Elmo

 Maybe it’s because I have seen firsthand the joy that Elmo can bring to children. Maybe it’s because I am still a four-year-old inside. Maybe it’s because I’m partial; it could very well be. Having played Elmo for two summers at SeaWorld, I have witnessed the joy this furry red monster brings children from all around the globe. Whether the children come from Australia, or Britain, or Japan, whether they be a boy or girl, they still approach Elmo with the same giddy awe and million-dollar smile.

When I was a child I watched Sesame Street and I watched Elmo’s World. I sang along, and I loved it. It brought joy to my childhood. Now as a teenager, I find that being able to give back to the community by delivering that same joy to a nation of children and seeing the impact it has on them has been an invaluable experience; something I never knew was possible.

So yeah, maybe I am partial when I say this, but rightly so—

 Regardless of what Kevin Clash, the voice and creator of Elmo, has or has not done, should have nothing to do with the character of Elmo.

Clash was accused of having a sexual relationship with a minor many years ago, and now the said minor has decided to bring their previous relationship to the media’s attention.

Many of the parents are skeptical about allowing their kids to watch Elmo now, according to the Wall Street Journal. They say that they can’t look at Elmo anymore without seeing Clash and remembering the accusations against him. 

I have no intention of arguing whether or not what Clash did was consensual, or whether or not he is guilty. However, whatever Clash has done should not overshadow Elmo’s character and what this character has done for millions of children.

When children watch Elmo they don’t look at the person behind the puppet. If that were the case then the children, and many of the parents, would be confused to find that a 5’ 1,” Asian-American, 17-year-old girl (me) plays Elmo as well.

It doesn’t occur to these children that there is a person behind the magic. 

To them, Elmo is real. He is a living breathing red furry monster that has the same interests, fears, questions as they do, and he answers those questions in a way that children all around the world, at any age, can understand.

Children probably have no idea who Clash is or what he has done in his lifetime. 

I am speaking from experience when I say that the person behind the puppet or costume has nothing to do with the character.

I have seen children light up at the sight of Elmo.

I have heard children scream out for Elmo at an ear-piercing decibel, shouting for Elmo to wave hello or blow a kiss while he is singing “One Fine Face.”

I have felt their little arms wrap their hands around him so tight, as if they never want to let go.

I have seen a mother cry as she watched her Down Syndrome child smile for the first time.

Elmo brings a multitude of happiness.

Elmo fosters that innocence that is so pure and valuable in children.

Elmo speaks to them in a way many adults cannot. 

And even Clash recognizes that. He created this character for children of all ages, races, and cultures to enjoy and latch on to.

He wasn’t fired from Sesame Street, he chose to step down from playing Elmo to sort out his personal life.

Clash recognizes that Elmo doesn’t need him, and that letting Elmo’s reputation remain innocent is a greater service to this nation than anything else he could do.

So I will leave you with this. Try not to think, “sex offender” every time you see Elmo now. Keep the puppeteer separate from the puppet.

Think of the joy this character has brought to a nation that needs it so.

Just look at the children’s faces while they’re watching Elmo play with his fish Dorothy, and I promise you, you won’t even remember the man behind the puppet.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced recently that the Pentagon was lifting its ban on women serving in combat.

Before, women were only allowed to “temporarily be in danger zones,” but now they can be on the front lines, just as men are allowed to.  

My first reaction was, that’s great! 

Quite frankly, I’m not really a “feminist” but I’m not “sexist” either. I fall somewhere in the middle. The draft didn’t really affect me before, and it doesn’t really affect me now seeing as I have no intention of going off to serve in combat. 

Nevertheless, this is a step in the right direction for full equality. 

Women who want to serve in combat should be allowed to fully serve in combat and be treated as the equals of men. 

They still have to pass the same physical tests, they still have to pass the same health tests, and they still have to be able to do at least three pull-ups, just like men.

A military official told The New York Times that the law will be implemented “as soon as possible;” however, Congress has three years to make a final decision.

The New York Times added that each branch of the military reserves the right to withhold a job from women if it decides that she cannot fulfill it.

However, the article also states that Congress is thinking about allowing women to enter the draft.

This comes as a bit of a contradiction to me. There may still be some jobs that the military doesn’t want women to do, yet they will allow them to sign up for compulsory enrollment with the armed forces. 

 So my first reaction to that statement is hell no!

I don’t want to sign up for the draft, there are plenty of women, who I know don’t want to sign up for the draft, and honestly, I don’t think America is ready for women to sign up for the draft.

I’m not being sexist, I’m being honest.

Our society generally raises girls and boys very differently.

Boys play with swords and pretend they’re pirates. 

Girls play house with dolls.

Boys dress up as ninjas and kick and punch everyone walking by.

Girls dress up as princesses and prance around with jewelry and make up on.

Boys play Call of Duty and Black Ops.

Girls don’t play video games.

Of course I am being very general, but our society typically raises pretty princesses and strong knights in armor. Not to mention, men are built differently physically than girls. They develop different muscles, and they have different chemicals that naturally make them more aggressive.

According to Mail Online, a newspaper from the UK, Australian scientists have found what they call a “macho gene” in men that gives them the “fight or flight” instinct whereas women are more of the “tend and befriend” type. 

When men are in stressful situations, they have stress hormones that increase their blood pressure and pump adrenaline through their veins. Women have estrogen and the “cuddle hormone,” oxytocin, that counteracts that.

This isn’t to say that girls can’t defend themselves.

You see women lifting cars off of their babies because mama bear comes out from the adrenaline. 

I loved playing with dolls and I loved dressing up like a princess, but my father also taught me to punch when I was 6. He told me that if a guy ever attacks me, punch them in the throat first and then kick them in the sweet spot because their first reaction is to protect their jewels. 

However, I also know that my father would find it difficult to watch his princess pick up an AK47 and go at it on foreign land.

So no, I don’t believe that is the right step towards full equality.

With all of that said, there are some guys out there who I don’t want defending our country. No insult to men, but some people are born in different situations, live different lives, have more or less of the “macho gene” in them. Just as some men can mentally and physically handle war better than others, the same goes for women. 

So my solution?

Plain and simple, make the draft optional for men and women. 

I know that sounds insane, and you may be thinking, “how in the world can you even propose that,” but here is the thing:

The draft was created after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 because there were not enough volunteers to fight in the war. However, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, in 2009 they had almost 300,000 Americans sign up for different branches in the military, each branch meeting or surpassing the necessary amount.

I won’t go as far as saying that the draft is unnecessary, because I can’t predict if there is going to be World War III soon where all of America will have to go off and fight. But for now, save Americans the heartache, and make the draft optional for both women and men. 

Some people would be more than happy to waltz down to the United States Post Office to sign up for the draft on their 18th birthday. I can promise you that I was neither thinking about it, nor wanting to sign up for the draft on my 18th birthday. 

However, I can also promise you this: If there was a war on American soil, families were dying, loved ones were tortured, the American people would come together and they would fight.

If Red Dawn went down on American soil, if Korea took my family, killed my father, and hurt my loved ones, I can promise you that I would pull a Mulan and go defend my country and my family. 

If it is full equality America wants, making women sign up for the draft is one step too far. I believe we must take one step back, making it an option for those, both men and women, who know that they can mentally and physically handle it. 

Merry Christmas!

 I have become immune to hearing these words. For 17 years of my life this phrase has been repeated from Dec. 1 until Dec. 25, and then the phrase is put away for another 11 months. The Christmas season has become almost a routine for me. 

Most Christmas mornings my eyes pop open at 7 a.m. 

 I scurry downstairs and jump onto my daddy’s lap, while he finishes his morning coffee and newspaper. 

When my mother stumbles out of bed, I pester her until she agrees to make breakfast with me. 

Soon after, my visiting relatives from out of town wake up to the smell of pancakes and eggs and make their way to the kitchen table.

Once we’re all fed, we cram into one car and head to church.

Then, after church, we make our way home, pile into the kitchen and help my mother make dinner. 

After we all finish cooking, my sister and I drag everyone around the tree to open presents.

After we’ve torn through every present under the tree, the smell of food is wafting through the air and our tummies begin to growl. 

As we sit around the table and eat, we exchange stories and laughter.

And then, once we can’t eat anymore, we light a fire and watch It’s a Wonderful Life.

However, this Christmas will be different.

As I sit on my dad’s lap in the morning, I will let him hug me that extra second, instead of wiggling out of his arms.

As I help my mother make breakfast, I won’t complain when she asks for my help cleaning up the dishes.

As we gather around the tree, I will take the time to notice every smile on my family’s faces after they open a gift.

As we fill our bellies, I will be attentive to the stories being told, cherishing the time spent with my family. 

This Christmas will hold a deeper meaning in many of our hearts across the nation. 

The tragedy that occurred in Connecticut last Friday will be in our hearts this Christmas. 

I don’t think a heart out there didn’t ache for the community when they heard what had happened. 

The grief I feel for the community cannot be anywhere close to what they are going through.

 Young lives, innocence, the feeling of love, family, friends were taken 11 days before Christmas. 

On, Dec. 14, kids went to school, expecting to be in the arms of their parents on Christmas day.

On Dec. 14, parents found a few moments to slip away to buy that special gift for their kids from Santa, with the hope of seeing joy wash over their faces on Christmas day.

On Dec. 14, the news tore through the hearts of many, leaving agonizing pain throughout the community. 

Parents, grandparents, siblings, relatives, friends. Many will be forced to stare at that gift under the tree, nicely wrapped, never to be opened. 

Many will not get to feel the joy of giving or receiving.

Christmas will never be the same for these families.

Let Christmas never be the same for us either.

Be present, physically and mentally on Christmas, and do not take the little things for granted. 

Be aware; take in every smile of joy you see.

Be thankful; let your parents hug you for that extra second, don’t wiggle out of their arms.

Let us dedicate this Christmas to the families and community of Newton, Conn.

 Remember the teacher who threw her body over her children to save their lives, or the one who locked her kids in the bathroom, reassuring them that there will be Christmas and there will be Hanukkah waiting for them when they get out. 

Remember the principal who tried desperately to protect her school.

Remember the parents who walked into the fire station that day, only to find that their child was not there. 

Keep them in your thoughts, open a gift for them, hug your family, siblings, relatives extra tightly for them. 

And do not forget to have a very Merry Christmas.

Mister Rogers

 During the first presidential debate on Oct. 3, former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney said, “I'm going to stop the subsidy to PBS.” Back in 1969, President Nixon purposed a similar cut. 

Upon hearing Nixon’s proposal, the late Fred Rogers, host and writer for the beloved Public Broadcasting Station’s television show, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, felt compelled to address the issue. 

This video has now resurfaced after Romney’s remarks. And, upon watching this video, I was able to reminisce on my childhood, and the role PBS played in it. 

 In the video Rogers says; “I’m very much concerned, as I know you are, about what’s being delivered to our children in this country.”

He says; “I feel like if we, in public television, can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we would have done a great service for mental health.” 

He says; “I think that it’s much more dramatic that two men could be working out their feelings of anger, much more dramatic than showing something of gun fire.”

 After listening to what Rogers had to say, I realized the effect PBS has had on my life, and the lives of many other children. 

 I realized the safe learning environment it provided from me, and many other children, away from violent cartoons like Billy and Mandy or Courage the Cowardly Dog, that show is just creepy. It is also an escape away from constant commercials vying for our attention. 

I realized the important role shows like Barney played in my childhood. It gave me my love for music. And yes, I’ll admit it, I was  Barney’s biggest fan.  

 I realized the important lessons Mister Rogers taught to the thousands of kids watching him on TV. Rogers taught “a meaningful expression of care.”

Anyone that watched Mister Rogers Neighborhood can recall the way he ended his program every day. He would look directly into the camera with his gentle eyes and said, “you’ve made this day a special day, by just your being you, there’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.”

Rogers is no longer alive, but if he was, I know he would address this issue again, with the same warmth and grace as he did before. So in honor of Mister Rogers, I will address it for him. 

Television shows like Mister Rogers Neighborhood, Big Comfy Couch, Barney, and Arthur have played a major role in thousands of children's lives. 

 Not only that, but it provides a learning resource for elementary school teachers. Shows like Magic School Bus and Reading Rainbow, that make learning fun for kids, are still being shown today in classrooms. 

 PBS fosters an environment where children can learn and grow without being interrupted by the media. They don’t show commercials about Nerf Guns or cereal full of high-fructose corn syrup. 

By cutting PBS, the generations of kids who will not have the opportunity to experience shows like Mister Rogers Neighborhood are going to miss out on a huge learning opportunity, one that I still value to this day. 

So Mr. Romney, if you are elected president, please don’t cut PBS. It is worth the money, simply because it creates a learning environment that not only deals with academics, but also the emotional struggles of a child. 

From the teachings of Mister Rogers, I leave you with this; “What a good feeling to feel like this, and know that the feeling is really mine, know that there’s something deep inside that helps us become what we can, for a girl can be someday a lady and a boy can be someday a man.”