---
id: VIDEO_scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate
title: "SCOTOMAVILLE 03.00 - CIVIL DEBATE"
content_kind: video
category: Videos
corpus_topic: asxer-owners
source_kind: youtube
youtube_id: "DEiU8Sq3rv0"
youtube_url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEiU8Sq3rv0
youtube_channel: https://www.youtube.com/@scotomaville
youtube_description: "@stuartvarney believes history is an excellent teacher - if we are paying attention. Mister Rogers demonstrates how we can be civil neighbors while challenging @elonmusk and @jordanbpeterson, and strong Democrats opposed to funding PBS. Be vulnerable yet courageous, strong yet teachable, committed to healing and understanding with our ideas and emotions. \"I end the program by saying, 'You've made this day a special day, by just your being you. There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.'\" Rogers lived in the Pittsburgh enclave of Squirrel Hill while making his iconic children's show, \"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,\" He is known for honoring who we are and what to do with the mad that we feel. In this clip, shortened for Twitter, Rogers testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, chaired by John Pastore, on May 1, 1969. As part of his testimony, he recites the lyrics to \"What Do You Do with the Mad that You Feel?\" I find it interesting that we can change which side we sit on at the table, and still have the self-control to respect others, treating them with civility and respect. A nice lesson from those further up our Personal Everest! Thumbnail photo by Jim Judkis / Focus Features [https://scotomaville.com](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbk1ta0s4OHZPRVhLalFEeTM4dEhMSFh5NEtzd3xBQ3Jtc0tuUDlfOWQ1XzFIZV95V1VKV0RhXzNIQ1VObjcteGRodlRKYmt3X3JPbGJhMXJMVmxyNUhCVWR0ajNrTUNpT25xM2JJWHNBbklmZXU5QmozOTh0Q0Zyc0I4UUJ4bXFKcTJwcHJ0b2FadmJqVUFkdnZzcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fscotomaville.com%2F&v=DEiU8Sq3rv0)"
watch_stem: scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate
watch_path: /v/scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate.html
related_article: Video/GARWIS_scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate.md
summary: "Daniel presents Fred Rogers' 1969 Senate testimony on public broadcasting funding as a model of civil debate, with Rogers' words on trust in a healthy family carrying the lesson. It is context for the Civil Trim Tab. The blind spot it points to is how we argue. The asxer keeps the same thread for owners in 2026."
keypoints:
  - "In Daniel's words, \"Senate held hearings about funding for the newly formed Corporation for Public Broadcasting.\""
  - "[Read the asxer essay](https://asxer.com/a/GARWIS_scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate.html)"
  - "[Watch on danielcomp](https://danielcomp.com/v/scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate.html)"
  - "[Mission: Blind Spots](https://danielcomp.com/a/GB_mission-2-scotomas-seeing-what-you-havent-seen.html)"
tags: [asxer, video, m2]
consent: owner
agent: Asxer Gärwis
created: 2026-10-23
updated: 2026-10-23
date: 2022-12-16
vault_stage: 07_CODEX
enrich_status: ok
enrich_method: bot
pipeline_filename: VIDEO_scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate.md
content_status: approved
approved_by_daniel: 'APPROVED 2026-10-23 (Daniel, in Asxer''s chat, 4:15 PM PT)'
routing_source: carbon
prefix: VIDEO
headwaters: asxer.com
asker_site: asxer.com
mission: "M2 Blind Spots"
transcript_kind: vault
---

# SCOTOMAVILLE 03.00 - CIVIL DEBATE

## Key lessons

- In Daniel's words, "Senate held hearings about funding for the newly formed Corporation for Public Broadcasting."
- [Read the asxer essay](https://asxer.com/a/GARWIS_scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate.html)
- [Watch on danielcomp](https://danielcomp.com/v/scotomaville-03-00-civil-debate.html)
- [Mission: Blind Spots](https://danielcomp.com/a/GB_mission-2-scotomas-seeing-what-you-havent-seen.html)

## Transcript

**Daniel:**  
The U.S. Senate held hearings about funding for the newly formed Corporation for Public Broadcasting. All right Rogers, you got the floor.

**Fred Rogers:**  
This is a philosophical statement and would take about ten minutes to read, so I’ll not do that.  

One of the first things that a child learns in a healthy family is trust, and I trust what you have said that you will read this. It’s very important to me.  

I’d just like to talk about it. My first children’s program fifteen years ago—and its budget was thirty dollars. Could we get a copy of this so that we can see it? Maybe not today, but I’d like to see the program. I’d like very much for you—I’d like to see the program itself or any one of them.  

We made a hundred programs, and then when the money ran out, people in Boston and Pittsburgh and Chicago all came to the fore and said we’ve got to have more of this neighborhood expression of care—okay to each child—to help him realize that he is unique.  

I end the program by saying, “You’ve made this day a special day by just your being you. There’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.” And I feel that if we in public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we will have done a great service.  

I think that it’s much more dramatic that two men could be working out their feelings of anger. Do you marry? I’m the house—yes, but I’m supposed to be a pretty tough guy, and this is the first time I’ve had goosebumps for the last two days—know that there’s something deep inside that helps us become what we can. For a girl can be someday a lady, and a boy can be someday a man. I think it’s wonderful. Looks like you just earned the twenty million dollars.
