Mr. Big Bird Goes to Washington

by Rev. Peter E. Bauer

The other night I watched a news story that was broadcast on 60 Minutes. Leslie Stahl was interviewing staff at the Children’s Television Workshop and the designers of the Muppets, who appear on Sesame Street. Apparently, there is a new character that will join Elmo, Bert, Ernie, and Cookie Monster in the neighborhood. This new character will be “Julia “ and she has Autism.

Leslie Stahl interviewed Christine Ferraro, one of the writers for Sesame Street, who indicated:

“There is an expression that goes, ‘If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.’”

I really thought that it was wonderful that a television show for children is going to highlight positively someone who is different. At one point Big Bird is concerned that Julia is not responding to him right away.

Elmo replies: “ We had to explain to Big Bird that Julia likes him but that Julia has Autism and sometimes it takes her a little longer to do things.” (Ibid.)

If only this wisdom and compassion could extend to Washington. This week, the proposed federal budget has been rolled out. Again, some of the usual suspects were singled out to be placed on the chopping block, including the Corporation For Public Broadcasting and Meals On Wheels.

Wow, I guess lawmakers don’t want preschoolers to learn anything new, neither do they want senior citizens who are shut-in to have anything to eat. This certainly says a lot about ahem “compassionate conservatism. “

You will recall this is not the first time someone has put out an all-points bulletin on the big guy.

Back during the 2012 Presidential Campaign, the finely-feathered children’s friend took center stage this week after Mitt Romney pledged to cut funding for public broadcasting — even though “I Like Big Bird” — and President Obama began mocking his opponent’s proposal.

“Somebody is finally getting tough on Big Bird,” Obama told backers yesterday in Cleveland, throwing other Sesame Street players into the mix.

“Elmo, you better make a run for it,” Obama said. “Governor Romney is going to let Wall Street run wild again, but he’s going to bring the hammer down on Sesame Street.”

The attempt to axe Big Bird did not work in 2012 and I don’t think that it will work again in 2017. But the fact that the current administration is even placing programs like “Meals On Wheels “ on the table for elimination, saying such distortions as “there is no research that this program works “ is beyond preposterous.

One wonders, do they want the funeral directors to have more business.

I recommend that Big Bird make a return appearance to Capitol Hill. Can you just see the photo opps now with Senator Mitch McConnell and Speaker Paul Ryan. They would both be hard pressed to top a tall bright yellow bird.

Better yet, maybe Big Bird could also bring Julia with him. But the congressional representatives would have to be on their good behavior. Julia doesn’t like a lot of noise. That may be asking too much of this current congressional session.

Hopefully, they might learn something. You can get something done if you really want to, but you have to accept that others are different and for them it may take a little longer to do some things; and even more, that the things they do may be different from the things you do.

That could be a miracle worth watching.

May it be so.