HIV-positive muppet frightens Republicans

[*End Is Forever*]

Imran - last I checked we were talking about Africa, not "the US and Europe"...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Imran - last I checked we were talking about Africa, not "the US and Europe"...

Um... no... last I checked we were talking about US and Europe and gotten past this Africa discussion.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Um... no... last I checked we were talking about US and Europe and gotten past this Africa discussion.

The US/Europe discussion is talking about the GOVERNMENT's role in determining if they're allowed to have HIV characters on a kids show or not.

For some reason people love going on and on about their morals and their opinion of it, and nobody is addressing the issue of the State overstepping its bounds and imposing its morals on others.

[Jac de Molay]

It may be one thing teach kids not to fear the one infected. It is quite another to teach them that HIV is not really harmful.

Well, I dont exactly think it's teaching that is harmless. In the context of what's going on in africa, I think it's a good iidea to teach kids that HIV is not transmissible casually, and that stigmatization is wrong and unfair.

Similiarly, if a situation arose in the US where a disease, perhaps a virus-borne leukemia, was affecting young children, it would be also important to educate these children in a thoughtful manner about their condition.

St Marcus and his ilk are confusing morality with relevance. If the HIV disease has nowhere near the prevalence in the US as in africa (which it doesn't), then why go to the trouble of creating the character? There is no sense of urgency in this country, and there will always be plenty of opportunities down the road to educate children.


DAve

[Asher]

No one here (I think) is saying the US Seasme Street should impose an HIV positive character, it's just that some of us wouldn't have a major problem to the point of stopping our kids from watching it if it occured.

My beef is with the Republicans once again overstepping their bounds in the personal liberty department. If parents don't want their kids to watch it, they simply don't let them watch it, via the V-chip in all modern TVs or by supervising them like they're supposed to.

[Imran Siddiqui]

For some reason people love going on and on about their morals and their opinion of it, and nobody is addressing the issue of the State overstepping its bounds and imposing its morals on others.

Um... Asher... this might be something new for you... but EVERY law is imposing morality on others. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Law is morality enshrined.

[Imran Siddiqui]

From the article:

A day after show executives announced they would develop the as-yet-unnamed character for audiences in AIDS-ravaged South Africa, five members of the House committee on energy and commerce said the Muppet would be unwelcome on American TV.

So can someone PLEASE tell me why this discussion is about Africa again?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Um... Asher... this might be something new for you... but EVERY law is imposing morality on others. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Law is morality enshrined.

I'm talking about the ones that overstep the boundaries, like banning childrens shows from having HIV characters...

That should be up to the television producers and the people vote if they want it or not by watching the show or not watching it.

If there's one thing I can't stand it's the deep-south Republicans and their GoodChristian facade trying to "help everyone" by guiding their morals in issues like this.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
From the article:

A day after show executives announced they would develop the as-yet-unnamed character for audiences in AIDS-ravaged South Africa, five members of the House committee on energy and commerce said the Muppet would be unwelcome on American TV.

So can someone PLEASE tell me why this discussion is about Africa again?

1) The stuff about Africa is about Africa, since that's the only place they actually plan to air the program.
2) The stuff about America is about the government dictating what they can show in Seasme Street, in a ridiculous situation such as this.
3) For some reason you and Jon love to harp about your personal opinions on if they should be on American TV, when that's neither of the real issues at hand.

[*End Is Forever*]

So can someone PLEASE tell me why this discussion is about Africa again?

Because that's where the show is being televised?

[Jac de Molay]

My beef is with the Republicans once again overstepping their bounds in the personal liberty department. If parents don't want their kids to watch it, they simply don't let them watch

But if that were the case, and parents were told to not "let them watch", then the show, and everything good it offers, becomes undermined. Parents also have the choice of boycotting PBS, boycotting PBS corporate sponsors, etc- things that go beyond the scope of just not watching when an issue of HIV is brought to the forefront without thorough consideration of the subject matter and its relevance upon the lives of children.

Dave

[Gibsie]

Maybe they could have a warning before broadcasting the show, perhaps, "This broadcast may contain references to HIV". That way people like Jon could switch off, and let their kids watch something else.

[*End Is Forever*]

Rush Limbaugh, for example...

[Imran Siddiqui]

Jeez, I wonder if you people are really this dumb!

The 5 Congressmen raised the issue IF the character was to be aired in the UNITED STATES.

This has nothing to do with Africa at all. They can have a porno star on the show if they freaking want!

[NY Hoya]

Originally posted by Asher

1) The stuff about Africa is about Africa, since that's the only place they actually plan to air the program.
2) The stuff about America is about the government dictating what they can show in Seasme Street, in a ridiculous situation such as this.
3) For some reason you and Jon love to harp about your personal opinions on if they should be on American TV, when that's neither of the real issues at hand.

When this story first broke a couple of weeks ago, people were talking about putting the HIV+ character on the American version of SS. The Republicans are reacting to that. As lawmakers, they have every right to try and dictate what is shown on publicly funded television (PBS).

I have to agree with Jon, 2-4 years old is way too young to teach American kids about HIV/AIDS. The situation in Africa is different in that a high percentage of HIV+ people are kids. Most HIV+ people in the U.S. are not children, so the need to discuss it at such a young age is not present.