Sesame Street will unveil a new character named Lily on October 9, and she has a problem: She’s hungry! As the Grio reports:
Sesame Street’s new character Lily is a “food Insecure” puppet whose family struggles with hunger issues. The hot pink puppet with a purple nose and turquoise eyelids will make her debut in a PBS special called Growing Hope Against Hunger. The hour-long show will tackle the societal issue of hunger among low- and moderate-income families in the US. And with the USDA reporting that nearly one in four American families have limited access to affordable and nutritious food, the timing of the special is especially relevant.
Although Lily is just the latest politically charged plot to come out of Sesame Street, the problem with this storyline is that it is absolutely false. In fact, Lily’s lucky to be “poor” in this country. Sesame Street would be wiser to educate America’s children about the real poor and hungry — the 98 percent of the world population who live outside the United States.
The truth is, 94.3 percent of American households are able to put enough food on the table every day to feed their families. And despite the grim “facts” and figures thrown around by children’s television programs, celebrity spokespersons, and the mainstream media, the vast majority of children living in America are healthy and well fed.
The facts about hunger in America really aren’t that alarming — certainly not alarming enough to warrant a whole new Sesame Street character!
In fact, American kids have it pretty good. As I wrote on NRO back in January, the idiom “food insecure” — a term created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture — means one has either “reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet” or “disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.”
So, far from hungry or starving, Lily suffers from a much less dramatic condition — unpleasant to be sure, but at its core, just a somewhat boring, irregular, and occasionally reduced diet.
Of course, what will likely be absent from Sesame Street’s lessons on “food insecurity” are the various federal, state, and local welfare programs for which Lily’s parents qualify: food stamps, WIC, free school meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner!) as well as all the charitable services provided to families in need, such as food banks and church-run food assistance.
Of course, I don’t really think my preschooler needs to learn about the welfare system in the U.S., but then, I also don’t want them being told lies about hunger in America. He’s already worried to death about the polar bears!
— Julie Gunlock is a senior fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum.
At least it's not Bert and Ernie getting "married".
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf you want your kids not to care about the hungry or poor, you can always give them the large-print illustrated Atlas Shrugged Children's Edition. It's just like the adult edition, and will turn your kids off to reading even more so than the television ever could.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIs it necessary to be so snarky because you disagree with the author?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYes, when the article is so dumb.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYes.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOR you could tell them that "15 million" kids in America are hungry. They will realize this is baying, yipping, bleating, yibbering nonsense, and never believe a word on the subject that anybody says, ever again.
As far as the ACTUAL hungry people - in Africa/India for instance - if you're lucky, they will think they are "hungry" in the same sense as a kid in America whose mom forgot to pick up her food stamps is "hungry". Might not realize just what that word actually means.
So how many of the commenters on this post are the same person?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBoth of my daughter's grew up on Sesame Street, so to say. This is a toddler's show, for children aged 2 and up. Children in this age group can become greatly influenced by what they see and hear all around them, and many of them take what they see and hear to heart, which is good teaches them compassion. But many of them take it too far because that's the age group.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf they hear about polar bears in a nearby park eating people then they will become worried and scared about going to that park.
By introducing a character that is 'food insecure' it could cause a lot of children to become insecure in their food availability. Maybe they're being denied that cookie before dinner, because there are no cookies, or they can't have something else because there isn't any food.
I really believe that this could backfire and have children become worried about their own circumstances. This is not a subject that children need to be concerned about they have enough to worry about what with monsters under the bed and such.
Bad idea Sesame Street.
Or maybe they'll come to learn how lucky they are to have all their needs met, and they'll grow up to be compassionate, caring people who help those less fortunate than themselves. It really depends on how the parents handle it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObviously you haven't completely read the articles about this special. A food pantry is portrayed in the show, because "Lily" goes there both as a client and as a volunteer. In my area, the typical allotment of food stamps does not cover the family's needs unless they eat ramen noodles for every meal. Working and volunteering among low-income people every day, I cannot believe some people's assertions that poverty is not a reality in America.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWho cares if 94% have "enough money to put food on the table?" That means there are still 6% who don't! And that doesn't count the neglectful parents who squander money on their own needs or habits and just don't feed their kids! this is America for F sake! If we can't feed everyone here everyday but we can pay a movie actress 20 million dollars to strip or some idiot to throw a football then there's a problem....guess what, there's a problem. I see hungry kids every day in my job.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe heartlessness and sense of entitlement in this piece leave me astounded.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't know where your 94.3% number comes from, so for purposes of argument let's work with it. You're saying that things are okay because only 5.7% of the nation doesn't have enough food to eat? Are those 5.7% lucky to be malnourished or starving here, instead of malnourished or starving in some other country? And the real outrage is a Sesame Street character, not the fact that your statistic isn't 0.0%? And if the statistic is not 0.0%, how is Sesame Street even fibbing?
How many American children have to go hungry before Sesame Street has your permission to depict hungry American children?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"The truth is, 94.3 percent of American households are able to put enough food on the table every day to feed their families"
So, in America, ONLY ~18 million people aren't able to "put food on the table every day"? And you think that is a good thing, something we should be proud of? Wow...you're really a sick puppy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"The truth is, 94.3 percent of American households are able to put enough food on the table every day to feed their families."
but that means that 5.7% of american households CANNOT put enough food on their table every day to feed their families. that's about 15 million people!
which undermines your entire point. if you think that a tv show like sesame street should not have a character portraying the situation of only 5.7% of the country, then are you equally outraged that donald trump has a show?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse'At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge,' said the gentleman, taking up a pen, 'it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.'
'Are there no prisons?"
'Plenty of prisons,' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.
'And the Union workhouses.' demanded Scrooge. 'Are they still in operation?'
'Both very busy, sir.'
'Oh. I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,' said Scrooge. 'I'm very glad to hear it.'
'Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude,' returned the gentleman, 'a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?'
'Nothing!' Scrooge replied.
'You wish to be anonymous?'
'I wish to be left alone,' said Scrooge. 'Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned-they cost enough; and those who are badly off must go there.'
'Many can't go there; and many would rather die.'
'If they would rather die,' said Scrooge, 'they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."
---from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbusePlease, may I have another, Julie?
Breaking your 5.7% down further translates to 1 in 4 children being "food insecure". But hey, that's just "unpleasant" when you have a "boring,irregular, and occasionaly reduced diet".
The definition of unpleasant is when your new, four hundred dollar pair of shoes make a blister on your foot.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt would be worthwhile to check your facts before you make yourself look so ignorant....
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"Nationally in 2010 the food hardship rate for households without children was 14.9 percent, and it was 23.4 percent for families with children."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHaving grown up as a "food insecure" republican in a single parent, six child, household, I would like to share my view. My mother worked (mostly second shift) and rarely qualified for food stamps. However, when she did, we would (and almost did) die before using them out of some crazy pull yourself up by your bootstraps mindset.
We ususally had choices to make between food or heat and this often resulted in little or no food. Dinner was often 7 people tearing into a convenience store roster chicken while standing. Heat involved walking to the gas station to get some kerosene in 5 gallon jugs.
Julie, there are some good and worthy causes you could direct your skills to but this isn't it. I feel the shame for you if you are unable to feel it yourself.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"The truth is, 94.3 percent of American households are able to put enough food on the table every day to feed their families."
Did you know that 67% of all stats are made up on the spot?
Please cite your source.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"In fact, American kids have it pretty good."
I know, that's totally what I tell the kids in the family shelter where I volunteer!
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