Postcards from Buster!

The LA Times reports that some PBS stations plan to run the now-controversial episode of the animated children's series "Postcards From Buster" that featues a family headed by a lesbian couple. This is in spite of a by PBS decision not to distribute the program. According to the article, "PBS said its unusual decision to drop the episode was made independently, not because of pressure from the U.S. Department of Education's new secretary, Margaret Spellings." Yes, indeed. Spellings apparently decided to stick her oar in to protect "family values" because her federal department provides much of the series' funding. Spellings' letter included the following:

"Many parents would not want their young children exposed to the lifestyles portrayed in this episode," she wrote. "Congress' and the Department's purpose in funding this programming certainly was not to introduce this kind of subject matter to children, particularly through the powerful and intimate medium of television."

So no homophobia there, then(?) The perfectly reasonable response from Jeanne Hopkins of Boston's WGBH: "This is a show about kids learning from other kids. ... We've visited kids who are Muslim, Mormon, Eastern Orthodox, Pentacostal, kids rurally, kids in cities, kids whose fathers and mothers are heterosexual, single parent, living with grandparents."

I just hope to god this doesn't dig up the whole issue of whether to ban Teletubbies because Tinky Winky is (might be) gay. Why oh why does it matter? Why does ... oh never mind!