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Jay Bookman

Tebow anti-abortion ad in the Super Bowl just free speech

8:11 am January 27, 2010, by Jay

I admire Florida football star Tim Tebow, both for what he does on the field and for who he is off the field. By all accounts he tries to live his Christian faith, and I’ve never been bothered by his efforts to proselytize. Even in the Biblical citations he wears in his eyeblack, he shows the good manners to proclaim his faith quietly without questioning or condemning that of others. OK by me.

Tebow is now the focus of a bit of controversy involving an anti-abortion ad in which he stars with his mother. The ad, sponsored by James Dobson’s Focus on the Family, will air during the Super Bowl, and some pro-choice groups are protesting the ad’s acceptance by CBS. They do have a point.

As the Washington Post reports, the Women’s Media Center and other groups “questioned how and why the network, which used to forbid ‘advocacy’ advertising, agreed to air Focus on the Family’s spot, which is valued at $2.5 million to $3 million.”

“The media center also noted that as recently as 2004, CBS had rejected an ad from the United Church of Christ, which wanted to use the Super Bowl as a chance to tell people it welcomes gay members. The center says CBS also has rejected ads in the past from MoveOn.org and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.”

The question of fairness is legitimate, but if this is really a new policy at CBS that will be extended to other causes as well, liberal and conservative, fine. The previous policy — designed not to offend anybody — never really made sense anyway, not in an advertising culture where discussion of four-hour erections and urinary problems have become standard.

And if Tebow wants to use his hard-earned fame to promote causes that he believes in, fine as well. I just hope he picks his spots carefully and stays wary about how others want to use him.

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810 comments Add your comment

Jake

January 27th, 2010
5:08 pm

Pro choice – Agreed, I didn’t say all of the historical atrocities were committed by christians, just an awful lot for a bunch that claim to worship a loving and merciful god. One of the christians weakest tenets is where that loving and mericful god gave you free will so you could break her commandments and rape and murder all you want so god in turn can either forgive you or punish you with eternal damnation in hell. Huh? Why don’t we all just love and be good to each other on earth as it is in heaven? The answer is because I am a realist and pragmatist and you ascribe to mysticism that makes no sense whatsoever, but relies on the unthinking faith of it’s followers. In a secular society, even one with strong christian roots, that’s why we can’t have you fundamentalists running the country on faith based decisions instead of logical ones.

Mr. Miyagi

January 27th, 2010
5:27 pm

Ralph Macchio is the anti-christ

Mr Right

January 27th, 2010
6:10 pm

I got it figured out how stop abortion once and for all! If we would abort all the babies that in the future would abort babies soon there would be no more abortion!

midtownguy

January 27th, 2010
6:55 pm

My only question is, if the people sponsoring this ad have 3 Million to pay for it under their pro-family campaign, why aren’t they donating it to the Haitian orphans instead?

R. E.

January 27th, 2010
7:03 pm

Plain truth is that Tim almost did not exist, but his mom changed her mind and saved his life. Some one wants to pay 3 million to tell the world that. Its a fact. Whats the problem?

There are places in the world where abortion is outlawed. Unwanted children are born when they would have otherwise been aborted. They would regret not having a chance at life. The USA doesn’t give them one.

I think this video says it best
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAXCek6lAxI

cmac

January 27th, 2010
7:31 pm

Would rather watch Tebow talk about the murder that is abortions than see obozo or his sorry ass wife in some phony commercial like the “donate to Haiti” crap I had to see last weekend during the games. Check out how much those two gave to charity UNTIL he decided to be the king of the world! HYPOCRITES!

Joel Dockery

January 27th, 2010
7:33 pm

No, this isn’t a “free speech” issue. In fact I am quite sure it cost quite a lot. I don’t know where people get off telling corporations what kind of advertising policy they should have, as if there is some kind of quota for “X amount of “liberal” advertising” and “Y amount of “conservative” advertising”. How about if I told you that your next blog must show the opposite point of view and you should advocate using the FCC and FBI to use violence to prevent CBS from airing this ad? That would be fair, right?

LTexas

January 28th, 2010
1:44 am

Hoof Hearted, Jan, all the people here making this about Obama, liberals, etc.: Ok, if Dr Dobson and Tim Tebow are merely exercising their 2nd amendment right to free speech with this touching personal story , then I should be able to make an ad also. It will feature me and my mother. I will thank her profusely for allowing our family doctor to terminate a possible pregnancy at 4AM in the emergency room after I had been viciously raped at age 11 by an intruder with our entire family in the house.
Oh, so inappropriate you say? But free speech should go both ways, shouldn’t it? If Tim Tebow can tell his personal story, shouldn’t I be able to tell mine if I get a backer willing to put up a few million?
Or perhaps CBS should get a clue and keep any and all mention of controversial social/religious issues like abortion OUT of the Super Bowl??

Tebow and that ad: it’s the medium, not the message. « Get The Picture

January 28th, 2010
6:52 am

[...] days ended, but I guess that was naïve on my part.  And second, again as a confirmed libertarian, CBS deserves a helluva lot more grief than it’s getting for its decision to air the ad in light of its past [...]

billy37

January 28th, 2010
8:03 pm

He is good, I mean he’s really good but you know the way the media, the fans, and even his own family has built him up into this demigod, can only lead him to trouble down the road. He’s just a human being. “The Chosen One” is such an incredibly pretentious title.
This made me stop and think though!http://ketiva.com/Sports/controversial_tim_tebow_to_be_featured_at_super_bowl.html

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