The Super Bowl, Brought To You By "Life"

Who's Tim Tebow? He's more than a quaterback with a charmingly alliterative name. He's not just a Gators player who's been vocal about his decision to wait until marriage. He's the beefy star of a television commercial, and it isn't for Nike shows or Campbell's Chunky soup. Instead, he's stumping against choice, er, sorry, making a commercial to his commitment to "life."

As a feminist with a mild interest in football, I've been more than a little intrigued by the whole controversy. The ad hasn't been released yet, but it's apparently going to be about Tim Tebow and his mother. While doing missionary work in the Phillippines and expecting Tim, Pam contracted dysentery and then developed a placental abruption as a result of the treatment, so she was advised to terminate the pregnancy. She didn't and you can see the happy ending right here.


My issues with the ad are many. Going through a pregnancy in spite of a placental abruption can be dangerous and your chances of ending up with a healthy baby, much less a Heisman-winner, aren't guaranteed. Also, abortion is illegal in the Phillippines, so Pam was getting an option the rest of the country still lacks, where women have the choice about life made for them and sometimes die as a result.

I also have some concerns that go above the content of the commercial. Although I loathe Focus on the Family, if CBS doesn't have a policy in place banning issue ads during the Super Bowl and FOF wants to pony up a cool 3 mil, then run their ad. Sure, I would take their commitment to "life" more seriously if they used that hunk of cash to actually improve the lives of children post-birth, but whatever.

However, that only applies if CBS is just as willing to broadcast ads from the other side of political spectrum, particularly pro-choice spots. And if their reaction to something as innocous as a gay dating site is any indication, they wouldn't be even if Planned Parenthood magically raised 3 million to blow on 30 seconds of air time.

Furthermore, CBS was apparently involved in the development of the ad. I really think that transgresses an acceptable relationship between a network and an advertiser, and only adds to what an already unbalanced fight. Now FOF not only had 3 million bucks to wave around, but they have all the benefits of CBS' resources and experience as well.

I don't think this necessarily points to some shifty conservative agenda on the part of CBS though. Who knows, that could exist, but it's also better business sense on their part to support the anti-abortion side. I haven't sifted through the stats, but I have a feeling that their side would be more likely to organize boycotts of the game and other advertisers if there was such a PP spot, whereas the other side wouldn't. And even if they did, that group would largely be composed of women, generally not the target audience of any of those ads.

Somehow, though, the controversy and all the complaints have only made the issue worse. I really think this ad could have disappeared from public consciousness if I didn't come with so much hype. But instead of CBS being in the shit, it's NOW. There are columns like this one accusing that organization and feminists in general as trying to suppress any kind of disagreement, as if we really present such a unified front. Not only are we trying to mete out our groupthink to the masses, but we're judging Pam Tebow on her choice. Why, isn't that ironic (in the Alanis Morrisette definition of the term)? such people huff. Well, no, it isn't. I'm not judging Pam Tebow's choice when it comes to her pregnancy with Tim, but I am questioning her choice to try and limit those of other women. And I'm questioning CBS' choice to air that ad and not the one for Man Crunch.

And I am questioning whether to watch the stupid game at all, but since I'm Canadian, all the ads will be replaced when it's simulcast anyway. So I'll be watching a spot for Bob's Discount Carpet Warehouse somewhere out in Scarborough instead of this insanity.