The birth of Tebow

In light of its actions this week and in years past, there can be no doubt that major American television network, CBS, is selling out.  

For many years, CBS maintained a strict ban on “advocacy advertisements,” refusing to give air time to any ads that the network felt unfairly advantaged, or took the side of, a current controversial issue of domestic importance. This included a December 2004 ad submitted by the United Church of Christ, a Protestant organization that has historically favored progressive or liberal views on issues such as gay rights, civil rights, women’s rights and abortion. The ad, which was submitted for consideration for the 2005 Super Bowl, was one of acceptance and inclusion featuring the slogan “Jesus Didn’t Turn People Away. Neither Do We.” And yet, CBS held steadfast, citing its ban on such ads.

Recently, however, CBS has quickly contradicted itself, illustrating that the ban only holds if an ad conflicts with the network’s own ethical opinions. A pro-life advertisement paid for by Focus on the Family, an infamous nonprofit organization known for its monstrous appetite for anything anti-abortion and anti-gay, was accepted for inclusion in the advertisement lineup for this year’s Super Bowl. Although not many specifics have been revealed about the ad, what is known is that it will feature the quarterback for the Florida Gators, Tim Tebow. The ad will no doubt feature his mother’s personal story of Tim’s birth, which she recounted in the Oct. 7, 2007 issue of The Gainesville Sun.  

Just before her pregnancy, Pam Tebow, fell into a coma after contracting amoebic dysentery, after which she was given heavy doses of medications to assist in her recovery. After discovering she was pregnant, Pam quit the medications, but doctors realized that the fetus was badly damaged and suffered from placental abruption—a premature separation of her placenta from the uterine wall. They suggested abortion as they expected a stillbirth, but Pam held true to herself and her faith, and refused. Cut to Dec. 8, 2007 when Tim won the Heisman Trophy—talk about living to tell the tale.

As William Saletan states in his Feb. 1, 2010 article for Slate Magazine, “The Invisible Dead,” “Pam’s story certainly is moving. But as a guide to making abortion decisions, it’s misleading.”

Placental abruption is a condition that does not always end so well, according to a study published in 2001 by the American Journal of Epidemiology. Researchers analyzed 7.5 million births that occurred in 1995 and 1996. In the United States alone, abrupted pregnancies had a 12 percent perinatal mortality rate—or 5,570 in those two years alone. In Thailand the rate was 16 percent, and in Sudan the rate was 38 percent. Along with these unfavorable statistics, maternal mortality is also a risk, Saletan explains, as complications during birth can include “internal bleeding, hemorrhagic shock, kidney damage, embolisms and heart failure.” Shad Deering, an obstetrician/gynecologist at the University of Washington, found that placental abruption is responsible for 6 percent of maternal deaths—that’s thousands.

So although one must be thankful for the birth of Tim, and the health of his mother Pam, we must also “celebrate her luck” as Saletan states. For what of the thousands of other voices and stories that will remain unheard as women see this advertisement and are unfairly allowed to believe that one brave decision is always the right decision?

So although I wish that CBS would consider airing more ads from gay and lesbian advocacy groups, or at the very least not rejecting ads that they deem inappropriate (read: gay friendly), I would rather they remain consistent and not push a political agenda down the throats of millions of Americans who should more appropriately be having chips and salsa shoved down their throats. The ban that has been in effect for years has not always worked to the advantage of progressive and liberal-minded individuals, but it is obvious that it is there for a reason. Perhaps a game involving 22 sweaty men wrestling one another just to catch a ball (read: so gay) is not the right forum for discussing such matters, and instead should be devoted to Clydesdale horses and Pepsi-Cola.