“Did you ever grow anything in the garden of your mind? You can grow ideas in the garden of your mind.” Man, oh, man, I think I’ve just heard the word. Mister Rogers speaks the truth, as he always did, in the new mashup by Symphony of Science’s John “Melodysheep” Boswell which has, understandably, gone viral–with lots and lots of love. It’s always a refreshing surprise to realize how much can be accomplished with kindness.
Well, here’s the song:
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/OFzXaFbxDcM?rel=0
And, if you’ve never seen this video, it’s an amazing look at Mr. Rogers speaking truth to power, as he fights for funding for PBS before the U.S. Senate in 1969. A $20 million grant proposed by LBJ was on the chopping block:
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/yXEuEUQIP3Q?rel=0
This video keeps your attention as you see Fred Rogers, in his gentle yet persuasive way, win over a skeptical senator. Veering from his prepared text, Mr. Rogers makes a determined and beautiful presentation. He begins by stating what every child needs: trust. He explains how he has come to understand children. He demonstrates how children can deal with anger. In the end, he has an old jaded United States senator admit, “I’m a pretty tough guy. But this is the first time I’ve gotten goose bumps.” And the senator concludes, “Looks like you’ve earned that 20 million dollars.”
Visit PBS and PBS Digital Studios. And Symphony of Science.
