Folk know one but maybe not the other

I love this. To start with fast two things: YES this has been shared before, it has to have been. The other is the credit is at the top I couldn't read
"based on a script by Matthew Wisner / Drawn @ byteistwood" TY @paperino
artists need actual support.

That out of the way, what I wanted to say, is --

This is Fred Rogers. One of the most decent human beings to ever live his beliefs. And his Public Access TV show "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" was old when I started watching it as tiny Shadow me. SO that is why I'm posting this .. um.. arguable repost.

Mr. Rogers spoke to Congress about funding PBS, one of the closest things the United States has ever come to having a national free television broadcast station. He spoke of how important children's learning programs were both for the kids, but also that it needed to be publicly funded. I wasn't able to find clips of more but I believe if not then, now Fred would have fought for a information source for all Americans that promoted basic human decency and accuracy of truth. ESPECIALLY for educating kids to grow up healthy and skilled to do good with their lives.

Mr. Rogers demonstrated a neutral way to display his faith as well as moral values and the fights for diversity and acceptance his time.

This episode in the era of Civil Rights, racism was still happening fresh again in the face of minorities and disenfranchised. The focus here didn't mention any of that, it was just on sharing and promoting community WITH folk. It was still in a time of segregated pools, water fountains, and what was "tradition" still very much being known. Fred disarmingly presented a casual decency to a man in the summer dipping his feet with him and genuinely inquiring about his day. On a children's TV show.

for additional context, I DO NOT intend to push any religion it was just certainly Fred's and he didn't push it either in is broad efforts. Fred Rogers was also a pastor. In the story, I'm sure inspired this, Jesus washed the feet of servants and low class folk, the homeless, those in need. A man of sage station with followers, and even some political power, Jesus knelt in service to those in need, trying to teach it by washing feet of the dust and hardships to them.

Jeff Erlanger was a child born with a complication that left him disabled. Very young and short time before he was to have risky surgery. Mr Roger's welcomed him on to his same show. A small disabled boy in braces on his arms as well as in a wheelchair, he looked just as imposing as the grown man in the picture here. He brought Fred to tears adding his own appreciation to the honor that was being presented for his works.

In that episode Fred simply sat and talked with the boy on the porch. Showing there was nothing to fear. That Jeff was quite capable at his tender age to explain his situations, his need, and that there was nothing to him that he was not capable as any young person to sit and talk with anyone patient and curious.

One of my favorite stories is little girl that wrote to him. She was blind but still loved his show, and she was worried that he wasn't feeding his fish. He would mention them as segments called or part of routine, but she couldn't hear any sound effect to make her think he was feeding them.

It changed his show, and you would begin to hear him narrate even as you could see what he was doing. It wasn't just aware that this little girl wanted assurance and wrote to someone she looked up to, but he saw the value in also being more clear when helping children understand the world around them.

These are just some of the stories to why I love this comic so much. Mr. Rogers isn't worthy for his battle prowess, but he fought unwavering none the less. He did so for his conviction, against status, and not because "his book" told him to, but it was right and human.

In times when everything seems to be falling apart, hope is hard to find, character, conviction, principles, integrity and accountability are seemingly so hard to find, I came across an old comic strip.

And before I quote more than the comic, I just wanted to signal boost some inspiration in my life. Fred Rogers may or may not have seen the comic, or known Thor. If he saw the comic I'm sure he'd have sat patiently, smiled all the more when Mjölnir was explained to him and very much approved.

The tools we have are just tools. It's who we are and the efforts we make that are so needed and important to the world.

But my favorite quote is advice he got from his mother.

" Look for the helpers" As that story goes he was speaking on advice for children upset by tragedy and the news they hear. His mother took him aside and pointed out different people in the stories/news. She told him that yes the world is big and frightening, but there were always people trying to help.

Times are scary, and Imgur is full of posts about sandal, crime, pain, tragedy, politicians, opinion on and on and on... Of course memes ... but also helpers. Kit sharing their skateboard journey, our beloved MrPucket, TinyOctupus sharing. More and more people are actually trying and just being themselves! Those just off the top of my head I don't mean to embarrass or particularly call attention to them. They are just ...

being helpers in their way whether they know it or not. I hope I was one with this post, you can see being yourself is enough to be helping too.
--Edited mistake in misspelling his name, and clarification