Kos readers may well remember that just a little less than a year ago, a
United Church of Christ advertisement was
rejected by NBC and CBS because it included GLBT folks in its welcome.
Well folks, it's deja vu, all over again!
This Sunday in church, our pastor read part of a letter that was received by many churches participating in the UCC's
God Is Still Speaking campaign. We learned that the television ad being planned for this year's Advent season likely will be by rejected by CBS.....for the same old reasons. I'd like to share with you part of the letter, written by the UCC's Ron Buford. If I had a weblink for this, I'd gladly share it with you -- but I do not.
First, a review from 2004:
According to a written explanation from CBS, the United Church of Christ is being denied network access because its ad implies acceptance of gay and lesbian couples -- among other minority constituencies -- and is, therefore, too "controversial."
"Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations," reads an explanation from CBS, "and the fact the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the [CBS and UPN] networks."
And now we go to the letter from Ron Buford read in my church, and I assume many other UCC churches as well:
It is not yet official, but it is likely that CBS will reject our new ad - again. We await final word from NBC and CBS, but CBS says our ad is an "advocacy ad."
With our ad agency partners, Gotham, I met with high-level CBS executives at their New York offices recently. We told them that the United Church of Christ commercial was not advocating anything; rather, we are letting people know that no matter who they are, or where they are on life's journey, they are welcome.
Having reached an impasse, we tried a different approach. I asked, "What has to change for the United Church of Christ ad to be acceptable, to not be considered an "advocacy ad?" The executive said that it would have to become commonplace across the US for churches to welcome gays and lesbians.
Alas! Not only do we have censorship, but religious discrimination. UCC theology does not fit what CBS believes to be Christian -- and as we know from last year, what the current administration believes to be Christian. The answer to Buford's question to CBS, about what would make them believe this wasn't an "advocacy" ad, was most telling. It all comes down to GLBT folks. In CBS' view, churches are supposed to villify GLBT'ers, not welcome them.
And Jesus wept......