Dear America,

really?

really, Gloria? 
and you too, NARAL.

That was what got your panties in a wad?   really?

All I can say is thank you.  All of your jumping to conclusions, your quick to comment tackles, and simply your poor sportsmanship and acting "stupidly" as some may say, did more to promote the real cause than any commercial ever could.

For starters, it was over so fast, if you blinked, you might have missed it.

As -- for a second -- or maybe twenty -- I nearly did...all of a sudden, I looked up and watched this blur cut across the screen, barreling into some woman; I had to do further research to watch the whole spot.

And yeah, that stuff was pretty 'anti-choice' and 'anti-abortion' and 'anti-women' -- political and ecumenical -- yup, a mighty extremists point of view was written all over it.  All the way from "I call him my little miracle baby as he almost didn't make it into this world...I can remember so many times when I almost lost him...It was so hard...Well, he's all grown up now and I still worry about his health...We have to be tough in this world" (as she gets plowed over by her big boy, Timmy) as he pokes his head up and asks, "you still worry about me mom?" when she responds with, "well yeah, you're not nearly as tough as me" (as he wraps his arms around her).

Whoa. 

To meet with any words of controversy, you would have to turn to the fine print at the very end of the thirty seconds, where you find the "Focus on the Family" in little baby blue letters -- referring people to their website to hear the Tebow's whole story -- and that's it.

Yeah, but talk about interuppting the family over a ballgame with something so horrifying as an in your face pro-life commercial --

Yeah, talk about dispensing hate and division over a touchy subject in the middle of 100 million viewers who simply want to be entertained for four hours, without be interfered with, without family eruptions over some "religion-inspired, sugar-coated ad" like Gloria 'look at me on tv' Allred hastened to call it -- before she even saw it.

Can we all just settle down now?

I'm sorry, but I was sort of disappointed. The ad seemed to be so unassuming and without pretense or ulterior motive that I almost think it was a waste of money.  But then again, the two weeks leading up to the ad -- priceless.

So quick to judge now, aren't we?

The ad did not preach. 

The ad did not even go so far as to utter the words "pro-life" or anti-anything. 

All this ad seemed to do was advocate a sweet sentiment of all moms -- how we never stop worrying for our babies -- whether it be before the day they arrive into the world, to all the days that follow; and while the children may appear to grow up big and strong -- they can never really rival the strength and abilities of what it takes to be a mom in this world.  Can I hear an amen, sista?

Oh, but what we might take from all of this may be more astounding -- the actions of being too quick to judge (and overreact) seems paramount to the conversation that we keep having with one another.  So at the very risk of jumping to the Bible for help, let us seek a measure of good advice:

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, 'let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see more clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."  Matthew 7:1-5

Which view came out the victor in the end?  Was it the over zealous condemnation to an ad unseen, or was it the subtlety of Tim Tebow's mom showing off her miracle baby for just a moment in time?  If you were there, you would know just how rhetorical the question may be.

So what up if someone actually goes to see what "Focus on the Family" is all about after watching not-so-little Timmy tackle his mom on national tv?  Are growing strong, healthy families that out of vogue these days?  Is it that much of a threat?   Is one organization's investment into the lives and well being of creating and supporting and honoring the American family from it's own set of values so outrageous that it warrants contempt and backlash from those who simply do not agree with it?  GO to the site.  I think not.

Honestly.

I have to believe that the NOW and NARAL are feeling kind of silly this morning -- much ado about nothing -- except their own insecurities and lack of respect to a world view highly separate from their own.

I implore you -- no, I throw the red challenge flag and dare you -- to go to Focus on the Family and check them out even further.  Like the intention of their ad, the focus is all about celebrating life, celebrating the family.  There are ample links made available to assist the family -- growing good kids, building strong, loving marriages (even inter-racial, multi-cultural kinds!), and offering a place to seek out help and expertise if the going gets rough (as surely as in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, those times come).

The website is a happy place; one that I may venture to myself from time to time, now that this "ooooh, so controversial" ad has shed some light.  Much to my dismay, NARAL was still promoting the 'anti-family focus' campaign yet this morning -- begging for donations as they throw the penalty flag against CBS and the cause.

Really, what penalty?

I didn't see it; and as a matter of fact, the replay begs to differ no matter how many times you play it back -- and we all know, after a plate of seven layer bean dip and chips, the camera never lies.

And for the last two seconds of my blog today, how about the last two minutes of the game?  Nobody thought the underdog had half a chance to survive, let alone thrive against all odds.

If I may be so bold, come morning light, The Saints seem to have it all the way around.

Make it a Good Day, G

replay the youtube of Louie Armstrong again -- by clicking on Dear America -- this time, turn it up and dance around the room, play your air trombone and swing your children in the air... catching them, of course, in your arms...