\nA coalition of women’s groups is calling on CBS to immediately pull an anti-choice advertisement sponsored by Focus on the Family now set to air during Super Bowl XLIV.\u00a0 Members of the coalition have sent a letter to CBS protesting the ad, launched a media outreach campaign, and are encouraging supporters to join their efforts through the use of numerous online advocacy strategies (links provided below).\n<\/p>\n
\nThe ad, which features Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and his mother Pam, is, according to Focus on the Family, intended to "celebrate life and celebrate families."\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nYes…a certain kind of family and a certain kind of life…that of the Christian fundamentalist.\u00a0 Focus on the Family is anti-choice (against contraception, against comprehensive sex education, and against a
\nwoman’s right to choose to end an unintended pregnancy), and against
\nmarriage equality, among other things.\u00a0 It is expected that the ad for the Super Bowl will
\nadvocate these positions, whether implicitly or explicitly. It appears that Focus on the Family is also gambling $2.5 million in the hopes the ad will drive donors to its website to replenish its rapidly dwindling coffers.\n<\/p>\n
\nTim Tebow is well-known for his Christian fundamentalist religious fervor, most-often displayed for football audiences via the biblical passages he wears in his eye black and by his frequent public discussions on the same. Pam Tebow made the decision not to terminate her pregnancy and to assume the risks involved in continuing it when, on a mission to the Philippines while pregnant with Tim and with a serious infection, she was advised by her physician to consider doing so.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\nPro-choice and women’s rights groups object to the ad for a range of reasons, not least of which is the sudden reversal by CBS<\/a>–which has rejected numerous ads by progressive organizations–of its own stated rules banning "advocacy" ads.\n<\/p>\n \n"CBS has a well-documented history \n\tLast \nMoreover, notes the release, "Focus on the Family is an \n\t This ad uses \n\t\u201cAn ad that uses sports to divide \nThe ad, notes the coalition press release, "goes against the \nA letter signed by members of the coalition and sent to CBS executives, included these and other points.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n \n"As united organizations dedicated to reproductive rights, tolerance, \n\tFocus on the Family \nThough women \n\t If you contradict your policy and air Signatories to the letter and press release as of this writing included: Abortion Access Project, ACCESS\/Women\u2019s Health Rights Coalition, Women, \n \n<\/p>\n \nThose interested can take action through the following petition campaigns:\n<\/p>\n \nWomen’s Media Campaign<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \nChange.org and United Church of Christ<\/a>\n<\/p>\n
\nof prohibiting advocacy ads it deems controversial, rejecting ads from
\norganizations such as PETA, MoveOn.org, United Church of Christ, and even ones
\nthat carry only an \u201cimplicit\u201d endorsement for a side in a public debate," states a press statement jointly released by the coalition. <\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\n\tyear, NBC made the prudent decision to not air anti-choice messages during the
\n\tSuper Bowl. CBS executives have indicated in the past that they would not air
\n\tSuper Bowl ads where \u201csubstantial elements of the community (are) in opposition
\n\tto one another.\u201d<\/span>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\norganization well-known for opposing the equality of Americans based on gender,
\nsexual orientation, religious beliefs, and reproductive freedom."<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n\tone story to subtly dictate morality to the American public, and encourages
\n\twomen to disregard medical advice, potentially putting their lives at risk. Abortion
\n\tis a controversial issue and anti-abortion vitriol has resulted in escalated
\n\tviolence against reproductive health service providers and their patients.<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n
\n\trather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the
\n\tyear \u2013 an event designed to bring Americans together regardless of background,
\n\tfaith, ideology or political affiliation,\u201d says Jehmu Greene, President of the
\n\tWomen\u2019s Media Center.<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\napproximately 70 percent majority American view that reproductive decisions
\nshould be left up to a woman and her physician; against the decision by the
\nU.S. Supreme Court that such decisions are protected by a constitutionally
\nguaranteed right to privacy; and against the health needs of the 1 in 3
\nAmerican women who will need an abortion at sometime in her life."<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nand social justice," the letter states, "we urge you to immediately cancel this ad and refuse any
\nother advertisement promoting Focus on the Family\u2019s agenda."\n<\/p>\n
\n\thas waged war on non-traditional families, tried its hand at race baiting
\n\tduring the 2008 election, and is now attempting to use the Super Bowl to
\n\tfurther ramp up the vitriolic rhetoric surrounding reproductive rights. By
\n\toffering one of the most coveted advertising spots of the year to an
\n\tanti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization, CBS is aligning itself
\n\twith a political stance that will alienate viewers and discourage consumers
\n\tfrom supporting its shows and advertisers. The decision to air this ad would be
\n\tethically, economically and politically disastrous for CBS. The content of this
\n\tad endangers women\u2019s health, uses sports to divide rather than to unite, and
\n\tpromotes an organization that opposes the equality of Americans based on
\n\tgender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, and reproductive freedom. Focus
\n\ton the Family\u2019s ad is surrealistic in its argument that a woman who chooses not
\n\tto have a child may be depriving the Super Bowl of a football player. It uses
\n\tone family\u2019s story to dictate morality to the American public, and encourages
\n\tyoung women to disregard medical advice, putting their lives at risk.<\/span>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\ncomprise only 9 percent of CBS\u2019s board, the letter notes, "they are a key constituency for the CBS
\nnetwork and 40 percent of Super Bowl viewers."<\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n
\n\tthis ad, you will be throwing these women under the bus. American values of
\n\tprivacy and freedom should be respected, not undermined during the Super Bowl.
\n\tThe last thing Americans need is CBS or its advertisers telling us how and when
\n\tto have a family. CBS must take action now, by cancelling the airing of Focus
\n\ton the Family\u2019s ad.<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nAction & the Media, Advocates for Youth, Alternet, By Any Media Necessary, California
\nCouncil of Churches IMPACT, CAMI project, Choice USA, Civil Liberties and
\nPublic Policy (CLPP)\/Hampshire College, Equality Now, Feminist Majority
\nFoundation (FMF), Feminist Press, HollabackNYC, Ibis Reproductive Health, Law Students for Reproductive
\nJustice, MAMAPALOOZA!, Media Equity Collaborative, Medical Students for Choice!,
\nMs. Foundation, New Prospect Family Praise and Worship Center, National
\nOrganization for Women (NOW), NOW-NYC, OpEd Project, Physicians for
\nReproductive Choice and Health, Religious Institute, RH Reality Check, Sisterhood
\nis Global, Inc, The White House Project, Third Wave Foundation, Women, Action
\n& the Media (WAM!), Women In Media & News, and Women\u2019s Information Network
\n(WIN).
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n