"Some People Call it Global Warming, Some Climate Change, What's the Difference?"
The media, throughout history, is an extremely powerful tool for manipulation, fear, and strategies to gain public approval and/or criticism. Political machines utilize buzzwords and conceal agendas to get their opinions across without becoming too specific and/or controversial. Simple alterations in the negative or positive connotation of words, for example: “‘tax cuts’ becomes ‘tax relief,’ and the ‘war on Iraq’ becomes ‘war on terror,’” have the ability to sway public opinion for or against an important issue; issues such as gay rights.
Recently there have been rumblings about specific children cartoons manipulated into a vehicle for the pro-gay agenda. Dr. James Dobson, founder of a conservative Christian group called "Focus on the Family" and a popular Colorado radio minister, “addressed members of Congress at a black tie dinner in Washington celebrating the president's election victory. He spoke out against cartoons such as Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants; the title character appeared in “a pro-homosexual video which was to be mailed to thousands of elementary schools to push a tolerance pledge by kids, including tolerance of differences of what Dr. Dobson called ‘sexual identity.’” Other popular characters in the video were “Barney and Jimmy Neutron.” The Education Secretary Margaret Spelling “spoke out against an episode [of PBS’ Postcards from Buster] in which the cartoon character visits lesbian mothers”. The purpose of these rants and continuous uproars are not too bring about the cancellation of these lucrative and consequential characters, but many believe they are stirred to “demonize key buzzwords among their faithful followers.”
Having grown up in a fairly liberal community, extremely accepting family, and surprisingly tolerant schools, the ideals of some people in this country continually perplex and occasionally even disturb to me. These cartoons may very well be a tool used by people to create acceptance and understanding within the younger generation; however, this is necessary for the development of healthy and open-minded society. When a child is raised in an atmosphere of intolerance and judgment, ignorance will reign and people will continue to be cast out. Hatred will grow and bleed into hatred for many things, like race or even religion. Homosexual parents, and an increase in openly homosexual teens, are a social norm that children and even their parents will have to learn to accept. “[If] Dobson can convince enough Americans that ‘tolerance’ and ‘diversity’ are simply code for ‘gay rights,’ then he's won a war on the language battlefield - the same way Rush Limbaugh helped demonize ‘liberal’ and ‘feminist.’” An assistant of the “Focus on the Family group” stands by its claim, and says, "We see the video as an insidious means by which the [film] organization is manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids. It's a classic bait and switch."
Fear such as this is an extremely effective tool for a successful leader. The general public will shut up and follow anyone who will keep them safe from terror, stop their children from becoming gay, and keep immigrants out and away from American jobs. A recent Frontline documentary “The Persuaders” was an exploration in how powerful emotion can be in a person’s opinion and the simple method that the media employs to exploit these emotions. The documentary shadowed Frank Luntz, a consultant for Fortune 100 companies when they need communication and language guidance. Companies ranging from “General Motors to Disney, Federal Express to American Express, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Roundtable” and many, many others. Luntz explained that "eighty percent of our life is emotion and only 20 percent is intellect, I am much more interested in how you feel than how you think….Some people call it global warming, some people call it climate change. What's the difference?"
Works Cited
Deggans, Eric. "Ethics Question of the Week." http://www.polytechnic.org/faculty/gfeldmeth/Dobson.html. 28 Jan. 2005. St. Petersburg Times. 18 Oct. 2007.
Recently there have been rumblings about specific children cartoons manipulated into a vehicle for the pro-gay agenda. Dr. James Dobson, founder of a conservative Christian group called "Focus on the Family" and a popular Colorado radio minister, “addressed members of Congress at a black tie dinner in Washington celebrating the president's election victory. He spoke out against cartoons such as Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants; the title character appeared in “a pro-homosexual video which was to be mailed to thousands of elementary schools to push a tolerance pledge by kids, including tolerance of differences of what Dr. Dobson called ‘sexual identity.’” Other popular characters in the video were “Barney and Jimmy Neutron.” The Education Secretary Margaret Spelling “spoke out against an episode [of PBS’ Postcards from Buster] in which the cartoon character visits lesbian mothers”. The purpose of these rants and continuous uproars are not too bring about the cancellation of these lucrative and consequential characters, but many believe they are stirred to “demonize key buzzwords among their faithful followers.”
Having grown up in a fairly liberal community, extremely accepting family, and surprisingly tolerant schools, the ideals of some people in this country continually perplex and occasionally even disturb to me. These cartoons may very well be a tool used by people to create acceptance and understanding within the younger generation; however, this is necessary for the development of healthy and open-minded society. When a child is raised in an atmosphere of intolerance and judgment, ignorance will reign and people will continue to be cast out. Hatred will grow and bleed into hatred for many things, like race or even religion. Homosexual parents, and an increase in openly homosexual teens, are a social norm that children and even their parents will have to learn to accept. “[If] Dobson can convince enough Americans that ‘tolerance’ and ‘diversity’ are simply code for ‘gay rights,’ then he's won a war on the language battlefield - the same way Rush Limbaugh helped demonize ‘liberal’ and ‘feminist.’” An assistant of the “Focus on the Family group” stands by its claim, and says, "We see the video as an insidious means by which the [film] organization is manipulating and potentially brainwashing kids. It's a classic bait and switch."
Fear such as this is an extremely effective tool for a successful leader. The general public will shut up and follow anyone who will keep them safe from terror, stop their children from becoming gay, and keep immigrants out and away from American jobs. A recent Frontline documentary “The Persuaders” was an exploration in how powerful emotion can be in a person’s opinion and the simple method that the media employs to exploit these emotions. The documentary shadowed Frank Luntz, a consultant for Fortune 100 companies when they need communication and language guidance. Companies ranging from “General Motors to Disney, Federal Express to American Express, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Roundtable” and many, many others. Luntz explained that "eighty percent of our life is emotion and only 20 percent is intellect, I am much more interested in how you feel than how you think….Some people call it global warming, some people call it climate change. What's the difference?"
Works Cited
Deggans, Eric. "Ethics Question of the Week." http://www.polytechnic.org/faculty/gfeldmeth/Dobson.html. 28 Jan. 2005. St. Petersburg Times. 18 Oct. 2007
"Luntz, Maslansky Strategic Research." Luntz, Maslansky Strategic Research. 2006. Omnicom Group Company. 21 Oct. 2007 http://www.luntz.com/team.html.
Olbermann, Keith. "Will Spongebob Make You Gay?" MSNBC. 21 Jan. 2005. 21 Oct. 2007 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6852828/.
Olbermann, Keith. "Will Spongebob Make You Gay?" MSNBC. 21 Jan. 2005. 21 Oct. 2007 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6852828/.
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