Republicans are furious Seame Street's Big Bird (and now Elmo) got vaccinated.

[beaver2.0]

Elmo has a father?  Given his annoying voice I'm surprised he wasn't given up as a baby.

Also what's the deal with Elmo Sr's voice?  Did he get that voice from the Martin Sheen School of Southern Accents?

[lakeview]

Sesame Street is produced, in part, by our tax dollars, and aired through public television.  Parents are the arbiters of their children's best interest, and this includes medical decisions.  It is not the role of the government to fund money to produce propaganda in the name of "educational television" to cause children in elementary school to believe that they should be vaccinated, and (implicitly) that their parents are "wrong" in not having them vaccinated.  That is not the role of government.  I know that the Soviet government and Nazi Germany lionized children who snitched on their parents for thoughtcrime, but this is still America, and our tax monies should not be used to undermine the status of parents as the arbiters of their children's best medical interest.

This isn't an advocacy for parents being the final arbiters in things such as genital mutilation or not providing medical treatment for inoperable cancer, but the COVID-19 vaccine being administered to a 5-11 year old is not that kind of decision.  Nor is a 5-11 year old child capable of making that sort of decision.  These sort of things are propaganda aimed at children.  That's not OK on the taxpayer's dime.  The idea that vaccinating 5-11 year old children against COVID-19 is the best course of action for such children is far from settled science at this point.

Well, "Big Bird" was at no point literally advocating for 5-11 year olds to be vaccinated. The message was that COVID vaccinations are good and necessary, which according to the scientific consensus happens to be an objective fact. There's nothing bad about teaching children the scientific consensus, unless you're advocating for the parents' "freedom" - even if they don't hold a scientific degree themselves - to decide what the scientific consensus is.

This is a thoroughly stupid take. If Big Bird and Elmo are on Sesame Street talking about how Elmo is getting a vaccine to protect himself and the community, they're advocating for the vaccine for kids. I'm not against that per se, but let's not say the sky is orange, OK?

And scientists are not high priests. I'll say that again: scientists are not high priests. If you've arrived at the conclusion that it's "necessary" for a seven-year-old to take a shot for a bug that is 99.998% survivable for them where the shot is incapable of creating herd immunity no matter how many people take it, then it's because you are treating certain scientists (key word: "certain" -- the idea that there's a "consensus" that seven-year-olds need jabbed for this bug is a lie) as high priests, instead of making your own determination of whether the shot is necessary.

[emailking]

They could take the shot just to have milder symptoms. It's not just about survivability.

[lakeview]

They could take the shot just to have milder symptoms. It's not just about survivability.

They can do whatever they want. It's objective fact that this pathogen is mild for little kids; that's my point. A national propaganda campaign to get seven-year-olds to take a "symptom reducer" for the sniffles is beyond bizarre, at least for people who still have both feet planted on planet Earth. To the extent people have an issue with what Sesame Street is doing here, that's where it's rooted.

[7,052,770]

They could take the shot just to have milder symptoms. It's not just about survivability.

They can do whatever they want. It's objective fact that this pathogen is mild for little kids; that's my point. A national propaganda campaign to get seven-year-olds to take a "symptom reducer" for the sniffles is beyond bizarre, at least for people who still have both feet planted on planet Earth. To the extent people have an issue with what Sesame Street is doing here, that's where it's rooted.

I wouldn't expect a non-parent to understand, but getting your child a vaccine (yet another one of many) that has no drawbacks and can save them from a few days of misery is a no-brainer. Not everything is a life or death decision.

[lakeview]

They could take the shot just to have milder symptoms. It's not just about survivability.

They can do whatever they want. It's objective fact that this pathogen is mild for little kids; that's my point. A national propaganda campaign to get seven-year-olds to take a "symptom reducer" for the sniffles is beyond bizarre, at least for people who still have both feet planted on planet Earth. To the extent people have an issue with what Sesame Street is doing here, that's where it's rooted.

I wouldn't expect a non-parent to understand, but getting your child a vaccine (yet another one of many) that has no drawbacks and can save them from a few days of misery is a no-brainer. Not everything is a life or death decision.

Vaccinating a seven-year-old for Covid sure as s*** isn't. Which is why it's weird that there's a national propaganda campaign to get kids that age to take the shots.

[7,052,770]

They could take the shot just to have milder symptoms. It's not just about survivability.

They can do whatever they want. It's objective fact that this pathogen is mild for little kids; that's my point. A national propaganda campaign to get seven-year-olds to take a "symptom reducer" for the sniffles is beyond bizarre, at least for people who still have both feet planted on planet Earth. To the extent people have an issue with what Sesame Street is doing here, that's where it's rooted.

I wouldn't expect a non-parent to understand, but getting your child a vaccine (yet another one of many) that has no drawbacks and can save them from a few days of misery is a no-brainer. Not everything is a life or death decision.

Vaccinating a seven-year-old for Covid sure as s*** isn't. Which is why it's weird that there's a national propaganda campaign to get kids that age to take the shots.

I ... just told you why vaccination appeals to parents of young children. There's nothing weird about it at all.

[lakeview]

They could take the shot just to have milder symptoms. It's not just about survivability.

They can do whatever they want. It's objective fact that this pathogen is mild for little kids; that's my point. A national propaganda campaign to get seven-year-olds to take a "symptom reducer" for the sniffles is beyond bizarre, at least for people who still have both feet planted on planet Earth. To the extent people have an issue with what Sesame Street is doing here, that's where it's rooted.

I wouldn't expect a non-parent to understand, but getting your child a vaccine (yet another one of many) that has no drawbacks and can save them from a few days of misery is a no-brainer. Not everything is a life or death decision.

Vaccinating a seven-year-old for Covid sure as s*** isn't. Which is why it's weird that there's a national propaganda campaign to get kids that age to take the shots.

I ... just told you why vaccination appeals to parents of young children. There's nothing weird about it at all.

The weird part isn't that you want to give your kid the vaccine (just like it's not weird to give your kid children's Tylenol or whatever). The weird part is that there's a national propaganda campaign for it.

[FT-02 Senator A.F.E. 🇵🇸🤝🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦]

I'm just gonna ask you lakeview and other butthurt R's, why do you give a sh!t about Sesame Street promoting COVID vaccination for children? Yeah, so what if it's a spooky scary "national propaganda campaign?" Is public health campaigns against smoking and ingesting lead bad now as well?

[T'Chenka]

The weird part isn't that you want to give your kid the vaccine (just like it's not weird to give your kid children's Tylenol or whatever). The weird part is that there's a national propaganda campaign for it.

It's weird that you think the government shouldn't take advise on public health policies from health experts seriously.

[7,052,770]

They could take the shot just to have milder symptoms. It's not just about survivability.

They can do whatever they want. It's objective fact that this pathogen is mild for little kids; that's my point. A national propaganda campaign to get seven-year-olds to take a "symptom reducer" for the sniffles is beyond bizarre, at least for people who still have both feet planted on planet Earth. To the extent people have an issue with what Sesame Street is doing here, that's where it's rooted.

I wouldn't expect a non-parent to understand, but getting your child a vaccine (yet another one of many) that has no drawbacks and can save them from a few days of misery is a no-brainer. Not everything is a life or death decision.

Vaccinating a seven-year-old for Covid sure as s*** isn't. Which is why it's weird that there's a national propaganda campaign to get kids that age to take the shots.

I ... just told you why vaccination appeals to parents of young children. There's nothing weird about it at all.

The weird part isn't that you want to give your kid the vaccine (just like it's not weird to give your kid children's Tylenol or whatever). The weird part is that there's a national propaganda campaign for it.

Not "propaganda" and not weird. There are public health campaigns for all kinds of things.

[lakeview]

They could take the shot just to have milder symptoms. It's not just about survivability.

They can do whatever they want. It's objective fact that this pathogen is mild for little kids; that's my point. A national propaganda campaign to get seven-year-olds to take a "symptom reducer" for the sniffles is beyond bizarre, at least for people who still have both feet planted on planet Earth. To the extent people have an issue with what Sesame Street is doing here, that's where it's rooted.

I wouldn't expect a non-parent to understand, but getting your child a vaccine (yet another one of many) that has no drawbacks and can save them from a few days of misery is a no-brainer. Not everything is a life or death decision.

Vaccinating a seven-year-old for Covid sure as s*** isn't. Which is why it's weird that there's a national propaganda campaign to get kids that age to take the shots.

I ... just told you why vaccination appeals to parents of young children. There's nothing weird about it at all.

The weird part isn't that you want to give your kid the vaccine (just like it's not weird to give your kid children's Tylenol or whatever). The weird part is that there's a national propaganda campaign for it.

Not "propaganda" and not weird. There are public health campaigns for all kinds of things.

OK, so we're back to "the sky is orange." There is not a propaganda campaign to get little kids to take Covid vaccines. If that's what you believe, then okay. We disagree, and I'm not sure there's anything more to discuss here.

[T'Chenka]

Republicans projecting about Democrats with a "sky is orange" mentality is hilarious.

[Horus]

The GOP is stupid example #1,000,000 but why is PBS still on COVID? COVID is over.

[T'Chenka]

The GOP is stupid example #1,000,000 but why is PBS still on COVID? COVID is over.

The pandemic phase is over. COVID is not over. There are all kinds of non-pandemic health initiatives a government should engage in. America isn't a libertarian dystopia yet.

[Badger]

The GOP is stupid example #1,000,000 but why is PBS still on COVID? COVID is over.

I'll be sure to notify both of my parents who contracted it in the last week. Along with my very close friends who live next door and had it sweep through their family as well

[emailking]

The weird part isn't that you want to give your kid the vaccine (just like it's not weird to give your kid children's Tylenol or whatever). The weird part is that there's a national propaganda campaign for it.

Why do you care?

[lakeview]

The GOP is stupid example #1,000,000 but why is PBS still on COVID? COVID is over.

The pandemic phase is over. COVID is not over. There are all kinds of non-pandemic health initiatives a government should engage in. America isn't a libertarian dystopia yet.

Ooh, "health initiatives!" Tell me, when do we get to flush two years of our lives down the toilet again so we can not suppress a pathogen and not come up with any good treatments for those who get infected with said pathogen? Because I just can't wait to do this all again!

[FT-02 Senator A.F.E. 🇵🇸🤝🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦]

The GOP is stupid example #1,000,000 but why is PBS still on COVID? COVID is over.

The pandemic phase is over. COVID is not over. There are all kinds of non-pandemic health initiatives a government should engage in. America isn't a libertarian dystopia yet.

Ooh, "health initiatives!" Tell me, when do we get to flush two years of our lives down the toilet again so we can not suppress a pathogen and not come up with any good treatments for those who get infected with said pathogen? Because I just can't wait to do this all again!

Ah yes, because he's TOTALLY advocating for lockdowns again, and *GASP* MASKS?!

[lakeview]

The GOP is stupid example #1,000,000 but why is PBS still on COVID? COVID is over.

The pandemic phase is over. COVID is not over. There are all kinds of non-pandemic health initiatives a government should engage in. America isn't a libertarian dystopia yet.

Ooh, "health initiatives!" Tell me, when do we get to flush two years of our lives down the toilet again so we can not suppress a pathogen and not come up with any good treatments for those who get infected with said pathogen? Because I just can't wait to do this all again!

Ah yes, because he's TOTALLY advocating for lockdowns again, and *GASP* MASKS?!

I don't care what he's advocating for or what "health initiatives" he wants to pimp; that's my entire point. Any such initiatives would be run by a "public health" apparatus that many if not most Americans have unqualified distrust for, given its track record the past couple years. Distrust, I may add, that they came by honestly, for the most part.

To get back on topic, turning Sesame Street into a commercial for a symptom reducer for the sniffles (and insisting on pretending it's not such a commercial, but rather, some grand and deeply necessary humanitarian initiative) only hardens this distrust.

[T'Chenka]

The GOP is stupid example #1,000,000 but why is PBS still on COVID? COVID is over.

The pandemic phase is over. COVID is not over. There are all kinds of non-pandemic health initiatives a government should engage in. America isn't a libertarian dystopia yet.

Ooh, "health initiatives!" Tell me, when do we get to flush two years of our lives down the toilet again so we can not suppress a pathogen and not come up with any good treatments for those who get infected with said pathogen? Because I just can't wait to do this all again!

Ah yes, because he's TOTALLY advocating for lockdowns again, and *GASP* MASKS?!

I don't care what he's advocating for or what "health initiatives" he wants to pimp; that's my entire point. Any such initiatives would be run by a "public health" apparatus that many if not most Americans have unqualified distrust for, given its track record the past couple years. Distrust, I may add, that they came by honestly, for the most part.

To get back on topic, turning Sesame Street into a commercial for a symptom reducer for the sniffles (and insisting on pretending it's not such a commercial, but rather, some grand and deeply necessary humanitarian initiative) only hardens this distrust.

Listen dude. Public health initiatives are a necessary part of any modern society. You still need SOME public health department to do SOMETHING. Even undeveloped countries with dozens of massive problems have health departments that at least attempt to do something. Just because a bunch of people distrust them doesn't mean they stop doing their jobs. If you wanna criticize their work, go ahead. They'll just keep doing their jobs like they should.

[Badger]

Yeah, I'm smelling a serious strain of vacs/ covid truthism from The New Guy

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Elmo fires back (courtesy of Stephen Colbert and the Late Show):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFBRqqOc0pk



(Today, thanks to muppets from Sesame Street, I learned that United States Senator Ted Cruz's Twitter account once liked a MILF porn video. Something, something, post-cyberpunk dystopia. /headdesk)

[SevenEleven]

Are they mad when Sesame Street recommends other healthy choices like exercise and minimizing junk food?

Yes because it makes them feel bad about themselves.