[url]http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/17/gay.parents.ap/index.html[/url]NEW YORK (AP) -- Despite a staggering 100,000 e-mails and phone calls in protest, Nickelodeon will telecast a special for children about same-sex parents on Tuesday night.

The half-hour report, produced by Linda Ellerbee and featuring Rosie O'Donnell, includes comments from the Rev. Jerry Falwell -- who later joined conservative activists in urging Nickelodeon not to air it.

The Washington-based Traditional Values Coalition has spearheaded the campaign against "Nick News Special Edition: My Family is Different," sight unseen. There were so many e-mails Nickelodeon had to set up a separate address to avoid a computer crash.

"It is a cover for promoting homosexuality for kids," said Andrea Lafferty, the coalition's executive director.

Nickelodeon said that's not so. Ellerbee, in the show's introduction, says, "The following program is about tolerance ... It is not about sex. It does not tell you what to think."

Ellerbee, who won a Peabody Award for a Nickelodeon special that delicately dissected the Monica Lewinsky scandal for children, said she conceived of this show upon reading that the word "fag" had become the most common schoolyard epithet.

O'Donnell's public acknowledgement that she is a lesbian put the subject in the news, Ellerbee said.

The program, which airs at 9 p.m. EDT, is largely a discussion. Although it also features a gay school principal and a gay New York City firefighter who is a father of three, children are the focus.

Some children with gay parents talk about feeling uncomfortable about what other kids say in school. Other children discuss their objection to homosexuality.

"It is never a wrong time to talk about hate," Ellerbee said. "It's just not. That's all our show is about. It is not in any way about the homosexual lifestyle. It's not even introducing the subject to most kids. They know. But quite frankly, many of them know it from a hate standpoint without even knowing what they're talking about."

But Lafferty said, "They keep saying it is not about sexuality. It is about sexuality."

Parents are upset because many thought they never had to worry about Nickelodeon's content, she said.

"They have been led to believe that Nick is a safe harbor," she said. "Now they've been exposed. The skirt has been lifted and Nick has been exposed."

Lafferty was asked by Nickelodeon if the Traditional Values Coalition would recommend children to be included in the special. She refused.

Falwell agreed to be interviewed, however, and is quoted expressing his opposition to homosexuality on Christian grounds. He also said it's important to respect other points of view and not react with violence.

He said later, in an interview with The Associated Press, that he is sorry Nickelodeon feels the need to "indoctrinate" children on homosexuality.

"Nickelodeon should stay away from endorsing lifestyles that are generally not accepted by the American public," Falwell said. "It turns a children's network into something parents feel a responsibility to edit and carefully filter."

Asked how he reconciled his participation in the show with a call not to air it, Falwell said, "I've often said I would preach in hell if they promised to let me out."

Ellerbee said she was disappointed by Falwell's later comments.

Most of Ellerbee's Nick News programs air at 8:30 p.m. This show has been pushed back a half hour -- to a time when the network usually runs old sitcoms -- because of its sensitivity, said Herb Scannell, Nickelodeon's chief executive.

Lafferty claimed advertisers wouldn't touch the show; Scannell said the plan was always to be commercial-free. Some other Ellerbee shows, including the Clinton discussion and one about AIDS, also contained no ads.

Scannell said he had no hesitation about airing the special.

"I thought it was in a territory that we've been before, in terms of looking at the world from a kid's point of view," he said. "The whole philosophy of Nick is that it's tough to be a kid in an adult world."

What the fuck is happening to this country?  America is becoming a haven for all kinds of social misfits and pats them on the back for being misfits.  Its only a matter of time before this country turns on these groups when NAMBLA ideals are taught in school, or will that be tolerated one day?  Its hard to believe that Nick is going down this road.  Fags are deplorable and have no place in the minds of children, I hope their sponsors cut loose and go elsewhere.

Lets find the sponsors and boycot their products, lets stop this if possible!

Burn 'em!  Burn 'em!

How about [i]if you don't want your kids to watch, change the channel or turn the TV [b]off?[/b][/i]  

No, it's easier to just condemn sight unseen.

I love bigotry.  (That's defined as an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics.)

[size=1]Boy, after that "creationism" thread, I'm going to be [i]real[/i] popular around here![/size=1]

My little ones won't be watching Nick tonight...and I dare say it will be less and less now.  Further...when I find out who the sponsors are...they won't be getting another red cent of my money.

Pervs...[puke]

(Just another rant from a whitemaleracistsexistbigothomophobe who is tired of hearing I have to accept their deviated prevert behavior!) [pissed]

Finally...here's a clue for all you liberals out there:  Its OK to have an opinion and to voice it!  I don't have to keep my mouth shut...or be labled as some sort of monster!  They ARE pervs!  Take THAT! [shock]

looks like MTV is wearing off on Nickolodeon. No surprise a they are both part of the same corp. To put this on a children's channel is truly about as low as it gets. Fuck 'em all.

Good for Nick.

Only sorry I don't have cable.

-legrue

Bunch of slack jawed faggets we have around here...what is so GOOD about this?  

Personally, I hope kids these days are smart enough to know that queers are called queer because they are social aberations.  Sometimes its not good to be different and I think Legrue just showed us that being different isn't commendable.

I'm not religious, but I believe the bible is a good teacher and the story of Sodom and Gomora comes to mind....

This is one topic the Muslims extremists are right on.

Irrational? I dont see anything irrational if someone said "We dont want Nambla giving out 'informational packets' in the local city park". I would call it irresponsible if they didnt!

And one more time for those who missed it. There is a difference between Blacks and homosexuals. Black is what you are, homosexuality is what you do...

Hate someone because of their mnorals and what they do? Fine. Hate someone because of who they are, you are the ignorant one. BIG DIFFERENCE...

Yup. EXACTLY.

I agree, when it comes to NAMBLA.  That behavior is predatory, without doubt.There's a difference, however, between homosexuality and pedophilia.  Really.  

We're back to the question of whether being homosexual is a [i]choice[/i] or not.  If you think it's a [i]choice[/i], could [b]you[/b] [i]choose[/i] to be homosexual?

I'm sorry. And where is your rock and why did you crawl out from under it? Perhaps you can repost and make some logical sense next time, other than just spouting verbal diarhea.

Still, to answer the one question in your assault, I think it's good because there are homosexual parents as well as students and more education and understanding are better for our children.

That way, when they grow up, we will have fewer ignorant homophobes shouting,




Also, it is you who call them "queer". I call them this: cousin, neighbor, friend, etc.


-legrue (neither slack jawed, nor a "fagget")

PS, if you are going to be a homophobe, at least try to be an intellegent one. It's spelled "faggot".

As a friend of mine observed a while ago, "'The love that dare not speak it's name' is now 'the love that won't shut the hell up'.

Since homosexuals can't reproduce, they have to recruit.  It's that simple.  And the target is YOUR kids.  Act accordingly.

I intend to find out every advertiser who show a commercial for this, and boycott, boycott, boycott.  If these businesses sponsoring this crap get hit hard enough in the wallet, they will start to behave themselves.  Nothing else works as well.

Nick is owned by MTV. What do you expect.

PLEASE do not let your kids watch TV by themselves, it is just too dangerous these days.

BAM!  You hit the nail on the head.  Thanks.

DrMark

This has already happened:

[url]http://www.stevekaneshow.com/glsnmass.htm[/url]

(Edited to add:  This link gives graphic descriptions of lession plans for the education of your children - be forewarned)

The homosexual indoctrination of your children  continues and, sadly, there is nothing you can do about it (short of locking them in your house for all eternity.)  They have been subtly doing stuff like this for years.  Forget the hovering "Black Helicopters" and those UN APC's parked in the town square - the Homo Conspiracy is out to get your children "on their team".  

(Ever REALLY looked at Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie)

[Adjusting my lavender-colored foil hat]

Doesn't everyone just love it that KBaker and legrue are so much more enligthened than the rest of us.  They are so superior.

Why, thank you!

At least I only hate people who give me reason.

Oh, and you don't hate people who try to indoctrinate your children to homosexuality?

BTW, I also believe in evolution, not creationism, I just don't get your 'holier than thou' attitude on the subject of this thread.  

Minman, get a clue. You're verbally attacking and insulting someone who stated thier opinion in an opinion forum intended for that purpose. You're making a fool out of yourself. Oh, and it's spelled 'faggot'.
Gays pose no extrensic threat to us. What intrinsic threat does the concept pose to you?

I know truth when I see it, and both of the above are exactly that.

RIP USA, your time is coming.

 [img]http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/sadness.gif[/img]

Maybe it isn't about hating homosexuals.  you don't have to hate homosexuals to hate homosexuality.  Homosexuality as a practice is immoral.  It kills(AIDS), it does nothing to further society (no reproduction).  And by the way, it does cause a threat to us in just the same way any immoral behavior threatens us such as drug abuse.  It tosses this society further down the pit of immorality.  If you haven't been paying attention, this society has become way too PC and accepting of behavior that is wrong over the last several decades.  I am not very religious but I really believe that if we as a society don't do something about this, we may be heading down the same path as Babylon.

-Nuke

Kbaker,

Agree, although I try not to hate anybody.

LarryG,

Non-smartass answer: I try to keep my pride in check, as I believe it is one of the seven deadly sins. Seems to me that you are the one who feels superior to the "faggets".

Smartass answer: Why thank you for finally recognizing the truth!

Admit it, LarryG, you're still chaffed in the shorts because everytime you scream up someone's ass on the freeway and they don't drive to suite you, you think of me [:D]

Actually, I NEVER think of you except when I read one of your assinine posts.  You better go back and read my posts, because I don't tailgate.  I do think people like you who won't get out of the way are the rude, inconsiderate ones who, like you, falsely believe they are superior.[:D]

BTW, you did not see me use the word 'faggot' (that is the correct spelling).  Any man who would rather stick his dick in another man's butt, than in a woman, I am superior to.

Homosexuality exists and I don't think it's something people choose.  I have some very close friends who are gay and lesbian, these people didn't choose to be gay, in fact being gay has made their lives very difficult.  They are kind, generous, productive people.  Their lifestyle hurts no one.

Their lifestyle is not my lifestyle, and frankly it seems a little unnatural to me.  On the other hand maybe it's entirely natural.  This weekend I heard about studies involving over crowding and various animals.  Under conditions of overcrowding, many species start displaying homosexual behavior.  Perhaps it is a population buffer.  Who know?  What I do know is that I'm not going to condemn anyone for what they do in the privacy of their bedroom as long as it involves consenting adults...

Do I "hate people who try to indoctrinate (my) children to homosexuality?"  I don't see it that way.  I haven't seen the show, so I haven't concluded that's what it's doing.  Others have.  I'm not [i]going[/i] to watch the program either.  

Homosexuals exist.  They've been around throughout recorded history.  They're not going to go away.  YOU [i]believe[/i] that they're "immoral."  I don't.  If they're [i]pedophiles[/i] then they're evil, and I think they ought to be taken out behind the jail and shot.  I'm not in favor of homosexuals (of either gender) adopting, but these people sometimes [i]do[/i] have children while attempting to be "normal."  Being the child of a homosexual parent has to be hell - especially if they go to school with [i]your[/i] kids.

Pardon me if I don't hate them, or their parents.[0:)]

And for those of you contending honosexuality is such a choice I submit the following...

IF as you say this perverse lifestyle is not a chioce, same could easily be said for pedophillia, beastiality and necrophillia...

I contend the above are choices such as any other [b]behavior[/b]. [b]AGAIN[/b]homosexuality is [b]NOT what you are its what you do[/b], and as any other [b]BEHAVIOR[/b] (from spiting on the sidwalk to being a slob, it [b]IS a choice[/b]....


LMAO@ [b]"[/b] Homosexuality exists and I don't think it's something people choose. I have some very close friends who are gay and lesbian, these people didn't choose to be gay, in fact being gay has made their lives very difficult. They are kind, generous, productive people. Their lifestyle hurts no one.[b]"[/b]


Replace all the words with guns and see what you read. We catch hell from the nice homosexuals for our gun choices but thats ok. We repudiate their perverted lifestyle and [b]refuse[/b] to allow them to recruit our children and we are the mean spirited ones....

Yup. He still chapped.

-legrue

You presume being homosexual is a choice, but being black is not.  Many would argue it's the same, that neither is something someone chooses.  The choices come into play in how one lives their life, whether it is as a homosexual or as a black man.  

Why don't you replace those words with being black and see what you read.  It doesn't sound as acceptable, does it?

"Black people exist and I don't think it's something people choose. I have some very close friends who are black, these people didn't choose to be black, in fact being black has made their lives very difficult. They are kind, generous, productive people. Their being black hurts no one."

Ain't pretty is it? Still laughing?

I presumed nothing. Again, since you didnt read it the first 3 times, I will say it once more. I demonstrated how [b]BEHAVIOR is choice based. [/b] Liars choose to be liars, thieves choose to be thieves, pedophiles choose to want to do the sickness that they do as do homosexuals.

Color, like sex is a function of nature. One can no more pick their color than they can pick where they are born, or whether they will be born male or female.  

To confuse the two is to not only submit to the liberal homosexual agenda of brainwashing but  it keeps you fromn realizing the difference between [b] what someone does and who someone is[/b]

As for the still laughing troll.....I never was. I take the liberal attack on moral charachter very serious. They, like terrorists prostitute freedom as a conveyance to their despicable lifestyle. They use freedom to not only deny a divine deity, but the make a sham of ours. They represent the modern day Sodom and Gommorrah. [smoke]

What is sick is the number of people here who are bound and determined to rule other peoples lives.

Why do you have to have someone to humiliate and brutalize?

"Why don't you replace those words with being black and see what you read. It doesn't sound as acceptable, does it?

"Black people exist and I don't think it's something people choose. I have some very close friends who are black, these people didn't choose to be black, in fact being black has made their lives very difficult. They are kind, generous, productive people. Their being black hurts no one."

Ain't pretty is it? Still laughing?"

If I were black, I would be very pissed about being compared to a queer.

Just to let you know that my hate for queers is well founded, I have two tales for you on the social deviance of homosexuals (fags).  

Tale #1 - In my senior year of high school, I was dating a girl who had nazi-ish parents.  To see her, I'd go to her church youth group to hang out with her.  On one occassion, we were talking about a friend of mine who was always in trouble with the law, who's parent's hated him and who was basically a miserable wretch just wasting his life away.  Well, along come Andy Rufowski (his real name just in case you have the displeasure of meeting him), who is the youth group counselor.  He wants  to discuss "James" which my gf and I were more than happy to do, since it really wasn't my problem.  Well, it seems that Andy thought I was the real one in trouble and that I was a disturbed youth.  
I then became his "cause."  Rather than mentoring his "cause" he decides to show up to my high school after a lacrosse practice and expose himself while I walked by.  He then started following me with his pants down, upon which time a guard saw him and he sped away.  The authorities were notified and the school was on high alert for him.  He called the school the next day and asked when my next game was and where.  He showed up.  BIG mistake.  To end this story on a happy note, the faggOt was given a severe beating by my team as well as my coaches (one was a Suffolk Detective) and he was sent packing (fudge).

The stories that followed didn't help me much socially, it was only my gf that was able to quell locker room fears about me.

Tale #2 - I was jogging through central park about a year ago with a buddy from law school on a day off.  We ended up taking a very wrong turn that ended up in a wooded area.  Slowing dow, we tried to get our bearings.  Then some black homeless guy walks up to us (knife in my hand) and asks us if we were looking for "a place" because he thought lots of people were taking up the prime spots.  Turns out we were in faggOt alley, which hopefully none of you will ever have to witness.  Upon his direction, we looked up a hill, down a valley and over some bushes and saw a lot of fudge packing going on.  

NOW here's where it gets sick...as we were jogging out, we came upon father(?) and son.  We stopped and told them what they were walking towards.  The father's response was, "I know, I don't see anything wrong with it, its better that he understands about it at an earlier age."

Think what you want, but we believed that he was pimping his kid out.  The kid didn't look all that happy.  We told the cops on the way out that a kid was kicking and screaming as some man dragged him away.  Hopefully they found him in time.  

Believe what you want, I have my reasons for hating their kind.  I have known gays that were polite and respectful, but for the most part (super majority), I do not like them.

I don't confuse the two (being what you are and choosing to act in a certain way), and I doubt you do either.  What I think you are confusing is sexual identity vs.  homosexual behavior.  Homosexual sexual identification and engaging in sodomy are not the same things.

Whether you or I think it's a good thing or not, fact is, there are people who are homosexual.  It's not their choice, no more than it is your choice to be a heterosexual.  A homosexual can choose to come out and act in that way, can stay in the closet, or whatever.

If you equate homosexuality (and all it's ills) with the behavior homosexuals engage in, then you're going to have to equally condemn all heteros that engage in similar behavior with their partners.  

No oral sex, no anal sex, nothing sodomy-like It'd be just like the soup nazi would say, "no more for you!!"

[;D]

Pedophelia has nothing to do with normal sexual orientation. It is a pathology, deviant to be sure, but not ascribable either heterosexuality or homosexuality.



You are in contradiction. If you believe homosexuality is choice, then you cannot believe sex is a function of nature, since it is the physical act of sexuality, a physical demonstration of the mind's desires.



Here we get to the foundation of the matter, and like the Jews and Palestinians there will be no solution. However, the view that homosexuality is a trait of liberalism is wrong. There are conservative homosexuals as well. Gay is what they are. The choice they made is to live in the quiet hypocrisy of supporting a political platform that would not have them.



A specious statement, and offensive in likening homosexuals to terrorists. Terrorists do not prostitute freedom. They distort the ideology to advance a radical religious view. It would be offensive to liken you and your religious views against homosexuals to the same distortion, wouldn't it? Your use of the word "prostitution" is incorrect.

Lastly, homosexuals do not deny a divine deity, nor do they make a sham out of anyone else's. They accept that it is a matter of faith on a personal level. Many of them a quite religious. They don't use freedom to deny anything but rather to try to define their roles in a society that discriminates against them.

A good number of my dear friends are gay, and some of that number are religious, conservative gun owners. I see the struggle they have, and I wished I had a solution for them. The bottom line is: You don't have to approve, but you also don't have to discriminate.

Here's something that'll confuse some:

[url]http://www.lcr.org/[/url]

My children certainly won't be watching it, or any other Nickelodeon show ever again.  Why?  Because at one point, I watched Nickelodeon as a child, and there was no worry of anything controversial or even remotely sexual in content being discussed.  It was at one point safe to assume the worst thing you were going to see on Nickelodeon was a talking Manequin or two annoying puppets that played "Gotcha last."

You see, there is a growing trend in America to expose children to adult oriented topics at a young age, and that bothers me.  Now I don't hate gay people, as I have several friends and even family members who are gay, and I didn't know they were gay until I became aware of sexuality.  And I think when you become aware of your own sexuality is when it's appropriate to address those topics.  So, when my kids grow up and I think it's appropriate, I will be discussing it.  Unfortunately, it means I can no longer give Nickelodeon the benefit of the doubt in their programming.

Along those same lines, were you aware that they are now prescribing drugs like prozac to children because they are suffering from anxiety and depression?  There was recently an article in some medical journal about how to reduce the anxiety in [b]kindergarteners![/b]  Now, what the hell is so stressful about kindergarten, other than that's when we start trying exposing them to things they shouldn't be exposed to.  We try to shove all these adult topics down our kids throats when all they really care about is playing.  My little girl doesn't think there's anything wrong with a little black child she plays with at the playground because no one in my household makes it an issue.  But then she sees some show on TV about a little black girl and how they're "different" from little white girls like herself.  Then it becomes an issue.  Frankly, I don't want my kids exposed to that,  or to sexual matters she has no business knowing about, and that's why my kids rarely watch TV unattended.  If they do, it's something we've already all seen together and have no problems with on a broadcast network or on DVD.

But you're right.  The biggest problem is people who leave their kids in front of a TV for hours a day while we do our jobs or other such things that we consider more important than raising our kids.  Thankfully, I get to spend a lot of time with my kids, and just got finished rolling around playing on the floor with both of them for a while.  Man, that's quality time.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Indeed.  Most black people I know personally don't condone homosexuality, and generally have more extreme distaste for the practice than I do.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

I believe he meant sex as in male or female, not the act of sexual intercourse.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Edited to fix quoting.

Indeed, I ask myself that every day.  Why am I some "crazed religious kook" because I believe in God and not some other form of spirituality?  Or why am I "some raving nutjob gun freak" for owning guns and believing in the Second Amendment.  Or how I am a "right-wing extremist" for believing in conservative values and that the government is doing more than it was intended to do.

Yes, why must the left humiliate and brutalize me so?  I mean, I have to accept the fact that a man wants to put his penis in another man's anus, but I'm some sort of sick freak for wanting to own a gun?  [;D]

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

I stand corrected. Thanks, GBT. I agree with you that we show children more than they need to know. Instead of showing them how ugly the world can be, maybe we should first clean it up a little.

I agree with your above post, too. Anti-discrimination goes both ways for me. I don't think religious people are kooks, and obviously gun owners are the most sane people in the world.

You are not, if you are considered a crazed religious kook its because of how you speek of and treat others, you are just choosing to play the victim like the liberals you love to castigate


You are not. You just like to fancy yourself as being persicuted, just like the liberals.


only if you are hiding abuse of others under the guise of "conservatve values"


Mister, its painfully clear that you have never even been close to felling humiliated or brutalized or you would have more sympathy for those who were.


Yes you do, cause there is no way that can harm you. And unless you are spying on them you shouldn't even know.  


No you are not, and most of the country does not beleve that, only a few sick freaks that have a phobia-a psychological disorder- about guns.

I know I'm not going to change anyone's mind, but this is a good discussion...

If I were to formulate a list of the top 20 all around coolest people I know, several people on the list are gay or lesbian.  If I were to dismiss people purely based on their sexual preference, I would be missing out on some special people.  Contrary to what some people believe, homosexuals and pediphiles are two different things.

I can understand people being put off by the gay rights movement and the gay agenda, but one must consider where it comes from.  If I were gay I'd be pissed to hear people insulting each other with the word fag and calling things gay.  This movement is a reaction to prejudice in the past and the present.  If you actually talk to homosexual people most want just want happy productive lives and be left alone just like anyone else.  Basically most gay/lesbian people aren't rosie odonells and just as most black people aren't black panthers...

Well you just had to know "Belloc" was going to chime in on this one. I mean after all the great and never ending Belloc/Rikwriter wars that have taken place on 4 or 5 different forums started because of my opposition to homosexual filth in the Boy Scouts.

Now, I find it interesting that psychologists are now saying that pedophilia and pederasty cannot be cured or treated, that it is a permenant condition. In other words, that's who they are. Does this mean that since they did not choose this that we should accept their "lifestyle"? The writer Truman Capote said once on 60 Minutes that for as long as he could remember he was sexually attracted to underage boys. I can remember back in the 80s when Rock Hudson was making his TV comback (but a year or so before his "gay" and HIV status became public knowledge) he was being interviewed on 20/20 by that monument to stupidity Barbra Walters. I remember the interview was conducted out by his pool and in the background was a bronze statue of a naked man spinning "airplane" style what looked like a 10 year old boy. I said to a friend, "What the hell is that?!" I said right there that this guy was a flake.
Homosexuality used to be considered a mental dissorder before a bunch of liberal blowhards took control of psychology, the media, education, ect. It may or may not be but no one chooses to have a mental dissorder. I think it a mental dissorder for some and a choice for others. It was just last week that Chastity Bono said she became lesbian when at age 11 her mothers lesbian friend "converted" her.
There is a reason why those who make the choice to engage in homosexual sodomy want to be on TV, want to be in the military, want to be in the Boy Scouts. And that is because it has ALWAYS been their goal to indoctrinate children.
And they won't stop. Not ever.

It is also important to note that while perhaps not all homosexuals molest children, almost every single case of child sexual abuse by priests in the recent and ongoing scandal in the Catholic Church has been committed by homosexuals.

Whew!  

Um, Belloc, there've been homosexuals (males and females) as far back as we've kept records.  In some societies it was regarded as no big deal, and in others it was punishable with penalties up to and including death.  Still, it existed.  You're right that in our not too distant past it was considered a mental illness.  I'll go so far as to say that pedophilia is [i]absolutely[/i] a mental illness.  The difference is [i][b]I[/i][/b] don't believe that homosexual=pedophile.  You do.  If someone is a pedophile, I think (and I said it elsewhere) they should be removed from the population.  If they're homosexual but not predatory, leave 'em the hell alone.  Should they adopt children?  No.  But what do you do about the ones who have [i]had[/i] children of their own while trying to be "normal?"  

No one's addressed [i]that[/i] question yet.