I have been learning about the horrific and tragic African AIDS pandemic lately. AIDS is destroying the Sub-Saharan African family at an unbelievable rate. AIDS orphans are becoming the rule, rather than the exception. It is tragic beyond words. It is also almost totally ignored by the US media. It is nothing to mock or ridicule.
On the other hand, an AIDS-infected muppet on Sesame Street is so nauseatingly PC-preachy and condescending that to ridicule it seems only the natural response of a thinking person. The attitude seems to be: Have an AIDS problem? Make a muppet to make people feel better about it. But don't be so tacky as to suggest that people STOP DOING THE THINGS THAT LEAD TO AN AIDS INFECTION. Tell these people to stop sleeping around and, for crying out loud, let them know that having sex with babies will not cure AIDS.
The AIDS problem is Africa is very serious and requires serious solutions, maybe even some drastic measures. A PC tansgendered/gender-neutral, race-neutral (to not offend anyone) muppet may tend to minimally raise the self-esteem of a few kids, but it does nothing to help solve the problem.
A puppet with a blood disease trivializes the problem.
If they want to be activists at Sesame Street, they should push for the government to encourage the use of AIDS drugs so that fewer kids are orphaned.
Thanks.