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Homosexual activists are pressuring Hallmark movie channel to be more "diverse" and "inclusive"---"or else."
The Christian "One Million Moms" organization is telling Hallmark--"Don't go there."
This weekend Hallmark pulled an ad for a wedding-planning website that featured two "brides" kissing.
The LGBTQ community is reacting.
Here's what you should know about the issue.
Be informed.
Millions of Americans watch Hallmark, because they trust the content that has been the hallmark of Hallmark--normal, traditional relationships in their story lines.
How the subject of homosexual themed Hallmark movies came up in the first place.
The CEO of the Hallmark Channel's parent company told Lesley Goldberg with Hollywood Reporter magazine the network is "open" to movies about same-sex couples, but nothing planned at this time.
I mentioned that interview on our daily live radio program last week, but did not write about in this column.
Goldberg asked Bill Abbott, the CEO of Crown Media Family Networks, about incorporating stories about same-sex couples. Abbot responded that Hallmark has included "more African leads and stories about Jewish couples."
Goldberg wasn't really interested in that kind of diversity, asking, "Is homosexual themes something you have talked about " or that's "on your radar as you look to maybe broaden out some of what your programming is?"
Abbott responded,
"We look at a variety of different things, so we're always looking for the best stories that we think will resonate in the best way. And so we're open to really any type of of movie of any type of relationship in any space."
Abbott's attempt to dodge a direct answer to Goldberg failed. The homosexual community never relent.
Goldberg, who is an activist lesbian, said, "I would love to have a Christmas movie with a same-sex couple on there. My 'wife' and I are not reflected on anything that you guys are doing"...suggesting she would like her family to see the movie.
Michelle Vicary, executive vice president of programming for Crown Media Family Networks, mirrored Abbott's comments in another entertainment journal--"The Wrap:"
"We are continuing to expand our diversity. We are looking at pitches for LGBTQ movies...and we are looking to expand and represent the United States as a whole."
The reaction.
With these interviews as a back drop, Hallmark began airing ads for a wedding-planning website that featured two brides kissing at the altar.
Saturday, they removed the ads "because they were a distraction" during Hallmark's very successful holiday programming season.
Molly Biwer, senior vice-president for public affairs, said, "These ads have become divisive and are distracting from our network's purpose...Hallmark will never become divisive."
But will they compromise in their effort to "not become divisive?"
And what is divisive? Caving to the pressure of the LGBTQ demands as Chick-fil-A has done and revising their values---or standing for what they have always projected to the Christian, conservative audience that has made Hallmark (and Chick-fil-A) a huge financial success?
Biwer confirmed Saturday that a "conservative group, One Million Moms, part of the American Family Association, had complained about the ads to Bill Abbott, CEO of Crown Media Family Network's parent company"---the lesbian ads were pulled. The heterosexual ads were not.
Abbott said. "The ads were aired in error."
He said the call from the One Million Moms "gave us the opportunity to confirm the Hallmark Channel will continue to be a safe and family friendly network."
Clearly, Abbott, the CEO, is committed to remaining what Hallmark has always been. Safe for traditional family values.
Equally as clear--Abbott has executives in his company who are on a very different page.
This will not end peacefully---without some controversy.
Hallmark has become the Target.
The marketing company that had bought the ads for the wedding website immediately reacted publicly, noting that Hallmark had basically discriminated--approving the heterosexual kissing ads, but not the lesbian kissing ads.
Ellen DeGeneres quickly inserted herself in the conversation, asking Hallmark in a tweet, "Isn't it almost 2020? What are you thinking? Please explain. We're all ears."
The marketing company issued a statement: "All kisses, couples and marriages are equal celebrations of love and we will no longer be advertising on Hallmark."
Actress Sandra Bernhard, who played one of the first openly bi-sexual characters on network TV in "Roseanne" tweeted,
"All the groovey ladies I know won't be watching your Christmas schlock. They'll be out celebrating with their 'families' wives, children, friends on & on & on, getting married in chic ensembles. Didn't you get the memo? Family is all inclusive."
The takeaway.
In 1989 neuropsychologist Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen published what would become the handbook for advancing the homosexual agenda in America---and elsewhere--"After the Ball: How America will Conquer its Fear & Hatred of Gays in the 90s".
From then to present, the homosexual community has used sophisticated psychological techniques to manipulate the public through a complicit media.
Since the 90s, it's clear they have made "progress" advancing their agenda.
I'm not suggesting you read the book, but every parent should be familiar with its content.
It discusses three ways in which the agenda is foisted upon the public, normalizing what has never been "normal" in human and religious history.
The book lays out "the plan" in three distinct tactics:
- Desensitization.
- Jamming
- Conversion.
1. Desensitization
Desensitization basically plays out on this premise: If gays can live alongside straights, visibly but as inoffensively as possible, they will arouse a low-grade alert only, which, though annoying to straights, will eventually diminish for purely physiological reasons, Straights will be desensitized.
2. Jamming
Jamming further advances desensitization. The book tutors the activist on how to get the bigot into the position of feeling a conflicting twinge of shame, along with his reward, whenever his homohatred surfaces, so that his reward will be diluted or spoiled. This is accomplished by repeated exposure to pictorial images--like two women kissing, etc.--or verbal statements that are incompatible with his self-image as a well-liked person.
In brief, the person who objects to their agenda and life style for any reason---including religious beliefs---is the odd man ore woman out. There's much more, but you get the strategy.
3. Conversion
Conversion, the book says, "actually makes them like us." It isn't enough that the anti-gay bigots become confused about us, or even indifferent to us--we are safest, in the long run, if we can actually make them like us. conversion aims at that.
The book says, " Put briefly, if Desensitization lets the watch run down, and jamming throws sand in the works, Conversion reverses the spring so that hands run backward."
This is the beginning for Hallmark---not the end. There will be boycotts, slander, attacks on their advertisers--we all know the drill--we seen it before.
Hallmark is about to have its rendezvous with destiny.
I hope and pray they will have the courage and wisdom to stand for the traditional values upon which they have built an enormously successful business.
Other wise they will "chicken" out like Chick-fil-A and meet their reward with their viewers---or lack thereof.
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful.