Mr. Rogers is back in the news! We're celebrating the 50th anniversary of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. He's getting his own postage stamp (along with King Friday) and Tom Hanks is making a documentary about him.
When we hike through Rollins College as we did yesterday there are lots of reminders about Mr. Rogers. He was a graduate and life long friend of the college.
Remember Eddie Murphy's "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood on SNL?
I don't know why but there have always been urban legends about Mr. Rogers. Some of them silly like he was a sniper in the Marines and he had to wear sweaters due to his many tattoos. And some of them just mean spirited questioning why children needed to be loved and respected. By the way, Mr. Rogers did not ever advocate spoiling children. Quite the opposite.
I can't help thinking about him this weekend with young people across the country taking to the streets and being brave in demanding justice and a chance to live out their lives in peace.
A few decades ago I attended an event where Fred Rogers was speaking to a large group of senior citizens - people far older than I was at the time. I wondered what message he might have for these folks.
It turned out to be the very same messaged he had for small children. "I like you just the way you are..." I know for a fact that many of these people were inspirited that night to continue to do amazing things with their lives.
Just like these young people are doing.
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