(Photo Youtube/MillionPuppets)

A pro-public-broadcasting demonstration, whose goal was "to preserve the inalienable right of Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Ira Glass, and other folks to receive federal subsidies..." was a bust on Saturday. The Million Muppet March drew around a thousand folks, many clad in Sesame Street-themed garb. The chant "El-Mo, We Won't Go!" rang through the air.

Creating a lage march of any size is a tough task, but trying to create a march that was meant to include over a million puppets was even more difficult.The organizers had created a fundraising campaign to help raise $10,000 to cover march expenses, and as of Novemer 5th, 2012, had only received 3,465 dollars in pledges. So it was a big failure, but the message behind the march dream is one still worth supporting.

Here was the campaign concept, as explained by co-organizer Michael Bellavia on their website http://millionpuppetmarch.com.

Your ability to show your support for public broadcasting today is as easy as clicking HERE to sign a congressional petition.

Here is what the petition says:

For over 40 years the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has worked to earn the trust of the American people by providing foundational funding to local public broadcasting outlets and supporting the creation of the highest quality programming found anywhere. Because of this unique public/private partnership between the Federal government, and private, local public broadcasting stations, public broadcasting stays relevant, stays free, and stays trustworthy.

Public broadcasting provides Americans with the kind of content they cannot find in the commercial marketplace, programming that helps them to grow, learn, and achieve their dreams. It helps people in all walks of life to realize their ability to improve their own lives and contribute to the betterment of their communities. Furthermore, funding for CPB helps to support more than 21,000 American jobs, which contribute more than $1 billion to the national economy.

The American people need such an extraordinary public media system. Our democracy depends on it. I urge you to pledge your support for funding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

 

PBS makes up 0.012 percent of the federal budget, and I for one, would rather see other spending cuts before the destruction of PBS. I'm a broadcaster who learned her first lessons at the hands of the Sesame Street characters on TV. I still use some of the Spanish I learned on that show to help me travel through Mexico with ease. Thank you PBS for Antiques Roadshow, Downton Abbey, the Broadway musicals and so much more.

Bravo to the parade creaters, because at least they tried, and the message got out. I still consider that a success.

--Susan Saunders 11/5/12