If I recall correctly too, the set up is also far more radical than “look me and this black man are sitting together with our feet in some water and nothing bad is happening” and is instead “isn’t it nice to soak your feet after a long day, oh look its my neighbor. Hes a police officer. Hes walking around all day. I bet it would be especially nice if he could stop and relax” and then they have a conversation about their days and what they do.
Absolutely. And when Officer Clemmons didn’t have a towel, Mr Rogers casually and effortlessly shared his. It was truly a remarkable moment. Years later, we discovered François Clemmons (the actor) had shared with Fred Rogers that he was gay; however, Fred decided to keep Clemmons sexuality private. Some would consider this a flaw, but I feel as though Fred was keenly aware of his audience and the issues he could approach. The man was a true hero and I feel honored to have grown up watching him.
If I recall correctly too, the set up is also far more radical than “look me and this black man are sitting together with our feet in some water and nothing bad is happening” and is instead “isn’t it nice to soak your feet after a long day, oh look its my neighbor. Hes a police officer. Hes walking around all day. I bet it would be especially nice if he could stop and relax” and then they have a conversation about their days and what they do.
Absolutely. And when Officer Clemmons didn’t have a towel, Mr Rogers casually and effortlessly shared his. It was truly a remarkable moment. Years later, we discovered François Clemmons (the actor) had shared with Fred Rogers that he was gay; however, Fred decided to keep Clemmons sexuality private. Some would consider this a flaw, but I feel as though Fred was keenly aware of his audience and the issues he could approach. The man was a true hero and I feel honored to have grown up watching him.