Recently, I read a story on CNN Money. In it, Bob McGrath (Sesame Street's "Bob") informed a convention crowd that he, Roscoe Orman ("Gordon") and Emilio Delgado ("Luis") had been let go from the show after 45 years.  

I was shocked, to say the least.  

Like many in the post baby-boom generation, I grew up with Sesame Street. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve learning and laughing along with the show's lovable cast of human and Muppet characters. Sesame Street helped teach me, and countless others of my generation and those that came after, some very important lessons. Not just about colors, shapes, letters and numbers. But about courtesy. Love. Friendship. Tolerance. Inclusion. Diversity. Kindness, and humanity.

And it was the ever-present, steady consistency of the show's cast unity that truly sold these concepts. No matter what issues they faced, they all stuck together. Worked out their differences. And emerged with a greater understanding for each other, and the world. Sesame Street wasn't just one of the earliest templates I ever had for a friendly neighborhood, but it was also an excellent example of a family.

But now? Now I hear that Sesame Street has effectively evicted three of its longest-settled, most-beloved residents, thereby threatening a crucial example of togetherness and unity for our nation's children.

Don't today's kids have enough uncertainty? Families fall apart. The political climate is volatile. Change seems to be the only constant in today's world. Don't kids deserve a safe, comforting place to go, where nothing changes, and the security of consistency can be counted on? I had this in Sesame Street. So did countless other kids for the last 45 years. But with the summary dismissal of these three gifted performers from their long-running tenure on this beloved institution, a piece of that is going away.     

This is, in short, unacceptable.

I'm starting this petition to send a message to HBO and Sesame Workshop. Sesame Street isn't "Game of Thrones." You can't just pull performers from your show, especially not after 45 years, and expect that the viewership will simply shrug it off. This is Sesame Street. And for thousands if not millions of people, Sesame Street is simply the street where we grew up. 

Please, rescind this "eviction notice." Bring Bob McGrath, Roscoe Orman and Emilio Delgado back to Sesame Street where they belong. 

Thank you.