PBS Introduces Race Into the Cast of Muppets on ‘Sesame Street,’ Conservatives Call For Ending Taxpayer Funds

By
David Rufful
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OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.

Conservatives have called for defunding the taxpayer-supported broadcasts of PBS.

The network is accused of pushing government propaganda on children.

Earlier this year, Republican Senator Ted Cruz commented on how PBS used “Big Bird” to tell children about the Covid-19 vaccine.

“I got the COVID-19 vaccine today!” Big Bird exclaimed. “My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.”

Going a step further, Big Bird tells children that “I’ve been getting vaccines since I was a little bird,” but “I had no idea!”

PBS is now introducing new characters into its cast of Muppets on “Sesame Street,” which can be racially identified.

Popular “Sesame Street” characters like Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster are all non-human creatures without races.

Not anymore. The children’s program introduced the first “Asian American character” to its cast of Muppets, which is a girl named Ji-Young.

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, criticized the decision via Fox News:

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, called this week for the federal government to stop funding broadcaster PBS, pointing to the latest content decision regarding “Sesame Street”…

“What race is Ernie is Bert? You are insane PBS and we should stop funding you,” Schlapp tweeted, implying it was unnecessary for Muppets to be racially identified.

Ji-Young, a Korean American Muppet, will make her first appearance on a Thanksgiving special called “See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special” that will promote diversity and celebrate Asian Americans.

Schlapp’s criticism comes as the PBS show is under fire from conservatives over a vaccine town hall the Muppets participated in last week. The children’s show has promoted vaccines for decades.

Many conservatives have called for PBS to be defunded for years, accusing the network of advocating for liberal values in its programming.

PBS relies heavily on donations but receives millions of dollars each year from the government.

This spring, U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., reintroduced a bill to defund PBS. He has claimed the network promotes an “ideology of sexual deviancy” and attacks “religious liberty.”

“Last year, National Public Radio further discredited their institution and journalistic standards by refusing to cover a story that was damaging to then-candidate Joe Biden. NPR and PBS have increasingly turned into a mouthpiece for the left,” Lamborn said earlier this year. “Government subsidization of programs that refuse to publish actual news is fiscally irresponsible.”