December 3, 2004
BY LEONARD PITTS JR.
Let me put my bias right up front so nobody can miss it:
I am a member of the United Church of Christ. I joined the UCC -- a little-known denomination out of Cleveland -- about five years ago. It was the first church I'd ever seen that seemed to take seriously the idea that inclusion is a Christian value. It was the first that sought to resolve divisions of culture, class, race and sexual orientation.
So you can imagine how I feel about Wednesday's news that CBS and NBC rejected a new UCC commercial celebrating just that characteristic: I am appalled. Frankly, I'd feel that way even if I didn't have a personal connection.
The ad in question is part of a campaign called "God is still speaking." The campaign was commissioned in response to marketing research indicating that most people have never heard of the United Church of Christ, though it reports more than 1.3 million members. ....
Too hot to handle
"The United Church of Christ," he says. "No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey, you're welcome here."
According to the UCC, this is the message two broadcast networks deemed too "controversial" to air. I called CBS for comment and was read a statement that said in its entirety, "The network has a longstanding policy of not accepting advocacy advertising." I'm still waiting to hear back from NBC....
But you won't find it on the National Broadcasting Co. or the Columbia Broadcasting System. Am I the only one who's flummoxed by that?
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 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.
Bashing ignored
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.
For the record, the UCC ad is accurate in its portrayal of church exclusion. Blacks and Hispanics once were unwelcome at worship houses outside their own communities. Gay men and lesbians still are.
Thankfully, the ad also is accurate in its portrayal of a love larger than bigotry.
LEONARD PITTS JR. appears most Wednesdays and Fridays in the Free Press. Reach him at the Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132; toll free at 888-251-4407 or at [email protected].
