Honey Maid Scandal

Hey there fellow colleagues,

            Did you miss me? Well worry not, as this week I have returned and as always with news to share. This week’s offering comes in my recommendation that you check out Eileen Smith’s blog post entitled No more S’mores on her blog In the Pink.  Those of you who are fans of a sarcastic voice and the occasional smattering of smart-assery in your reading should be keeping up with Mrs. Smith.

            Smith’s article is a light satirical piece poking at the moderate rumblings being made by One Million Moms, a branch group spawned from the American Family Association, and other similarly inclined associations concerning the newest Honey Maid graham cracker/ teddy graham commercial. In which a gay male couple with a child is featured twice partaking of the previously mentioned snacks. The group’s apparent contention ,aside from showing an a gay couple at all (a pushing of the LGBT agenda in their eyes), is that the tag line of the commercial involves the term wholesomeness; with which the dissenters not only disagree, but feel is an attempt to normalize what the group calls “a particular type of sexual perversion”.

            Yes, Smith’s article is cute and good for a chuckle; her over-amplified satirical voice makes her own disagreement with the group’s issues, being issues for them, very clear. This also makes it clear that the piece is intended for those whose reaction would be similar to her own; i.e. those who we would have to say have a more liberal leaning on such subjects. However even if your personal orientation does not lend itself to either the far right or the far left; or if you do have what would traditionally be called some right/conservative ideals, Smith is successful at making you ask the same question she does at the end of her piece. All of this over a cookie commercial? Would this fervent energy not be better put to use elsewhere?

The picture painted is one that shows the angered parties as not only silly, but a bit juvenile at that. The end result makes the whole scene look like one of desperation; a segmented off shoot group of far right conservative origin, grasping desperately at anything to try and reignite the discussion of homosexuality being depicted the media as one of the worst possible things that could be allowed to happen. A discussion we ended a long, long time ago. Not to mention that anyone with an inkling of knowledge on social interactions will tell you, when you are trying to attract people to join your group/cause, palpable desperation is a really, really bad thing. Something not only sure to not win people over to your side/cause, but sure to lose you some of the people and support you already have.