There is one more Fred Rogers story I want to reflect upon during Lent: the unique and transformative relationship between Rogers and Francois Clemmons. Clemmons became the first African American "to appear in a recurring role on a children's TV series" after Rogers recruited him for the Neighborhood in 1968. The story goes that after Rogers heard Clemmons sing in worship shortly after the assassination of Dr. MLK, he asked if Clemmons might be willing to join his ensemble as a police officer. Clemmons told Story Corp interviewer Karl Lindholm in 2016 that... at first (he) was reluctant to take the role of a police officer: 'I grew up in the ghetto. I did not have a positive opinion of police officers. Police- men were siccing police dogs and water hoses on people. And I had a really hard time putting myself in that role..." But in due course, this accomplished artist with music degrees from Oberlin and Carnegie Mellon changed his mind. (Maxwell King, The Good Neighbor, pp. 205-6)
On the first anniversary of Dr. King's assassination Mr. Rogers invited Officer Clemmons to take a break from keeping the neighborhood safe: won't you come and sit with me and rest your feet with mine in my wading pool? "The icon Fred Rogers not only was showing my brown skin in the tub with his white skin," Clemmons said, "but as I was getting out of that tub, he was helping me dry my feet." (pl 206)
When I read this all I could see was the foot washing ceremonies of Holy/ Maundy Thursday. "A new commandment I give to you," Jesus told his disciples before supper, "love one another as I have loved you." And there could be no ambiguity about what Jesus-love looked like as the Master had just knelt at the feet of his students and friends and washed away the filth of the road. He had taken on the role of servant - an embodied great reversal - saying when he was done: Do this in remembrance of me. Being the faithful, creative and prayerful man that he was, Rogers had to have had the foot washing ceremony of Jesus in mind as he commemorated the legacy and love of MLK. What better gift to the world than to see two men of different races being tender and vulnerable with one another?
But the story isn't over. In time, Clemmons came out as a gay man. Rogers was his advocate. Not only did he encourage Clemmons to advance his career in music, but also served as a confidant when the singer/actor needed to end his marriage. At first, Rogers urged discretion. He was certain that coming out would hurt his public life. Later, however, "he revised his counsel to his younger friend... and after Stonewall Rogers urged Clemmons" to be true to himself and "enter into a long-term, stable gay relationship. (Mr. Rogers) always welcomed Clemmons's gay friends whenever they visited the television set in Pittsburgh." (p. 207)This underscored the significance of another element of the (second) 'wading pool' episode in 1993, which reprised the 1969 original. At the end of the episode, when Mister Rogers takes his sneakers off and hangs up his sweater, as usual, he says: "You make every day a special day just by being you - and I like you just the way you are." Clemmons looked over at Rogers as he said it... As Rogers walked over, Clemmons asked: "Fred were you talking to me?" And Mr. Rogers replied: "Yes, I have been talking to you for years. But you heard me today." (p. 207)
Softly and tenderly Rogers embraced and affirmed his friend. He was not flashy nor obtrusive. There was nothing in this sharing that was self-serving. Rather, it was a small act of compassionate solidarity - and it helped strengthen both men. In a lecture Rogers once said, "When I was a boy I used to think that strong meant having big muscles, great physical power, but the longer I live, the more I realize that real strength has much more to do with what is not seen. Real strength has to do with helping others." (p. 323) I cannot help but think of how Jesus put it in St. John's gospel:
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15: 9-13)
I cherish the quiet, small and often unassuming way Fred Rogers shared the love of God with those who were closest to him - and went on to model this love for a broken nation, too. It is my Lenten prayer that I might draw a little closer to this love today.
credits:
+ Copyright:© FixedGearNYC - http://www.redbubble.com/people/fixedgearny+ https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2018/03/skipped-out/
No comments:
Post a Comment