Whelchel: "Cancel AOL" in protest of halftime show

[GalvestonDuck]

(In case you don't recognize the name, she played "Blair" of NBC's "The Facts Of Life.")

Dear friends,

I am deeply disturbed by what happened during last night’s halftime show of the Super bowl. I was downstairs cleaning up the kitchen when the halftime show began and when I overheard the lyrics of the songs I went upstairs to have the kids switch the channel. Too late! When it was over I called my mother and said, “Did what I think just happened, really happen?”

As a family, we immediately knelt down and repented on behalf of America and pled for mercy on our country. We prayed the scripture in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are ÿcalled by My name will ÿhumble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, ÿ ÿthen I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

At the end of the game we had a family discussion and talked about how we could make our voice heard, that there were people in America who were not willing to stand back and watch our country go the way of cultures in the past who gave themselves over to the flesh and were destroyed.

MTV produced the halftime show but AOL was the official sponsor. We can’t boycott MTV because we don’t subscribe. But we can cancel our AOL service – and we did! When I called AOL this morning to cancel they asked me why I was punishing AOL instead of CBS or the NFL.

I explained that CBS would not know if our family never watched another show on their network because we aren’t a “Nielson” ratings family. Same goes for the NFL. I don’t hold within my hands any influence to impact CBS, NFL or MTV. But AOL does!

If enough people cancel their AOL subscriptions, you can believe me, AOL will go directly to CBS, NFL, MTV and any other acronym involved, and their voice (and pocketbook) will be heard.

May I share a personal aspect to this story? For over a year Haven has been campaigning for “Instant Messenger.” I have repeatedly said no, explaining that I felt it was a time-waster. Last week the subject came up again, but she had a fresh argument. She said, “Television is also a time-waster and you let me watch that after all my school work is done.” I responded, “Good point. Are you willing to trade television privileges for IM?”

When she said that she would, she gave up watching television unless the whole family was watching something together, (which is very rare.) Tucker made the same choice and three days ago Steve loaded AIM, AOL’s Instant Messenger service. (We’ve had an AOL account for over ten years!) She has had the best time since then chatting with her friends and I was happy because, as many of you know, the kids have not made friends as quickly as I thought they would since we moved.

Last night when I put Haven to bed, I told her that I felt like we should cancel our AOL subscription but I would ultimately leave the decision up to Tucker and her because they were the most who would most be impacted by the choice.

With tears running down her cheeks and onto the pillow she said, “I will make the right choice, but it is so hard. I waited so long to get IM. I don’t want to, but I will do the right thing.”

I was so proud of her. (BTW, Tucker agreed, too, but he was more mad than sad.) Living in America, we don’t often have to suffer for our beliefs. I believe canceling our AOL account is a small way that we can take a stand for Christ and do our part in “turn(ing) from our wicked ways.” AOL may not hear, but God will and, perhaps, He “will forgive (our) sins and heal (our) land.”

Blessings,

Lisa Whelchel

http://www.lisawhelchel.com

P.S. Feel free to forward this E-letter to as many people as you know. Perhaps, collectively, our voices will be heard.

[blizzard]

IMO, AOL is worthless anyway. But, that seems a little extreme. Not necesarily the cancelling of the account, but the attitude. AOL is right, why should they get punished for this act?

[CaptinCrunch]

That is the stupidest thing I have read, First the NFL did not produce the hafetime show, MTV did, CBS knew what was going to happen, and now they play like it was a SURPRISE and they are in shock about it, Bullsh*t. MTV ain't nothen but TRASH anyway, come on just look at the hafetime show and who they had "TRASH".

The pregame show was COOL and thats how the hafetime should have been. IMO

[GalvestonDuck]

That is the stupidest thing I have read, First the NFL did not produce the hafetime show, MTV did, CBS knew what was going to happen, and now they play like it was a SURPRISE and they are in shock about it, Bullsh*t. MTV ain't nothen but TRASH anyway, come on just look at the hafetime show and who they had "TRASH".

The pregame show was COOL and thats how the hafetime should have been. IMO

She agrees that MTV produced it.

MTV produced the halftime show but AOL was the official sponsor. We can’t boycott MTV because we don’t subscribe. But we can cancel our AOL service – and we did! When I called AOL this morning to cancel they asked me why I was punishing AOL instead of CBS or the NFL.

[bfez1]

JMO, but Lisa Whelchel went to the extreme with this. But she has a right to do what she believes in just as I have the right to think she went overboard. To pray after the game because of a half time show---please, give me a break!!! She sounds like a religious fanatic to me!

[David]

I don't see what cancelling AOL has to do with a MTV program.

[OtherHD]

JMO, but Lisa Whelchel went to the extreme with this. But she has a right to do what she believes in just as I have the right to think she went overboard. To pray after the game because of a half time show---please, give me a break!!! She sounds like a religious fanatic to me!

Bonnie, I was DYING to say the same thing, but I figured I'd get bashed for it. I agree with you completely!! I would go on but I'll wait until someone else comes along who I agree with. All I'll say is that the incident has been blown way out of proportion.

[GalvestonDuck]

Well, she is married to a minister and has never hidden the fact that she is a Christian. She refused to agree with writers who wanted to have Blair be the first FOL kid to lose her virginity and she refused to appear in the episode where Natalie did.

[JCT777]

I personally don't think she is going to have a lot of people following her lead. I have AOL, and although what happened was in poor taste, it is not enough to cause me to stop watching TV or cancel AOL.

[Stephanie]

I think it's alittle extreme myself, but if she feels that that is what she must do to get satisfaction, then so be it. I'm sure she's not the only one doing that.

[bfez1]

JMO, but Lisa Whelchel went to the extreme with this. But she has a right to do what she believes in just as I have the right to think she went overboard. To pray after the game because of a half time show---please, give me a break!!! She sounds like a religious fanatic to me!

Bonnie, I was DYING to say the same thing, but I figured I'd get bashed for it. I agree with you completely!! I would go on but I'll wait until someone else comes along who I agree with. All I'll say is that the incident has been blown way out of proportion.

Like I said, she is entitled to her opinion but I also am entitled to mine.

[JQ Public]

She must be getting money on the side from nbc or smthg. It seems like all this drama is there to give bad press towards cbs et al.

[chadtm80]

Aol payed to have there name slapped on it didnt they??? So if they wanted to have the ups, there going to have to accept the downfall from it as well..

Guys just get rid of aol anyway.. You didnt need any new reason.. Just get rid of it.. lol

[southerngale]

I agree Chad. I'm sure there are a lot of people doing it, but probably not enough to make much of a difference to AOL. I see where she's coming from though, if enough people did stuff like that, companies wouldn't constantly be pushing the envelope. It was totally inappropriate and disgusting when you consider how many kids were watching. Not the time nor the place!

As for Lisa Welchel's reaction, she just sounds like a very strong Christian to me trying to do what she thinks God would want her to do. I won't criticize that.

[Derek Ortt]

Seems a bit overboard. Boycott CBS or the NFL, not the sponsors, who are distant form what happened

[timNms]

Southerngale, I agree with you. That was not the time nor the place for what happened. IMO CBS ABC nor NBC should show anything like that.

I wonder what everyone's opinion would have been had the role been reversed....what would have happened had SHE pull on his pants and exposed his penis?

[raine]

southergale....you said it all with your post! Rock on!

"If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything!" I don't know who exactly said that quote but the words ring true

Blessings, Raine

[rick-g]

I think Lisa was trying to Tie AOL to the incident. AOl was a sponser and they paid for the rights to be part of the whole package.

Was she successful? no, I would have heard about it through the media.
Do I think she went over board? yes.
But I think that she did what she thought was the right thing.
She must be really strict with her kids.

[Anonymous]

how could you possibly be offended, it was something that practically no one saw, because CBS cut away very fast. I think it was staged but who cares, it's about the football.