Full disclosure: I lived in Birmingham, Alabama from 1996-2008. There are many immigrants and blue dots of progressivism in urban areas. But the state is so obsessed with keeping property taxes low for white people and voting for white men they know from church, that policies in the state are utterly theocratic.
White Southern Baptist Republican men run the state, unless federal judges force them to join the 21st century. All progress happens at the point of a Union bayonet.
So it doesn't surprise me a bit that Alabama Public Television won't air the "gay wedding" episode of Arthur. And it's not just the community standards argument. APT hints that they are concerned that their programming amounts to the only parenting some kids in the state get. "Although we strongly encourage parents to watch television with their children and talk about what they have learned afterwards—parents trust that their children can watch APT without their supervision."
TV acts as babysitter nationwide, but in Alabama, they want to make sure the babysitter doesn't show cartoon aardvarks tying the knot.
The episode airs on PBSKids.org, so kids, get your dad to stop watching porn long enough to catch the wedding.
Ironically, the episode features a comedic moment when Arthur and his friends don't like the woman they think Mr. Ratburn is going to marry. It turns out that woman is Mr. Ratburn's sister. Perhaps if Mr. Ratburn HAD married his sister, Alabama community standards would have been fine with the show?
