Well, in case you hadn't heard, Jerry Falwell has publicly attacked one of Jolee's best friends, Tinky-Winky, of the Teletubbies. From MSNBC:
UNDER A headline that reads “Parents Alert: Tinky Winky Comes Out of the Closet,” an article in the February edition of Falwell’s National Liberty Journal notes that Tinky Winky has the voice of a boy yet carries a purse.
“He is purple — the gay-pride color; and his antenna is shaped like a triangle — the gay-pride symbol,” the story said.
Falwell contends the “subtle depictions” are intentional and in a statement issued Tuesday said, “As a Christian I feel that role modeling the gay lifestyle is damaging to the moral lives of children.”
‘PURSE’ IS MAGIC BAG
A spokesman for Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Co., which licenses the Teletubbies in the United States, said that what Falwell’s newspaper described as a purse is actually Tinky Winky’s magic bag.
“The fact that he carries a magic bag doesn’t make him gay,” Steve Rice said. “It’s a children’s show, folks. To think we would be putting sexual innuendo in a children’s show is kind of outlandish.”
Rice said Falwell was attacking “something sweet and innocent” to further his conservative political agenda. “To out a Teletubby in a preschool show is kind of sad on his part. I really find it absurd and kind of offensive,” he said.
Falwell’s spokeswoman, Laura Swickard, said the founder of the now-defunct Moral Majority agreed with everything that was in the NLJ article and would not comment beyond his one-paragraph statement.
Well, Jolee was happy with the fact that there was a picture of Tinky Winky on the news this morning, when I explained to Jolee WHY Tinky Winky's picture was on the news, she frowned, and said "Jerry Falwell bad. Very bad. He should get a life." Of course, no one else was around when she said that, so I can't prove it.
Grandma Diane replied:
Unbelievable...but not really!
John, Lehua and I watched the teletubby-Cohen video the night before last
and absolutely loved it...thanks so much for sending it and keeping in good
touch. POPPA JOHN has Jolee's face with the bean smile on his desk--he
loves it...have sent you a note about it in Valentine's card mailed today.
Forwarded NYTimes article on Lois to Miyoko Sugano, a professor at UH-Hilo
who brings all the writers to campus and knows Lois--have forwarded her
response.
Love, Mom
