During last week’s debate Mitt Romney pledged to cut all funding for PBS, including Big Bird. Although Romney pitched the cuts as a deficit reduction measure, all funding for PBS accounts for less than 1/100 of 1% of the budget.
Funding for public broadcasting has been under attack from the right for decades. In this clip from 1969, the late Fred Rogers — the creator of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” — gives an impassioned defense of federal funding for PBS. At the time President Nixon wanted to cut a federal grant to PBS in half.
Rogers explains how his show differs from for-profit cartoons directed at children:
I give an expression of care, every day to each child to help him realize that he is unique. I end the program by saying, ‘You’ve made this day a special day by just your being you. There’s no person in the world like you, and I like you just the way you are.’ I feel that if we and public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we will have done a great service for mental health.
Watch it:
Funding for public broadcasting has been under attack from the right for decades. In this clip from 1969, the late Fred Rogers — the creator of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” — gives an impassioned defense of federal funding for PBS. At the time President Nixon wanted to cut a federal grant to PBS in half.
Rogers explains how his show differs from for-profit cartoons directed at children:
I give an expression of care, every day to each child to help him realize that he is unique. I end the program by saying, ‘You’ve made this day a special day by just your being you. There’s no person in the world like you, and I like you just the way you are.’ I feel that if we and public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we will have done a great service for mental health.
Watch it:
Sen. John Pastore, who chaired the hearings, said he got “goosebumps” from Rogers presentation and pledged to maintain the funding.
Notice that the guy about to cut the funding has never seen or heard of Mr. Roger's Program, nor does he know what impact it has of the development of children. Reminds you of someone? (Mittens Perhaps?)
I Miss Mr. Rogers! He could really explain things.............RIP!
Source
No comments:
Post a Comment