From:      <Wavewrite@aol.com>
To:        A16.A16(kidstv)
Date:      10/6/95 11:29am
Subject:   The Digs

MM Docket 93-48

To Children's Programming Planning By The FCC

Classic gems of human challenge and bonds are forever being
buried, rediscovered, renamed, and shaped by human creativity. We
are at a time in history that "Differences" between people are
being highly sensitized as the
"Norm."  But, in this "politically correct era" we seem to have
lost the ability to recognize that racism, sexism, ageism,
classism, mental and physical ableISMs, will always be with us as
we become more articulate of the fair ways to relate to these
differences.

      Our melting pot has a great broth, but.....    This is the
classic tension of individuals and society, and "between the
lines" readings such as we find on "Golden Years" and "Seinfeld"
are wonderful for children --

     My one suggestion is to begin to plan the imagery of more
children with disabiilties.  The medical model portrays people
with serious medical problems -- We need to see more of how
children with serious physical and neurological disabilities,
such as cerebral palsy and autism, have inspired their families
to forge new paths FOR society, not just INTO society.

    Culture has evolved by working WITH people with serious
challenges, and
I'd like this addressed from a child's perspective so we can
avoid rigidity.
 And I believe we have several leaders in our society who have so
thoroughly put their lives first in priority above their
disability that they can clearly illustrate how to help preserve
the ways many children do this also, quite naturally, when
respect for others is held dear.

     We can do this without getting trapped in the warm fuzzies.
There are
"devices" that we have discovered in social interaction analysis
that illustrate humanistic TECHNIQUE.  And lo and behold.....many
of these are shared in nature....

     There is so much emphasis on skill and feeling acquisition
that we have overlooked many of our roots with nature....
      the ability to be both natural and human.....
      to be emotional always, technical always, together,

      Humility With Wonder and Social Bonds
      Individual Confidence With Talent and Accomplishment

      Take some
                       Carl Sagan and Universal "wonder"
                       Marty Sender and Mr. Wizard "nature"
                       Wrapped in how language categories
represent
                               what we find, and,
                               what we define

       and we just might have a children's show that offers

                         "God, Nature and Nurture"

                                without hype

                      because the joy of discovery

                    is inherent when children are in

                                    THE DIGS

                         But, after a show like that,
                         and maybe before,
                         I would suggest some
                         physical exercise and dance to
                         handle the excitement it would cause.

I enjoyed this opportunity to share some thoughts with you.

Sincerely,     Martin Michael Sawzin
                     Newton, Massachusetts