What a disgrace.

The United Church of Christ is running an ad saying that they welcome everybody. It features two big bouncer-types turning people who "look wrong" away from church. The ad doesn't explicitly mention homosexuals, although it's sort of implicit (there is a shot of what might be lesbian couple). Go watch the ad.


According to the UCC (article here), CBS and NBC have refused to run the ad, because it's too controversial.

And there isn't a THING controversial about it. "We welcome everybody" is now controversial?

And THIS is astounding:

"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."

Got that? CBS says it won't run the ad because George W. Bush is against gay marriage.

The ad IS running on ABC, Family(!), AMC, BET, Discovery, Fox(!), Hallmark, History, Nick@Nite, TBS, TNT, Travel and TV Land, and others.

I intend to call both NBC and CBS and ask them what in the HELL they think is controversial about it, and ask them what the hell they think they are doing.

And I think everybody should.

Thanks to Josh Marshall for bring this to attention.