I have come across several decent articles regarding the United Church of Christ television commercial that NBC and CBS refuse to air. In the unlikely event that you are not familiar with the commercial, its message is that everyone is welcome at UCC churches. You can view it for yourself at the UCC website link below.
One article in particular, by Leonard Pitts of the Miami Herald (sorry, no link-the article has been disappeared), puts the situation in perspective:I mean, work with me here. The maggot eaters of "Fear Factor" are evidently OK to broadcast. Janet Jackson's nipple somehow makes it to the air. Two half-naked vixens can even wrestle in a pool, arguing over whether their beer tastes great or is less filling. But a commercial that says only that God's love includes us all is too controversial to show?!
Unbelievable.
And yes, I know where this is coming from. Gay bashing under the guise of religious conservatism is on the rise. The thought of gay men and lesbians being able to solemnize their relationships in ceremonies that carry legal weight has some people walking the floors at night. Those folks would not be happy with an ad showing gays become welcomed anywhere, much less in church. But even understanding that, it is shocking to see two major broadcast networks act with such gutless hypocrisy.
This UCC commercial is so benign. Furthermore, it does not even mention marriage, let alone gay marriage! It really is amazing to think it is not suitable for airing when NBC's "Fear Factor" shows people eating maggots and other equally repulsive things. I remember one episode where the contestants had to pick up dead rats by biting their tails and carrying them in their mouths to a garbage can across the room. Yum! Also, how many murders and other senseless acts of violence are deemed suitable for viewing by NBC and CBS?
There are several things you can do to support the UCC's effort to promote inclusiveness: go to the UCC website and you will see a link to contribute and also a link to write a complaint letter to the networks. Contribute in whatever amount you can and remember, your donations allow the commercial to be broadcast on stations other then CBS and NBC. They will make gay people and their allies feel a little better in this time of trial and attack and you may just make a bigot angry. How cool is that!