Nothing to See Here: Just New Black Muppets Teaching Two-Year-Olds About 'Racial Literacy'

(AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser, File)

You ever feel like every morning when you get up, the crazy train is speeding a little faster down the track? And perhaps worse, that you’ve become so “velocitized” by the craziness as it has compounded that none of it has the same effect on you it once did?

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That’s pretty much how I felt this morning when I ran across yet another crazy-train moment, that being the introduction by Sesame Street of two new black Muppets — a 5-year-old and his dad — who will teach America’s young children about “racial literacy”; “racial justice” style. And let’s call it what it is and it will teach (attempt to program) our kids: controversial “critical race theory.” Can we at least be honest about it?

Before we continue, “Sesame Street” producers and a team of researchers in 1999 studied children’s viewing habits of the show after ratings began to decline. They found that although the program was first produced for 3-5-year-olds, children began watching it at a younger age. As a result, the target age for “Sesame Street” shifted downward, from 4 years to 3 years. By 2002 the main bloc of viewers was aged two, according to Wikipedia.

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And “Lanee” appears to be tickled pink about it. Wait — tickled pink” isn’t racist, is it?

Someone else tickled pink was CBS News, who gleefully reported the exciting news.

Note that Wes is five — not two. Nitpicking? Perhaps.

“Sesame Street” has often introduced new [black] Muppets to teach children about topics like autism, HIV, and homelessness.

Now, the show’s two newest characters, 5-year-old Wes and his father Elijah will offer a lesson on race, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the iconic children’s show, announced this week.

The show launched several new “ABC’s of Racial Literacy” resources to teach parents and children about race and racism. In one video, Elmo wants to know why his friend Wes’s skin is brown. Wes’s dad, Elijah, explains melanin.

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Ah, but Wes’s dad sees it differently.

“The color of our skin is important to who we are, but we should all know that it’s okay that we all look different in so many ways,” Elijah says. [“Now, about that melanin…”]

Things on the outside, like our skin color, our hair texture, our noses, our mouths, and eyes, make us who we are. Many people call this race. But, even though we look different, we’re all part of the human race.”

And as CBS News also gleefully reported, “extensive research” was involved.

The Coming Together initiative “is rooted in extensive research and consultation with experts to develop a groundbreaking Racial Justice educational framework and curriculum for young children,” according to a press release.

“Sesame Street,” which is known for its “science-based whole-child model,” will create new content, including its future seasons, that incorporates Racial Justice curriculum.

“Science-based whole-child model.” [ROFL emoji]

Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Senior Vice President, Sesame Workshop, said — with a straight face: “We look at every issue through the lens of a child.”

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“At Sesame Workshop, we look at every issue through the lens of a child. Children are not colorblind—not only do they first notice differences in race in infancy, but they also start forming their own sense of identity at a very young age.

“‘The ABCs of Racial Literacy’ is designed to foster open, age-appropriate conversations among families and support them in building racial literacy.

“By encouraging these much-needed conversations through Coming Together, we can help children build a positive sense of identity and value the identities of others.”

And the cartoon French skunk thought he had it bad.

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