A Plea to Do Better

Why the March hearing about PBS and NPR depressed the crap out of me

On March 26, 2025, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing about federal support for public broadcasting. In case you were wondering what the goal of the hearing might be, it was entitled Anti American Airwaves: Holding the heads of NPR and PBS Accountable. Subtle. Because I care deeply about this topic, and I am exhausted by news coverage, I decided to watch the two and a half hour hearing. I wanted to hear and see for myself what was being discussed. I know it’s been almost a month since the hearing, and there’s been at least a year's worth of news since then, but I can’t stop thinking about it. 

In full transparency, I am all for public media. 100%. No wavering on this issue for me. I believe it’s undeniably vital. There is NOTHING that this committee or the administration or anyone for that matter could say to me that would get me to support any effort to defund public broadcasting. I am a living, breathing example of confirmation bias when it comes to public media. I wasn’t watching the hearing because I was expecting my mind to be changed. I wanted to bear witness to what was happening. I am not a historian, but I know enough to understand that talk of defunding public media is dangerous for, well, the public.

I wasn’t surprised by the attacks from the right on public media. I mean, I expected that. I am, of course, saddened by the way that Marjorie Taylor Greene dehumanized a drag queen with words like “monster” and “predator.” I am appalled with the way Republican leaders interrupted and degraded the head of NPR specifically. I am confused by the inconsistent argument about why Republicans are calling for defunding public media. Is it because of bias? Is it because of the deficit? Is it because public media has content that explores gender identity? I mean, which is it? 

I can’t let go of the absolutely painful incivility that took place from the moment the hearing began to the moment it ended. The mocking, the jokes, the interruptions,the sarcasm. I felt like I was witnessing bullies at recess in an elementary school yard in the 1970s. I say 1970s because this behavior would likely not be allowed today in elementary school. It all felt so incredibly childish. 

I kept thinking about Robert Fulghum’s 1986 All I Needed To Know I Learned in Kindergarten. 

I remember how impactful that book was when it came out. I had a poster in my college dorm room that outlined his points: 

Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

As I watched the hearing, I couldn’t help but think, “what the hell has happened to us? Where is civility? Where is maturity? Where are the adults?”

And let’s be clear, this wasn’t a one sided, partisan observation. Some of the Democrats on the committee displayed some questionable behavior too. Let me call your attention to Exhibit A, the exchange between Congressman Robert Garcia from California and Paula A. Kerger, the CEO and President of PBS.

Garcia:  

Now, Ms. Kerger, the American people want to know, is Elmo now or has he ever been a member of the Communist Party of the United States? A yes or no?

Paula Kerger (01:08:28):

No.

Mr. Garcia (01:08:29):

Now, are you sure Ms. Kerger? Because he's obviously red.

Paula Kerger (01:08:33):

Well, he is a puppet, but no,

Mr. Garcia (01:08:37):

Now, that's not all. He also has a very dangerous message about sharing and helping each other. He's indoctrinating our kids that sharing is caring. Now, maybe he's part of a major socialist plot and maybe that's why the Chairwoman is having this hearing today. But let's talk about somebody else. Let's talk about Cookie Monster. Now, we know that Health Secretary RFK Jr. is coming out against fast food and baked goods. Are we silencing pro-cookie voters, yes or no? Ms. Kerger.

Paula Kerger (01:09:05):

The cookies are a sometime food.

Mr. Garcia (01:09:07):

Well, thank you. And now, I agree with you and let's also talk about the most important character on Sesame Street. This is actually Big Bird. Now, Ms. Kerger, since Elon Musk actually fired USDA workers who have been working on the bird flu, does it make sense to also fire Big Bird? Yes or no?

Paula Kerger (01:09:27):

We would like to keep Big Bird.

Garcia goes on to ask if Bert and Ernie are part of a homosexual agenda before thanking Ms. Kerger for being a good sport and admitting he’s trying to be funny. 

I am sure there are many liberal minded people that thought this exchange was clever, funny, and a brilliant way to bring up the absurdity of the situation. I was not one of them. I found it utterly depressing. Paula Kerger has been the head of PBS for almost two decades. Doesn’t she deserve some questions that actually give her a chance to talk about the value of the work she does and the team she leads? Congressman Garcia could have given her the opportunity to answer real, substantive questions. Instead, he went for the Instagram clip. He had five minutes to make a point of the value of public media but instead he made jokes. Now, I know the Democrats are floundering right now. They are trying everything. His point was to make his Republican colleagues look bad. I get it. But this level of debate feels both ridiculous and ineffective. 

This hearing was political theater. And childish political theater at that. It made me so sad. Sad because I expect more from political leaders. Sad because we have lost so much of our humanity and civility over the last decade. Sad because this is an important issue that needed to be taken seriously so that the heads of PBS, NPR, and Alaska public radio could have made their case for the work they do and the importance of public media for our democracy. 

I want our country’s leaders to do better. Show some maturity and respect. Be kinder. Stop wasting our time with this ridiculousness. I want to buy copies of All I Needed To Know I Learned in Kindergarten for everyone in Congress. And I’d buy them a poster for their offices too that remind them of some basic human ideas.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.

Could you even imagine?