The PBS standard

Public Broadcasting has been relatively unchanged since its inception in 1969, but it's headed for a facelift whether the public wants it or not.

That's because a conservative Republican is now in charge and has the power to rid the station of its progressive programs that aim to educate our nation's youth.

Patricia Harrison, who has served in both Bush cabinets, now becomes the president of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting the same day the House of Representatives decided not to cut $100 billion from its budget.

What a surprising coincidence. Could it be that conservative representatives felt it would be okay to restore the funding because one of their own would be in charge?

"It is our hope and expectation that Ms. Harrison will execute her responsibilities with nonpartisan integrity," said PBS in a prepared statement.

"I believe that if you don't go, you don't know," she said in a response on whitehouse.gov/ask, a Web site where citizens can pose questions to government officials. "So last September I traveled to Iraq for the express purpose of listening to the Iraqi people. I saw for myself the thriving marketplace, schools reopened, electricity working and steady infrastructure improvements."

It sounds like one of the president's (wo)men to me.

Elected co-chairman of the Republican National Committee in 2001 and an assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs, Harrison's background has her opponents seeing red.

"Her complete lack of experience and close ties to the leadership of the Republican party represent a new low in public broadcasting history," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press, a public interest media group.

Unlike some European countries where publicly-owned television is the norm, a few stations are all the U.S. manages to keep on the air. We're used to commercials and shameless competition between networks, but the lack of advertising on PBS makes it a refuge for the young.

I believe bringing partisan politics into something as rare and precious as public television can only bring harm.

Sure, my favorite show on the channel is reruns of Bob Ross painting happy trees, which I doubt will be on the chopping block. But conservative groups, such as Focus on the Family, are on a witch hunt to make sure tax dollars are only spent on programs that are consistent with "family values." You can forget about programs that celebrate diversity.

Unlike cable and satellite television, PBS is broadcast into all American homes, regardless of their race, religion or sexual orientation; providing a variety of programs benefits society as a whole.

On Arthur, Buster the Bunny visits a family with gay parents, and Focus on the Family accuses PBS of advocating gay rights. Since Buster and Arthur are friends, say good-bye to that show too.

Where is the line drawn? Would children get the wrong idea if Mama Bear from the Bernstein Bears leaves the household for a job every day? Should we expose our children to questionable lifestyles?

If programs such as these which educate the next generation about the different types of people in the world are removed, our children are suffering a great injustice.

Unless they live in a bubble, all kids grow up and enter the real world. How are they going to get along with others unless they learn it at an early age?

I'm sorry that Harrison has to come to power at a time like this, but I don't envy her position. How can she keep her conservative friends at bay while serving the best interest of the public?

Someone is going to lose. But for the future's sake, let's hope it's not our children.