Seeing Tim Tebow wear eye black that spells Bible verses under his eyes has caused a minor controversy in college sports, although the NCAA obviously is behind this move. I've wondered if they would allow a college football star to write a few words supporting the Muslim faith in the same fashion? How would that play out in America?
Anyway, I don't like it myself and I know some Christian sports fans who don't like it either, but now Tebow and his family are teaming up with Focus on the Family to air a very controversial ad on Super Bowl Sunday.
With one move, Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow has stepped into America's most contentious legal debate.
The Florida Gators football star plans to appear in a Super Bowl commercial funded by a Christian values group that critics say will send an anti-abortion message. The ad, paid for by Focus on the Family, is expected to recount the story of his mother, 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 the Florida Gators reach two BCS championshipship. Abortion rights groups are up in arms.
"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 Women's Media Center, which is protesting the ad with the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority and other groups.
The network 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."
That's why a woman has the right to choose in this country. She gets to make up her own mind one way or the other.
The sports elites are going to try and influence American politics as we move forward, it would appear, and that's a bad thing. Tebow was an incredible college QB, but now he's made himself a vocal spokesman for his religious beliefs and is a pawn for James Dobson. You can expect the NFL to cater to him in all ways because they will see him as a cash cow if he becomes a successful player in the NFL. He'll definitely have a big career for the religious right no matter what, if he so chooses.
Is CBS hurting that badly for ad revenue on the biggest payday they have all year to risk this type of blowback? I love sports because it takes me away from the political world, but that gap is closing fast now, and the Tebows will help divide this country even more as time moves forward. If watching the Super Bowl means I have to wind up supporting an attack on women's rights, the set is going off.
UPDATE:
The Washington Post reminds me that they rejected an add by the UCC Church because they supported gay rights.
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.
-
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.
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.
I cover the Sports Village because I do like sports, but also because it has a big influence in our country as we are witnessing right now.
Why do they have that kind of revenue? Those ads aren't cheap. Can we start taxing these whackaloons now?
Wasn't there a news report that they had to fire a few hundred people? I think that allowed them to fund the ad rather then keep several hundred of their followers employed.
It's going to be fun watching Tebowner fall from grace. First an NFL bust, then a Tiger Woods moment, then apologies, then forgiveness, then self-righteousness!
Sounds like a career to me!
a rising stain...uh...star for Gawd's Own Pardy!
of his career.
in a Super Bowl. Unless he can coach.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
scouts have found that he is slow, he has a weird way of releasing the ball and most likely will die when in the pocket
guess god hate tim tebow
What is this "football" you speak of....
He's already sucking it. He was successful because of Florida's system. He never took any snaps behind the center always in the shotgun. Pro Scouts don't like the way he's playing in practice. He better enjoy his Super Bowl moment now because this is as close as he's gonna get.
is intended to be a factual statement
....will work well in the NFL?
Cue the Kabuki....
will likely be hunting his head. being holier than the rest is NOT going to make bowtie any friends. I'm sure that many of the players advocate abortion over child support.
Some stuff you can't make up!
"...I've wondered if they would allow a college football star to write a few words supporting the Muslim faith in the same fashion? How would that play out in America?"
It would go like this: "He's a trrrrrrrrrrrrrist!!!"
NOBODY 2012
I bet a lot of death threats would follow.
Super Bowl ads are still expensive. I hope this move bankrupts FotF.
NOBODY 2012
for taking a firm stand on something that will never affect him personally -
I mean the painful decision will NEVER hit him where HE lives.
buttwipe.
terminate her pregnancy with him, but it pisses me off to no end that they use this as an excuse to force all women to continue pregnancies they don't want to or can't continue to carry...
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
What...we're supposed to lament the fact the Adolf Hitler's mother didn't abort him? How about the mother of the serial killer du jour? Isn't it time to start slamming these thoughtless women who are willfully putting serial killers into our midst?!?
Our species seems to be slogging backwards, with the hate mongers and the fear mongers force feeding the weak and the gullible ever increasing rations of guilt. The more fear; the more hate... The more hate, the more guilt... The more guilt; the stronger the kneejerk conservative backlash. Before you know it, everybody's shouting out Jesus!
If so many are such good friends with Jesus, why do so many people act like total asswipes?!?
he knocks up his girlfriend and wants her to abort the child b/c he pathway to fame can't be littered with a little one...
.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Apparently the liberal brainwashing from our liberal universities didn't take with him. He needs re-education.
do much critical thinking in college. It was all "yes, sir!" "no, sir!" and very little "why, sir?"
To not accept an ad from UCC, an all inclusive (not that I personally care) church,
but okay to accept an ad from FotF, a hate group?
while our pockets are being picked.
Some stuff you can't make up!
it was a free country. With free speech and free football.
I don't get why anyone gives a shit what some jock head has to say. Or why Force on the Family deciding to run an anti-choice commercial is surprising to anyone.
Look, there are ads for sale, Fucked up Families has money to buy them. Do you really want a law that guarantees only progressive speech? That isn't very progressive.
Think twice before you bash people for expressing their completely legitimate, albeit half witted ideas.
And they abuse their power and this is one more example. They want to rid a woman of her right to choose. An ad during a major sporting event is a cheap ploy....plain and simple....They continue to politicize my vagina for personal gain and personally I'm sick of it!
This isn't about Tim Tebow's free speech, nor is it about FocusOnYourFamily's free speech. It's about the double standard and the gratuitous deference that religion gets in this country. Religion should be treated no differently than any other debate. In fact it should be questioned even more rigorously simply for the fairy tale that it is. Every chance we get.
only preferred xtians get preference - saddleback. fuk the fambly, 700 racists, etc
Some stuff you can't make up!
You'll change your mind.
All religions get deference. It's simply not polite to question one's faith.
Well, I've got news for them all...........
Blasphemy is a victimless crime.
muslim = terrrrrrrist = xtian hater
budhist = (see hume)
atheist = xtian hater
anything else = godless
Some stuff you can't make up!
I'll point and laugh at all of them. Especially those with the "In case of Rapture, this car will be unmanned" bumper stickers.
Ahhhh. Who am I kidding? I'll point and laugh at them all.
It is about free speech. Just ask your local ACLU chapter what they think about it. No matter how backwards or middle-ages his ideas are, he has the right to voice them.
Put yourself in this fools shoes. He is the 5th child of an evangelist x-ian. Supposedly, he should have been aborted to save his mothers life. Assuming any of that is true, imagine how fucked up his head is. His whole life his mother has told him he is a miracle and was chosen by jebus.
I'm not going to support anything he has to say, but I will certainly support his right to say it.
YOU don't get it.
It's not about this hate filled awful group getting major airtime. It's about the fact that any dissenting views, read anything the RW does NOT support, does NOT get equal consideration and their ads turned down. Apparently only RW memes can be advertised for this event, and that does NOT add up to free speech.
If they accepted ads from dissenting views, then you may have a point. Otherwise, sorry, you DON'T get it.
You are so brutally ignorant of our most basic right.
Look up the 1st amendment, and read it.
The ONLY thing that is guaranteed under the 1st Amendment is that the GOVERNMENT shall not impede free speech.
Even then, there are caveats.
Private organizations, corporations, bulletin boards (such as this one) can censure to their hearts content... because they are not the government.
. . . and mail out leaflets.
Perhaps we should say it louder:
allowed to have an ad during Super Bowl if they had wanted to?
No? Then why let anti-choicers?
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
Well said.
:)
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
and everyone gets all spittly angry and forgets they are being fleeced.
Some stuff you can't make up!
*
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
did you miss the fact that they denied the UCC ads (your misunderstanding of free speech crumbles right here), or did you just not care?
or did you not understand the question?
maybe next time you can "think twice" and perhaps educate yourself on the topic for which you are ever so happy and eager to bloviate.
Cares about Football, it's one of the gayest sports ever! Grown men going long deep and hard.... :)
Kidding aside, this is an arrogant move for Focus on the Family. They are a dangerous organization, obsessive and power hungry. Pls stay away from my right to choose and my reproductive system esp at half time for crying out loud...It's football!!!!!!!!! What do you think millions of drunk men across the country are going to do with this? Care about a womans right to reproductive freedom... REALLY!!!???
in front of a HUGE audience. Advertising during the SuperBowl lends credibility (IMO).
This country is FUBAR.
for quite some time, now.
this country would be on a different track by now. I think we've been bamboozled by the Professional Candidate who's become the Amateur President.
Either that, or this is the most unbelievably clever man I've ever seen.
I lean towards Occam's Razor at times like these.
since the physicists wife took him to the land of false dichotomy.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
And, it is precisely because an incredibly huge proportion of our nation's population cannot 'get' what you posted herein above that enables myth-makers like Focus on the Family--actually every televangelist/promoter on the planet--to get a toehold on their fearful, feeble little minds.
I'm glad your mother had the CHOICE not to have to abort you, you stupid sack of shit . . . . .
the moment I grow a uterus. Should be any moment, now.
ROTFLMBBAO
Some stuff you can't make up!
Squeeze joey squeeze!
I think I pulled something.
Sports talk was big, I hear, in the Brown-Coakley race, too. Pro athletes by and large were more middle class when I was growing up, with the exception of golfers. But the million-dollar contracts have many more of them saying "I got mine, Jack," and they want even more, so many of them are becoming Republican.
should be something that is expected during a super bowl game. Just save your big toilet flush for the FotF spot.
Oh...and make it a #2.
Who threw a hissy-fit 'cause some other player "stole" his special end-zone dance move or somethin'?
Like this is a real shocker ? Not a big deal , will have no meaningful affect on anything , just one more forgettable commercial during the commercial bowl , they'll throw in some football between commercials to keep people watching .
Insanity , it is what it is , there is no understanding it .
This is all a lot of Bread and Circus, is it not?
it'll be infinitely more likely that I'll not get that abortion that I've been wanting for the last sixty-plus years. Thank you
JesusTimmeh, for showing me the true way.In return, let me give you this: Your religion is none of my business.
That, and I'm disappointed that the Detroit Lions won't be drafting a quarterback in the first round.
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
father was his grandfather. The rape, conception, pregnancy and birth that resulted in his existence were all unwanted. The whole idea that we should end abortion because we might abort a future football star is stupid. That dumb argument cuts both ways. Also, Tebow's mom views herself as heroic for giving birth. I'm glad she had the choice. There are many people who would regard the risky decisions she made as profoundly irresponsible if she had other children to take care of. She should be grateful she had the right to make her own decisions. To take such choices away from people can cut both ways. Such women should learn to understand the importance of establishing a principal and set their personal pregnancy experiences as the standard for themselves not others.
One could always abort the next Einstein or the next Hitler
That's where environment comes in.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
could say it was irresponsible. But there are some subcultures in evangelicism, like Quiverfull, that encourage that sort of thing, pushing the body way too far. Just look at the Duggars right now. Their newest baby will probably have a lifetime of health problems b/c of her prematurity. Mrs. Duggar had been told to stop several children ago.
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
probably not be around long enough to take care of the child leaving other people with the burden. Mrs. Duggar is selfish. But she has the right to be selfish. The likes of her wanting to take decisions away from women is dangerous in many ways. We are a planet with dwindling resources. Societies that are severely over populated often oppress people who desire children, the children themselves or they kill others for their land. This has been done throughout human history.
Teebow needs to keep his teabags invitro.
Sorry. I just watched a rap video.
Now go get the punch-line from Tbogg.
this is likely to be his first and only SuperBowl appearance.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
"I've wondered if they would allow a college football star to write a few words supporting the Muslim faith in the same fashion? How would that play out in America?"
Or how about, "There is no god?"
Throw a touchdown pass? Point at the guy that caught it, not an invisible Sky-Coach.
I guess Jeebus wanted him to fumble those snaps.
of another, he would not have invented the shotgun formation.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
to be an NFL quarterback. He's just covering his career bets by cashing in with the religious right. He's another also ran Carrie Prejean type with a PR agent.
yet.
She's Puerto Rican?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Tebow is a protestant. He has a protestant agent. CIA probably.
They are mostly WASP types. Ivy League thing.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
he's even cuter. (Must be the eyeliner.)
"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man
So don't knock up any cheerleaders.
http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~djb/shelley/neces...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I swear I'm just gonna scream the next time I hear some ask another, "So waddya think of them cowboys?"
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
that I enjoyed "Brokeback Mountain" very much thank you.
Mebbe if you lost some weight.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
but I'm not following you at all. I'm not good at non sequiturs.
He played offensive lineman alongside Nate Newton. They were fat.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
Me no get.
Me only care about naked men in locker room.
the white receiving corp of the Cowboys. Lance Rentzel didn't stop at the locker room door.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
I'm pretty versatile at giving and receiving.
I think he might be overcompensating for something.
Teeney peeney or lockerroom hijinx.
Or both.
tackled (get it? tackled?) this story yesterday.
... before taxes?
Tebow says he's a virgin.
He's never had sex...........
.............................
.............................
(with a woman.)
I don't believe that for a moment.
Pam Tebow didn't have a choice. It's a lie. Both she and her Phillipines doctor would have gone to jail for 6 years if she'd aborted.
The thing is, choosing to have a child is a choice. It's a choice that feminists support whole-heartedly.
It's being forced to have a child against your will or being forced to abort a child you want that feminists fight against.
the anti-choicers to be disingenous about the issue.
And I concur with you totally in summing up the feminist position.
"The greatest tyranny is censoring information in order to be better able to control people." - Cristina Saralegui
The Filiipinos are crazy enough to have themselves literally crucified as part of Easter celebration:
http://atheistblogger.files.wordpress.com/200...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
i know boycotts are overstated and overused. I don't have the ability to inspire a shitload of people to boycott an entire country like bill o. but how about a bunch of people committ to boycotting the other superbowl advertisors, maybe just a month, just until the end of february maybe,and let the other advertisors know we aren't out to bankrupt them, just to make a point that we can't sit by while womens rights are not taken seriously by the network or the league and the balance of the advertisors are only providing financial support against women. Just enough that whatever they spent on advertising is lost, make the super bowl a waste for advertisors. thats all, i know it's an uphill battle but a little consumer action with our pocket book doesn't take much effort.
The Evangelical Christians' vision for America is one where men are in control over women, just as their Fundamentalist Taliban counterparts. While they may not give a rape victim 101 lashes for getting pregnant, they'd like it very much if a rape victim was thrown in jail for seeking an abortion. Which is precisely what will happen if you criminalize abortion.
Make no mistake, this is not about "celebrating life," this is about putting women in their place.
how you feel about the ad:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/438...
Signatures have doubled since yesterday.
and David Letterman.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
is illegal in the Phillipines. Always has been. So if Tebow's mom was doing missionary work in the Phillipines when she fell ill, then she didn't have a choice to make...and she is making this up.
Anyone know this to be true?
Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught
will we realize we cannot eat money.
brought to the islands by the happy countrymen who introduced waterboarding to the religious conversion business. Spain. Papists. You know, the guys who have a St. who liked birds and prelates who like altar boy bottoms.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
place her in the Phillipines at the time the abortion recommendation
was purportedly made to her. It says she got sick there and the recommendation was made after she got sick. She could have been back in Gator nation by then drinking Gatorade, which would explain the miracle child.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
The whole story sounds like BS to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayKFC6CND_8
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
It takes you to a blog article about his bibilical eye black.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
This one?(0:41)
Study the symptoms not the virus...
This is football, and he is a Heisman winner. More important.
“Why would anyone with a functioning brain believe this guy?”
Some guy with an eating disorder
bygones? ;)
Study the symptoms not the virus...
This whole narrative sounds bogus to me. What evidence does Mommy Teabow have to back her claim up? It doesn't have the ring of truth to it.
There is a very real possibility that she made the story up to help with their mission.
Tim Tebow will run for political office as soon as he retires from football. He will, of course, be a rabid, right-wing "God Squad" Republican.
the kid has already fallen to late second round status...and may fall even more
he is a scrub in waiting
So lets review.
Fuck the Family has an ad where a woman gets to make a choice in carrying a pregnancy to term, and THAT is supposed to be cause ofr others to give up their ability to have the same choic to make.
Hmmm, me no think Americans are that stupid. But, then they elected Dinkledoofus in 2004, so anything is possible.
is disputing their right to free speech. No one is calling on the law to stop the ad. People are using their free speech to protest the content. Criticizing speech is not interfering with free speech.
It's not often I have something good to say about the Tide, but Tebow made it possible.
I can't believe the amount of hate and vitriol expressed by the commentators towards people they don't know and concerning an ad they have not seen! Firstly, I could care less what this kid has printed on his eyeblack, if the camera doesn't zoom in on it, I can't see it. Secondly, putting yourself in Ms. Tebow's place and claiming that you know what she went through is both arrogant and disingenuous. Lastly, this woman made a choice, just as other women do, whether to abort or bring the fetus to term. From what I have read, the ad is simply about a mother's choice, if that is true, then FOTF has fooled itself. Afterall, its all about a woman's right to choose.
I doubt Mom Tebow's story because it is ridiculous. Doctors generally don't recommend abortion. Especially in this case when there was no medical evidence of damage to the fetus. Of course that evidence was not there in any case. I simply don't believe her, as abortions were illegal there in any case. She didn't have a choice to a legal medical abortion.
The ad itself may not be all that objectionable, but the networks have always vetoed Superbowl ads that had religious or political overtones, and that rule is being suspended in this case. It is worth examining.
if it caters to the right-wing, all is good
If there's not ample deference to the almighty Christian- capitalist right, all is suspect.
Of course, Sumner Redstone was on record supporting George W as being good for CBS, so I think we can figure out where they stand.
the UCC is liberal-leaning? That's very fascinating. I guess anyone who doesn't agree 100% with right-wing nutbaggery must be "liberal-leaning"
Simple minded individuals need a crutch. These people need to be told how and what to think, pretty sad I think.
These people are going to be so embarrassed if they develop the capacity to feel shame.
republicanism/conservatism is a mental illness.
Like Alan Grayson said I wonder how that pac with the devil the christians made with the GOP is working out?
Yes, Yes Yes, the christian Hate and Fear mongering right is all pumped up, I sure hope the women that view this realize that they have no say over their bodies.
As for me I am going to the sports bar and all the women that support this I am going to get a blow job from, hell they don't want free will or choice I want to be the first to collect, what a great day this is going to be, hee,hee,hee. I don't any of you Moron christian Hate mongers attack me on that either if a woman can't choose you can't say anything. PS you have PROVEN there is NO GOD just your will the will of the INSANE.
That Tebow's mom was given choices & picked the one that was right for her. Yet FotF is going to spin it for their own agenda. How suprising ...
... they're free to make their own pro-choice counterpoint ad to be aired during the Super Bowl.
And that would be one interesting ad.
is the fact that Florida State IS a state university. This jackass clown should have been immediately suspended from ALL school functions for his idiotic make-up.
FFRF Sues Bush (Now Obama), Shirley Dobson and Gov. Doyle over National Day of Prayer Proclamations
They may save some money on their land taxes... but who is to say that's where this money is coming from. Let them waste their and or our money... it's not the first and won't be the last time. :-/
See: Religious Engravings at Capitol Visitor Center... The House and the Senate passed resolutions in July 2009 directing the Architect of the Capitol to engrave the mottos, with an expected cost of at least $100,000.
Abstinence only education worked well for us... didn't it? Disengage snark [-]↔[●]
The Family involved... You betcha!
Study the symptoms not the virus...
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