The AFA Has a Gay Old Time
Sunday July 13, 2008
I found this piece by way of Mark Morford's blog over at the SF Gate, and I gotta tell you, it's one of the funniest things I've seen all day. It has nothing to do with Paganism or Wicca, but instead is about a right-wing evangelical group and why sanitizing your news feeds can be problematic.
We've talked before about the American Family Association (AFA), which is the delightful group that sends out a list of retailers every year at Christmas time... you know, which retailers are Good and American, and which ones are the Evil Pawns of De Debbil. Well, apparently the folks over at AFA have their own IT specialists, because their website has some really interesting features. For starters, they've set it up to block traffic from websites they don't approve of -- heck, I'm not even sure you can navigate there from here, but I'm sure we'll find out.
Another nifty thing they've done is create an auto-replace feature in their newsfeed service. This allows them to replace objectionable words with words that are apparently not as offensive. For instance, the word "gay" is replaced by "homosexual" every time it appears in a news feed, because the AFA doesn't want you to think there's anything happy or fun about being homosexual. Well, this is great news for Olympic hopeful Tyson Gay, who got an entire article dedicated to the trials and tribulations of Tyson Homosexual.
Since the Tyson Homosexual page first appeared, evidently the IT guys have fixed the problem, and his name does appear correctly in the updated version, but man, that is totally worth the time it took people to do a screenshot. No word yet on what could happen when they want to boycott Bravo TV over "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", or if they ever have an interview with Dick Van Dyke.
Just for fun, read why the AFA wants you to boycott McDonald's... and it has nothing to do with the food.
We've talked before about the American Family Association (AFA), which is the delightful group that sends out a list of retailers every year at Christmas time... you know, which retailers are Good and American, and which ones are the Evil Pawns of De Debbil. Well, apparently the folks over at AFA have their own IT specialists, because their website has some really interesting features. For starters, they've set it up to block traffic from websites they don't approve of -- heck, I'm not even sure you can navigate there from here, but I'm sure we'll find out.
Another nifty thing they've done is create an auto-replace feature in their newsfeed service. This allows them to replace objectionable words with words that are apparently not as offensive. For instance, the word "gay" is replaced by "homosexual" every time it appears in a news feed, because the AFA doesn't want you to think there's anything happy or fun about being homosexual. Well, this is great news for Olympic hopeful Tyson Gay, who got an entire article dedicated to the trials and tribulations of Tyson Homosexual.
Since the Tyson Homosexual page first appeared, evidently the IT guys have fixed the problem, and his name does appear correctly in the updated version, but man, that is totally worth the time it took people to do a screenshot. No word yet on what could happen when they want to boycott Bravo TV over "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", or if they ever have an interview with Dick Van Dyke.
Just for fun, read why the AFA wants you to boycott McDonald's... and it has nothing to do with the food.
Comments
Ha! That’s just outright halarious!!! Just proves how rediculous this whole “censoring” thing has gotten!!! Just halarious ha, ha, ha!!
They’ll enjoy the language blocker thin come X-mas time… “Don we now our homosexual apparel.”
Ryan
Just imagine the scandal with the theme from the ‘Flintstones’ cartoon…
“We’ll have a (homosexual) old time!!
Wilmaaaaa!!!”
Hmmm..never did trust that Barney!
That’s hilarious!!
Jay Leno even mentioned this story tonight during his “Headlines” feature.
Even funnier when Leno reads the article!
Patti,
Just so you know, to day is my birthday, and you are hilarious. Thanks for the laughs…
I just can’t help thinking of Tyson brand chicken when I think of Tyson Homosexual. This brings me to imagine shrink-wrapped gay guys in the meat section clearly labeled ‘Tyson Homosexual’. Not coming to a Super Wal-Mart near you!
Hey Rain, a gay friend of mine said exactly the same thing about Tyson chicken… although he included a comment about “free range”, and much hilarity ensued.
I think the whole AFA thing is a riot. I wonder what other kinds of words get the auto-replace treatment… like I said, what happens to interviews with Dick Van Dyke? Reviews of the movie Octopussy? Travel guides to the Isle of Lesbos? The potential for satire is virtually endless.
patti
Ahh, the Stoopid keeps piling up…
I laughed so hard over this article, then laughed even harder when I thought about how funny it would be for one of my co-workers (whose first name is Gay AND whose hubby just happens to be a retired Methodist minister) to become a staff writer for the AFA.
The AFA needs to get out of their little religious cocoon and join the real world.
The AFA needs to get out of their little secluded world and into the real world.
mmm… I’m kinda gettin hungry… who’s up for some gay… I mean homosexual hamburgers at Micky D’s?
We have a local Pontiac dealership here in town called Gay Pontiac. Evidently it’s the guy’s name. Hope he doesn’t advertise on their site!
Go McDonalds! LoL its too bad they fixed that error though it would have been great to see it.
I’m veggie, I hate Starbucks with a passion, and I have to make occasional Starbucks runs. Because of these idiots, I’m trying to get people in my office interested in Mickey D’s iced coffees instead. Those are yummy, and you can order them in English!
By the way, many of you will enjoy this footage of a press conference by the AFA and other McDonald’s boycotters. Almost no attendance! One woman just walks away and doesn’t come back!
One group calls the opposition “haters”, and I spent a few minutes reading the acticle on the AFA webpage about McDonalds and all of their comments are about how horrible gays are and how they are the haters of “noraml ppl”. I have a bumper sticker on my car. God, please save me from your faithful followers. I feel I am an open and loving person; why can’t others see the Homosexual issue as two people regardless of sex that love each other. That’s it. It’s been said that the Devil’s greatest trick was to make all believe he doesn’t exist, my father believes that it is the devil that is slipting up people on the entire issue of gay rights, and those that are opposed to people being able to love who they want to love.
I just read the Mcdonalds boycott, and wow. I wish I could have left a comment, those ppl are straight fruitloops. One said God hates this and that, their very stupid because God/Goddess doe not hate at all. And they are trying so desperately to find a reson to argue, gossip and start some form of war, that they will take any excuse for blood. In a matter of speaking of course. Why do ppl have to be so dumb? Its really not that big a deal, its not like everyone is going to be gay and the humans will stop reproducing. Even if that happens mabey it will weed out the stupids, hahaha. I would have left this on the other artical but I’d have to sign up for it and I wouldnt wanna be a part of that mind numbing idiotcy.
It’s funny how they boycotted Ford for advertising in gay magzines.What were you doing with a gay magazine reverand?Anything you want to let us know?And now that I know what McDonalds is doing I’m gonna fight my dad harder when he asks Burger King or McDonalds
Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers … having said that I think they may be so far off in right field that they may have trouble drawing others to their cause. Besides where else can you get a BigMac, it’s an American tradition in itself!All in all, this is rediculous and hilarious all at the same time … think I’ll go to McDonalds tonight for dinner and support a great cause.
lol, maybe the lady in the green jacket left to go get some “gayburgers” at McDonalds. or went to the store to get a frozen box of “Tyson Gay chicken strips”.
mmmmmmm, the more you eat the gayer you get!
this article brought a welcome smile to my face.
If ignorance is bliss, then the AFA folks must be blissful as hell.
Uh Yeah,
The Gay (homosexual agenda) specifically what is it? Perhaps it is a struggle for equal rights? Although the christian gods and their ministers of doom preach love and tolerance can I point out one salient historical fact. It was the christian god and his followers that burned witches not The GOD/GODESS and their followers. This is just another example of fine christain bigotr.
Bright Blessings Y’all