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MINNEAPOLIS – Tom Prichard, president of the Minnesota Family Council (MFC), today in a letter to state legislators called for the ending of state funding of Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) for its plan to air a controversial episode of the PBS’ “Postcards from Buster” cartoon series which targets impressionable young children with a pro-homosexual message.
In his letter to legislators Prichard said, “This episode is inappropriate for impressionable young children. In fact, it’s unacceptable that TPT would deliberately target young children with such a controversial message -- that a same-sex relationship is no different than a mother-father relationship. On the contrary, the homosexual lifestyle is fraught with significant health risks and problems.” The controversial episode called “Sugartime” features the character Buster from the popular children’s television show, “Arthur.” In the episode same-sex parents are featured. This particular episode was criticized by U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, who in a letter to the president of PBS, which funded the program, said, “Many parents would not want their young children exposed to lifestyles portrayed in this episode. Congress and the department’s purpose in funding this programming certainly was not to introduce this kind of subject matter to children.” PBS has since pulled the episode from mass distribution. Prichard said in his letter to legislators, “I believe is it entirely inappropriate for the taxpayers to continue subsidizing TPT if it chooses to continue funding propaganda efforts targeted at unsuspecting, impressionable young children. TPT in FY 2004-2005 received nearly $600,000 from the state of Minnesota. According to newspaper reports to date, only 21 of the 349 public television stations across the country have committed to running the episode. Of the six public television stations across the state only TPT has currently stated that they will air the controversial segment. |
The Minnesota Family Council is Minnesota's largest nonprofit, non-partisan pro-family organization.
Minnesota Family Council / Minnesota Family Institute
2855 Anthony Lane South, Minneapolis MN, 55418-3265
phone 612.789.8811, fax 612.789.8858, www.mfc.org