This The New PBS?! Viral Kids Cartoon Teaches…
A right-wing nonprofit media company called PragerU is dealing with backlash after a resurfaced video downplayed slavery amid talks that it might turn into the new PBS.
Source: Moussa81 / Getty
The clip, that includes a cartoon model of Christopher Columbus, suggests the establishment of slavery was “as old as time and has taken place in every corner of the world.”
In the video, Columbus goes additional, stating:
“Being taken as a slave is better than being killed, no? Before you judge, you must ask yourself, ‘What did the culture and the society of the time treat as no big deal?’”
This framing, packaged in a colourful cartoon format for children, is a component of PragerU’s library of “educational” videos.
Indoctrination in Disguise
The Grio studies that PragerU co-founder Dennis Prager has been blunt about his mission, admitting the purpose of the programming is to indoctrinate kids into right-wing ideology.
MSNBC provides that PragerU said in its 2022 annual report that it overtly said it needed to battle it out with PBS and Disney.
“Arming mother and father and educators with the pro-America content they’re craving — we’re going toe-to-toe with huge youth media firms like PBS Kids and Disney,”
While the videos mimic the type of common kids’s programming, the messaging has drawn heavy criticism. According to The Grio, earlier PragerU clips have denied Native American historical past, dismissed Indigenous Peoples’ Day as “designed to make Americans feel guilt,” denied climate change, and pushed Islamophobic rhetoric.
Ew.
State and Federal Endorsements
Despite the controversy, PragerU has gained official partnerships in states like Alaska, Louisiana, and South Carolina, with The Grio confirming Florida turned the first state in 2023 to approve PragerU content for public college curricula.
The greatest endorsement yet has come from the Trump administration. On July 24, President Trump signed a invoice slashing $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — a transfer that threatens PBS, NPR, and more than 1,500 local stations.
Just sooner or later later, PragerU joined forces with the Department of Education to unveil a White House museum exhibit titled “The Road to Liberty.” The exhibit even used AI-generated “commentary” from the Founding Fathers that leaned closely into conservative speaking factors.
Museums Under the Microscope
This is a continuation of Trump’s wider cultural push. Previously reported by BOSSIP, his administration has launched a “comprehensive review” of Smithsonian museums — including the National Museum of African American History and Culture — with the said intention to “celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”
The influence is already being felt. The National Museum of American History quickly eliminated references to Trump’s two impeachments, while National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet resigned after Trump claimed he had fired her.
The Bigger Picture
Let’s be clear: a cartoon Columbus making an attempt to persuade children that slavery was “no big deal” isn’t only disgusting — it’s harmful revisionist historical past. With PragerU circling as a attainable alternative for PBS and Trump actively reshaping museums, we’re seeing an attempt to rebrand America’s darkest truths under the banner of “exceptionalism.”
If slavery could be dismissed as a minor inconvenience, what else is perhaps “erased” next?
#BanPragerU
The post This The New PBS?! Viral Kids Cartoon Teaches Slavery As ‘No Big Deal’, Company’s Co-Founder Wants To Indoctrinate Children With Right-Wing Ideology appeared first on GWN.
