Attention parents: the cartoon characters your children have grown to love may be promoting something completely terrible that Christian groups are in dismay over.

It has nothing to do with the vulgarity of South Park or the adult situations of Beavis and Butthead.

This time, the controversy is pointed at the likes of SpongeBob Squarepants, Barney and a list of several other characters featured in a video remake of the 1979 song “We are family.”

The We Are Family Foundation, which was set up by songwriter and founder Nile Rodgers, uses the voices and images of several cartoon characters including Winnie the Pooh, Bob the Builder and Clifford the Big Red Dog. The video is supposed to be sent out to 61,000 public and private elementary schools in March.

The production also includes cameo appearances by Bill Cosby, Diana Ross and Whoopi Goldberg.

The video was designed to teach children about diversity and tolerance, but some activist groups are angry because they say the video exploits cartoon characters into teaching children the acceptance of homosexuality.

Though part of diversity is one’s sexual identity, that is not the main message groups should look at when viewing the video.

Isn’t unity a good thing? Though some Christians may believe homosexuality is wrong, they should not be sending a message that homosexuals should not be accepted into society.

Children need to understand that not all people are the same, and though they may not agree with their life choice, that doesn’t mean children shouldn’t learn to accept it.

Isn’t that how racism has stuck with us for so long? If it weren’t for parents and school systems teaching children to be segregated from each other because of the color of their skin, maybe racism wouldn’t still be an issue today.

Young people are the least judgmental and absorb information like sponges, and the best way to make a more united society is to teach them acceptance of different beliefs and cultures.

People come from all kinds of different backgrounds such as single parent homes and mixed homes and differing economic status. Children should be taught that not everyone they come across is the same as them.

That is all the cartoon video is trying to do, and nobody should criticize the makers for doing so.

“Cooperation and unity are the most important values we can teach children. We believe that this is the essential first step to loving thy neighbor,” Rodgers said on the foundation’s Web site, “and the fun and exciting format makes it a lesson that’s easy for children to learn.”

I doubt the makers of the video are celebrating homosexuality or encouraging gay marriage, but more so uniting a divided society on a touchy subject.

As for exploiting cartoon characters, why would all the makers of the cartoons agree to participate in a worthy cause?

What are considered immoral acts by religious groups should also be discussed from the civilized viewpoint of not all people have the same preferences or beliefs.