Sesame Street

So I was driving into work the other day and I hear the radio DJ discussing a petition about Bert and Ernie getting married on Sesame Street…
First off, my disclaimer…  I don’t not expect that by you reading this that you should agree with me or change your thinking.  I do ask that you have an open mind and remember my sense of humor regarding life in general.  Any person that leaves a hateful, unintelligent or intolerant comment will have their comment deleted AND if you know me and I see you in person, I will give you an earful about proper online etiquette.
Alright now…  This DJ did explain that Sesame Street has introduced puppets of “color and specific nationality” as well as an HIV positive puppet, so the petition was started to get Bert and Ernie hitched.
First of all, I am a supporter of marriage in general.  Whether you are heterosexual or homosexual I just don’t care.  If you grab my ass I’m gonna swing at you whether you are male or female, get me?  In all seriousness though, I am heterosexual, it was the way I was born, I do not plan to tell people (or to raise my children to that they can tell people) who the other person is, what they should believe in or what they should be.  I have found myself in a few discussions (yes, let’s call them “discussions”) regarding homosexuality and marriage.  I tend to be on the defending side that if they are human, and of legal age, it’s really not my business and I would never call what another person believes “right or wrong” unless it would harm another person.  I could go off topic here and talk about things like murderers, abortion and politicians but I simply want to stick with Bert and Ernie right now…
The whole thing got me thinking…  Are we telling our kids that two people, whether same sex or not, can’t live together as friends without being romantically involved?  I’ve known “children” that have lived with their parents for thirty years, I wouldn’t encourage THEM to get married…  And when did Sesame Street get in the business of teaching children about sex?  Oh, wait!  They have an HIV positive puppet!!!  How did said puppet acquire that disease?  Promiscuous puppet sex?  Unsafe drug use?  Or did this puppet have a stuffing transfusion that did not get properly tested?  Sorry, trying not to make it “funny” but you have to admit that while trying to teach children tolerance we have to remember that children are constantly asking “Why?”
They have marriage on Sesame Street.  Children have come to live there by means of these human marriages.  Do we explain those?  Is puppet marriage even legal?
Then I started thinking about conversations I’ve had “defending” gay marriage…  I have gay friends.  I have ALWAYS had gay friends.  I’ve had crushes on boys that I knew could be gay.  I had a crush on a girl once thinking she was a boy!  I’ve been to Disneyland on Gay Days and defended “appropriate” displays of affection.  To be honest, I don’t want to see ANYONE groping in public, but I can’t help but smile when I see two people that truly like each other holding hands or sharing a (semi)private moment.  I have defended the fact that someday when my child is old enough to ask questions about why two people are kissing or holding hands that I will tell them “Because they love each other.”  And I will know that however my daughter turns out she will know how to be tolerant and patient and respectful.
So, why the post?  Well, I think that the whole Bert and Ernie should get married thing is just weird…  First of all, THEY ARE PUPPETS!!!  Secondly, why do they NEED to be gay?  The DJ commented how the two are always happiest together…  Well, there are people that I am truly happy to be around, I do not plan to marry any of them.  What are we teaching children if this does come to pass?  Why can’t Bert and Ernie simply be the best of friends that just like being together without “sex” being a part of it?  I realize that sex is NOT the only part of being gay…  But they have lived together this long and it has never been shown that they are involved in any way than being best friends…  Or did I just answer my own questions?