The (other) Hand.

Let's begin again, with a bit of backstory...

            Beginning with its birth in the U.S, November 10, 1969 on the National Educational Television network (to later become the Public Broadcasting System), Sesame Street has embraced all colors, ethnicities, cultures, and topics. Using puppets and animation to connect to children whether through lessons on arithmetic, road safety, or “the importance of basic hygiene, parents and children alike have greatly appreciated this program for years. Creator Jim Henson’s genius accumulation of themed segments and sketches was seen as innovative for a children’s program, and has been duplicated by other children’s programs throughout the years.

            Though, Sesame Street has broken the boundaries most protective parents set up for the influential stimuli being shown to their little ones. In 2002, a character called Kami who is HIV-positive was introduced to the South African version of the show, Takalani Sesame. 

At this, American parents and television executives outraged and dozens of news stories arguing against this character spread across our stations. What the outraged failed to see was that in the region of this broadcast, many families and children alike were and still are affected by this epidemic.

This raises great contemplative questions: 
-Are the influences television imposes on us always simply positive or negative? 

-Will viewers ever be satisfied with the content of television programs? 

"All television is educational television.  
The question is:  what is it teaching?" 
~Nicholas Johnson

What do you think?