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JainPermic t1_j24nsu7 wrote

Never underestimate the message Fred Rogers, a Christian Methodist minister, sent when he dipped his toes into a pool shared by a black, gay friend. He was uniquely gifted to understand the message of a friend from centuries ago, who simply asked that we love our neighbour (hello!), especially in an age when travel was so dangerous that it was a sin to deny an exhausted, tired traveller’s access to your home. Today the Methodist church is quite liberal, but it can not yet reconcile the written beliefs of a historical group of people with a vilified minority who hurt no-one.

Mr Rogers was far ahead of his religion, and his time, and ... who cares, he taught us what we needed when we needed it, and that message, is was Jesus’, is timeless.

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officialMpeg99 t1_j24od2y wrote

Officer Clemmons was also gay，which at the time was an even bigger no-no

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judehaz t1_j26b8kq wrote

My recollection is that Fred knew Clemmons was gay and encouraged him to stay in the closet, suggesting it would severly hurt Clemmons' career if he came out. I do not recall ever hearing that Clemmons felt less than accepted by Fred. Not defending it, but it was a different time. EDIT: typo

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Significant_Ant_2607 t1_j27jn0x wrote

They touched on this in the recent Rogers documentary. That yes, Rogers encouraged Clemmons to stay in the closet (not go to gay bars where he'd been spotted, etc) for the sake of the show's survival -- but that his message about loving his neighbor was also very specifically aimed at Clemmons "I love you just the way you are."

Clemmons says that he had a conversation with Rogers where Rogers confirmed he was specifically telling Clemmons that that phrase was specifically Rogers telling Clemmons he accepted him and loved him as-is. So if Clemmons felt that Rogers was as welcoming and understanding as a trained minister could reasonably be expected to be in that era, I take Clemmons' word for it.

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SWPenn t1_j28mtrd wrote

And Sears was the major sponsor of the show back then. If it got out, Sears would have pulled the sponsorship and the show would have ended. Sounds extreme today, but police were still raiding gay bars in 1969 and people went to jail, which ended careers inst.

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rhb4n8 t1_j25b65j wrote

He also felt Fred was a homophobe early in life and actively confronted him about it

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w0jty t1_j260nls wrote

In no way doubting this; I’d like to know more about this.

I have a very rosy image of Fred from growing up in pgh. I think getting a complete picture, however imperfect, is a good way to properly honor someone’s life.

Would like to know more if you have good sources to share. On mobile at the moment, and intend to research later, but figured why go down a previously traveled path, yknow?

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rhb4n8 t1_j2649hd wrote

I don't know the name of it but officer Clemons was talking about it in one of his many interviews about Fred for a documentary. I think it was years after the pool scene and he was talking about accepting the whole him... the way he talked about it I would be surprised if he didn't also talk about it in his book .

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w0jty t1_j26700x wrote

Sounds like a good start, I’ll start there for adding to my reading list. Thanks, cheers!

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Significant_Ant_2607 t1_j27jwy5 wrote

It's more complicated than that, as you may expect that it would be.

In the documentary, Clemmons says he was spotted going to gay bars, and Rogers confronted him about it because in that era, being spotted in a gay bar would mean the show would be cancelled and that was bad for the children. Rogers basically ordered Clemmons to be more discrete or he couldn't be on the show anymore.

But Clemmons also says that he eventually came to understand Rogers' message of "I love you just the way you are" was specifically aimed at Clemmons directly -- that it was Rogers way of saying he loved and accepted Clemmons including his homosexuality as a natural and okay part of who he was, and that Rogers confirmed that's exactly what he meant to Clemmons directly.

So Clemmons seemed to have ended things on a positive note with Rogers.

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hubbyofhoarder t1_j28f29u wrote

Clemmons talks about both the gay bar thing, and about realizing what "I love you just the way you are" meant in the documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor". The whole movie is worth watching, but man, someone was cutting onions in the theater during the segment Clemmons was talking.

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puppy_fan t1_j295cw5 wrote

People are funny. I had a best friend in college who came out as bisexual and told all his friends about it. As his most conservative friend, he was worried about me the most. But when I finally pried the information out of him (just something seemed off when we were together), I told him I was fine with it and he admitted some of his more liberal friends definitely weren't okay with it.

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rhb4n8 t1_j25begc wrote

Fun fact... Hundred acres manor (the haunted house) is held in the old "colored" swimming pool bathhouse

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RavenXII13 t1_j24w7sb wrote

I heard Pittsburgh was particularly cruel during the Civil Rights Movement. I really hope the statement shown by this wasn't lost on true hardcore Pittsburghers.

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ClammyHandedFreak t1_j25dd79 wrote

Pittsburgh is now as well depending on who you run into. True Pittsburghers are also quick to call these particularly cruel people (who typically aren’t from around here originally) jagoffs.

Everyone is welcome in my neighborhood.

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Alternative-Flan2869 t1_j25351l wrote

  1. 19…69. Systemic racism is still so embedded into the fabric of American life, Mr. Rogers had to step in and educate adult white people. Wish he was still alive to make some more educational videos because too many adults still have a lot to learn about being a humane being.
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kuapitt t1_j26jlw0 wrote

Quick Mr. Rogers story. Next to my parents Mr. Rogers was the formative figure in my childhood. Skip to 1999 and I am ridiculously hungover after a Pitt/Oakland party at 7am. Mr. Rogers, out for his morning jog, crosses my path and gives me that “I like you just the way you are” but pull your stuff together look. Real gut check moment.

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Soccerpl t1_j24vmrs wrote

Crazy to think that the children and grandchildren of the very same people who upheld this system for so long walk amongst us

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Alt_North t1_j259gkx wrote

But why wasn't this a bikini stream? Tub is right there

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Gojira085 t1_j25jaal wrote

I'm sorta shocked at how old the picture is. Both the uniform and quality of the picture makes it seem much more recently taken to me. Absolutely amazing he did this

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SWPenn t1_j25xy6s wrote

This isn't the 1969 picture. The scene was re-shot several times over the years for new shows. If you find the original clip, you will notice both of them are much younger.

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Gojira085 t1_j28ks6e wrote

Oh thank you, I didn't know they recreated the shot several times, that could explain it!

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IrrumaboMalum t1_j27czw4 wrote

Pictures shot on old school film are amazingly detailed compared to modern pictures taken digitally on DSLRs or mirrorless digital cameras. So I wouldn't put it past a reproduction made recently using original negatives to look better than a modern picture.

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Winter-Relief4661 t1_j26kp9x wrote

Read a book earlier this this year (“When You Wonder, You’re Learning”) that explains this scene and how he worked civil rights into Mister Rogers Neighborhood. Great story, great Pittsburgher

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iwifia t1_j270jtd wrote

The man we never deserved but sorely sorely need today.

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theherbpuffer t1_j276zii wrote

If you live in Pittsburgh you already know this lol

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VeryOaty t1_j27vism wrote

Latrobe’s finest!

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Sad-Program-3444 t1_j2aypuz wrote

Mr. Rogers, if it's so hot, might wanna try taking that sweater off!

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