We finally made it to America’s 250th birthday, but I’ll be honest, it’s hard to get into the patriotic spirit these days. The government continues to disenfranchise as many people as they deem unworthy of its protection, civil rights are trampled, graft and corruption run rampant, we’re caught in yet another unending war, and our reputation as the beacon of liberty seems to be all but gone. So I get why you might not want to break out the red, white, and blue party hats. But still, I do find reasons to be proud to be American. More and more people are standing up to the rising tide of facism. Communities are rallying together to protect their most vulnerable members. But if you want to know why I’m celebrating this July 4th, it’s because of the Muppets. They represent the best of America’s values.
So rather than celebrate with fireworks displays, outdoor cooking, and sparsely attended federal gatherings, let’s look to the Muppets for reasons to celebrate America’s 250th!
The Founding Fathers
The subject of much idolatry and criticism, our founding fathers are as controversial as they are important to our nation’s history and legacy. So naturally, the Muppets have done their best to toe the line by treating them with devout irreverence. George Washington has been terrible at telling jokes, Thomas Jefferson borrowed the opening of the Declaration of Independence from a chicken, and Benjamin Franklin’s great quotes don’t impress Gonzo. With a great deal of humor, they’ve managed to bow their heads and thumb their noses in the face of some of the most important figures in American history. (They also had a rampaging robot Abraham Lincoln, but he’s not a founding father, just a public safety hazard.)
The Great American Road Trip
This is probably best seen in The Muppet Movie. Air travel was commonplace in 1979, so Kermit could’ve easily flown to Hollywood. But he chose to see the backroads of this country, including small town residents, local dining establishments, and purple mountains majesty. And because he takes the long way across the United States, he meets Fozzie Bear, the Electric Mayhem, Scooter, Gonzo, Camilla, Miss Piggy, and even more Muppets that he comes to call his family. Inspired by the cross-country adventure, they’re welcomed onto the journey with open arms, and in doing so, creates his own community. In many ways, the Muppets represent various cultures from across the country, all coming together for a single dream.
Democracy
The cornerstone of our government (currently under review by the Supreme Court), democracy has been well represented by the Muppets. Several Muppets have run for President, and public votes have shifted the course of history. Without democracy, Barkley would still be called Woof-Woof! And there’s also the possibility that Big Bird cost Mitt Romney the 2012 election, but that can’t be proven… yet.
Baseball
The national pastime and the Muppets have a long history together, from the Sesame Street gang singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” all the way back to Rowlf declaring his allegiance to the New York Mets to Jimmy Dean. (Oh, and by the way, Rowlf, if you’re reading this, I’m holding you to that. When Elmo said he loved the Phillies after saying the Mets were his favorite team, he shattered my fragile heart. I can’t afford to be burned again. You have no idea how much my mental wellbeing is riding on this.) Anyway, yeah, there’s been a whole lot of baseball stuff with the Muppets.
National Parks
The Muppets have shown us the beauty and importance of nature. The Jim Henson Company’s most recent production, Wowsabout, just showed us how much fun we can have in a national park. They’ve taken us on journeys into forests for recreation and to remind us of how fragile it is. While it’s fun to see puppets of frogs, bears, and other creatures sing songs and make jokes, they’ve never neglected to remind us just how vital real animals are to our ecosystem. (Also Animal, but he’s not endangered, so far as I know.) We are the stewards of our planet, and the Muppets have worked to make us aware of that.
Bald Eagles
Would it be a patriotic article if I didn’t mention Sam the Eagle? That dude loves America! Welp, he’s been mentioned!
The Third Amendment
The Third Amendment, in the Bill of Rights, says “No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.” Have you ever seen a Muppet sketch where a soldier was quartered in anyone’s home without the owner’s consent? Neither have I.
Public Service
You know what else is among the best America has to offer? Sesame Street. The whole idea of the show is a great American success story. A program that assembled creatives from the world of music, comedy, and advertising for the sole purpose of getting young children ready for early education is nothing short of a miracle. Furthermore, they made it a mission to make sure kids of all kinds felt seen and validated. When critics accused the show of neglecting the Latin community, they created Maria and Luis. They didn’t reject the claim; they knew they wanted to make things right. And they did all for a show everyone could watch for free. They’ve created resources for children with incarcerated parents, family members in the military, and more. And if that wasn’t enough, they’ve even brought the show around the world, so that children everywhere can feel comfortable learning in a style that fits their culture. That’s an incredible act of public service.
Fireworks
We Americans sure love our fireworks, don’t we? (Or at least the visuals, with respect to our noise-sensitive and canine residents.) And the Muppets know how to close on fireworks, be it a finale with Mark Hamill, Waldo C. Graphic, or the names of the people who worked on Muppets Most Wanted. Fireworks always make for a great ending! [Editor’s note: Yes, we know that fireworks originated in China. But since cultural appropriation is also an American tradition, we’ll let it slide.]
Granted, these values aren’t just American, they’re values that are held around the world. But I think that open-heartedness is at the core of what America means to me. In a way, Jim Henson may have been subtle with his beliefs, prioritizing entertainment first and a message second, but I think his values were firm. He welcomed different puppetry styles and stories from across the globe, and more importantly, he learned from them. He knew the world was full of beauty, and reminded us of our responsibility to maintain it. And he demonstrated with humor and charm that helping others can be the most rewarding act of all. He may have had a global perspective, but he was an American icon. And a country that gave him to the world is worth celebrating.
Happy 250th anniversary to this country of ours! For what makes it good, for what’s complicated, and for the Muppets.
Click here to hold these truths to be self-evident on the ToughPigs Discord!
by Matthew Soberman – [email protected]
