A Sad Sign Of The Times

**pollypurebred39** · 10-06-2011, 12:30 AM

Sesame Street Tackles Hunger and Poverty - Forbes

**Ceashels** · 10-06-2011, 07:44 AM

I think its wonderful that Sesame Street is willing to tackle such a topic. I hope Lily is able to teach us well.

**Libby** · 10-06-2011, 08:02 AM

I think they're going to wait and see how Lily's reception is accepted as they're only going to show her once on Sunday if I recall correctly?

But I'm glad that Sesame Street is acknowledging the truth about the economy right now vs sugar coating it for the children.

**imagine** · 10-06-2011, 08:51 AM

I do hope good things come out of this.

When I first read another article about this I was heartbroken.
I read it before bed and had nightmares about the repercussions of the show and repercussions of the character Lily.

Sesame Street tackles child hunger | The Australian

"Elmo didn't know there was so many people who don't have the food they need," says Elmo, who tends to refer to himself and everyone else in the third person.

Lily replies: "When you don't even know whether you're going to have a next meal or not, well that can be pretty hard." Elmo asks: "How does Lily know so much about this?"

Lily replies: "Well, because, sometimes I go with my family to the food pantry. I get breakfast and lunch for free in my school. That's two whole meals a day." emphasis mine

Our local school have lots of children receiving free lunch and many receiving food insecurity free backpacks on weekends and holidays (75% to 90% of all students on free or reduced lunch depending on the grade school). The schools try very hard to not make a distinction between the haves and the haves not. I fear that Lily will make the free children feel inferior.

Then I read the article posted by polly and it mentions how poverty characters are received by viewers. Lily might be a one time appearance and then get swept under the rug. I fear that if she does stay she will never be able to be a normal character on the show, she will always be the Hand over your heart knowing glances "bless that child", furthering the notion that free lunch children are less than. What an burden to place on a young child.

I pray that Lily does much good although I am not hopeful and truly fearful.

**valerian** · 10-06-2011, 09:02 AM

Nobody...especially children...should be going hungry in America! I'm sick of us giving aid to other countries when our own people are hungry here...no one else in the world would help us...just my two cents for the day.

On a lighter note, I loved Sesame Street as a child! Have you ever wondered why people have certain favorite characters from the show? Someone should do a study on it. I loved Ernie and Oscar and Big Bird. My brother liked Cookie Monster. My cousin liked Big Bird. My oldest son wasn't into Sesame Street, but was CRAZY about Barney (ugh! That song drove me nuts!) Middle ds was a huge Elmo fan. I don't think youngest has ever watched Sesame Street.

**MyLastRook** · 10-06-2011, 10:26 AM

It would seem, that it is now imperative for the American Left to begin its indoctrination of the young, into "the culture of dependency" before children can read.

I'm sort of amazed that people on a site about Frugality and Sensible and Sustainable Self Sufficiency...Would think that indoctrinating our children with a character that represents irresponsibility and poor life decision making skills would be a good idea.

Being homeless in and of itself...Is proof that one wasn't terribly frugal.

Still, there might be hope for the Lily character. If we add five kid puppets...Fathered by Oscar the Grouch, Cookie monster, and Bert before he was declared Gay. Bert being the only one actually paying child support. Then we can come up with a back story on Lily's poverty that involves $60,000.00 worth of student Loan debt incured for that life changing liberal arts degree in Women's Studies Related to Ancient Gallic Cultures. (In other words she majored in hanging out at Ren Fairs.) Lily could be a fantastic example to Preschoolers...Of what NOT to do with your life.

Lily shouldn't be treated as an object of compassion. Lily should instead be a scary warning about falling into the Left's dependency trap.

**madhen** · 10-06-2011, 10:38 AM

MyLastRook, you are trying WAY too hard. If you want to get a heated flame war going, you have to kindle it a little, not just throw gasoline on what isn't even a spark.

I was not a Sesame Street kid. I was more into The Electric Company.

**Russ** · 10-06-2011, 10:38 AM

Are you trying to get someone to get into a politcal arguement with you?

**Greebo** · 10-06-2011, 10:38 AM

Russ that beer glass is the best avatar ever.

**khaski** · 10-06-2011, 10:44 AM

We work to teach charity at home, as well as the values of hard work and basically you can have whatever you EARN. While our home works to teach my 3 and 5 yo's that we are blessed with all we have, and some have more, and some have less, I don't need my 3 yo daughter freaking out about hungry kids when she sits down to watch SS....though luckily, we rarely watch it. Should kids have an inkling about this stuff? Sure, but it's up to ME, as a parent, to approach the subject, not a tv show.That's why we donate to the local food bank from time to time, and the kids help me pick things out of the pantry to give, and then go with me to deliver it. Remember when people used to be ASHAMED to be on public assitance, rather than lining up with their hands out? I think it's great for people who need it temporarily to get back on their feet, or long-term for those truly disabled, buti don't agree with teaching our kids it's the norm and it's ok.

**Russ** · 10-06-2011, 10:44 AM

It was a gift.

and Greebo, try to stay on topic.

so in a effort to do so, I wish I had some cookies to go with my beer.

**Nishu** · 10-06-2011, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by imagine

Our local school have lots of children receiving free lunch and many receiving food insecurity free backpacks on weekends and holidays (75% to 90% of all students on free or reduced lunch depending on the grade school). The schools try very hard to not make a distinction between the haves and the haves not. I fear that Lily will make the free children feel inferior.

I didn't think of this, but you're probably right. Maybe they can make Lily seem cooler by giving her a smart phone and nice clothes?