. She said that a mutual friend was "so open-minded, that they're close-minded", which sums this up nicely.

HOWEVER, there is an underlying issue of tolerance versus hate, democracy versus theocracy that such statements fail to acknowledge. Eric Zorn pointed out that Bugs Bunny is considerably more "sexually ambiguous" than SpongeBob, but hasn't been accused of being part of some homosexual agenda. It makes me think there is an agenda against homosexuality.