President Obama is going to be giving school kids across the country a talk next week via television. It’s going to be about staying in school, working hard and achieving your dreams. Sounds good and inspirational, right?
Not everybody is seeing it that way. An awful lot of wingnut radio and television personalities are calling it a politically motivated propaganda move. Some are calling it something out of the Third Reich. Blogs are ablaze with parents, particularly here in Texas, saying they’ll be keeping their children out of school that day, or writing petitions asking that schools not show the speech. Personally, I can’t imagine anything wrong with a sitting president giving a “strive and achieve your dreams” speech to kids when our dropout rate is so high. After all, other presidents have done it and nobody seems to have suffered for it.
But that’s not how an awful lot of people are seeing it with this president. And I’m thinking that those people who are going to keep their kids from school are probably people who cannot bear the thought that their kids are going to be inspired by a black president, by a true African-American. They probably cannot stomach the idea that their kids might come home from school and blurt out something like “I want to be just like Obama!”
Because he is going to inspire some kids to stay in school. And he is going to make them feel special by directing a speech at them.
And I hope my daughter is one of the inspired ones, though just this morning, in discussing the issue she said she hated Obama. I asked her why. “Because he’s going to tell us to work hard and I hate to work hard!”
At least she’s got a legit reason to not want to hear it.
ha ha — you misspelled brouhaha.
From what I’ve read, it appears the major objection was the accompanying study guide (or whatever it’s called) language, which the White House has removed. Something about “meeting the President’s goals” yada yada…
I think (not sure) they’re also incorporating the star-studded, creepy “I Pledge” video, where a few folks pledge to be of service to Obama, or a “servant to our president”.
I think Obama just plain makes some folks nervous with his Obama-centric approach and the general cult of personality which surrounds him.
Independence Day: You’re so right. See how important a couple of good “work hard at school” speeches from a president or two might have been?
How did you get your picture in there?
Don’t you realize that people are actually scared of this half-breed they elected?? With the money he has spent and the Czars he has hired to run his Gestapo he now has a worse image. He is definitely not some poor old dumb uncle-tom, he has a hidden agenda. Parents don’t want him infiltrating the minds of their children and brain-washing them like they do in muslim countries.
Why always throw the black thing in there. Jesus Christ, most simply do not like his ideas and still wouldn’t regardless of his race.
Are you so phobic about being racist that you have to accuse others of being so to prove you’re not racist? I don’t hear anyone saying don’t trust the black man in the white house. i only ever hear supporters of Obama accusing anyone that disagrees with his agenda as being a racist. Are all blacks and non-white americans who disagreed with a white president showing their racism too then?
I didn’t mention black or white, paranoid?? Only thing I am worried about is the muslim thing. And if you don’t think his supporters aren’t racist, even his preacher, then you need to puill your head out. I don’t hide the fact I don’t care for obama or his policies, but I basically think there all crooks!!
Obama needs to be talking to all the losers out there on welfare and food stamps, making illegitamate babies (a whole new generation that thinks that’s the way it’s done) to get off their dead ass and get a job ! Leave the schoolin’ to the schools !
Oh yes, you did, BigTexas. You called him a half-breed. Now what does that have to do with anything? And bringing up the Muslim thing is pure idiocy. He’s not a Muslim, and even if he were, there would be nothing wrong with that.
This whole controversy is so stupid. Can we at least wait until the guy actually gives the speech before we start criticizing it?
Half-breed is a fact, half black half white. Might not be a flattering word but is painfully accurate. And I believe he was raised a muslim and still has it ingrained into his system. He was taught pure hatred for the white man and everything the white race has built by his pastor teacher for over 20 years. You want to talk racism, quit turning a blind eye to his peoples!!
Kristian, Wake up! You don’t see anything wrong with a muslim pres. Really?
“This whole controversy is so stupid. Can we at least wait until the guy actually gives the speech before we start criticizing it?”
Maybe his speeches are entirely predictable?
This is the first time a president is younger than me, so I get a little cranky.
Big Texas:
From the way you worded your posts, I’m going to guess you’ve only considered one source, probably something forwarded by one of your good ol’ boy buddies. I know assumptions are at the root of many of life’s problems, but they also appear to be the best way to communicate with opinionated people such as yourself. So, assuming you rely primarily on fanciful, right-wing email strings, Fox News and the unintended comedy of Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh, I’d like to point you in the direction of this website, factcheck.org. In fact, I’ll save you the trouble of sifting through all those difficult sentences, paragraphs and research and give you this link: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_obama.html. That should clear up a couple of your misconceptions about (as you so charmingly put it) the “half-breed” in the White House.
I doubt that it will change the minds of you or anyone else down at the general store, but since you obviously have access to the internet, you might want to take a look at some of the other information floating around, in addition to the fear-mongering emails passed around by resolutely ignorant racists.
Just saying is all.
I just wonder why Obama would target our kids. Would have it been so hard for him to make this speech during prime time, so parents could make the choice whether or not to let our kids listen to what he had to say. We are all afraid that he will, as usual, put his political spin on current issues.
I think this just shows the level of distrust we have for this man. He is a very good politician and that scares me.
On September 8th, Barrack Obama will be providing the first national address to the students of this country on the importance of education.
Ironically, this first, happens to fall on the day Ruby Bridges was born. A half century ago at Williams Frantz Elementary in the Parish of New Orleans she took the first steps to end segregation in schools.
Both events were politically charged. The difference between the two, the little, colored girl was allowed in the school, and the President was not.
If being a Texan is redneck or racist then I guess Thats what I am.But as a Texan I am also a patriot.What are we Texans suppose to call you?OH! I know.: IDOTS” Remember one thing you racist bigots,we Texans don`t have to be told to stay in school. We were raised by american patriots,and our parents taught us that, from the day we were able to walk.