Slightly Political
The following is somewhat political in nature. No offense was meant. If I have made any thoughtless comments, please let me know (without curse words or insults). Any comment that does so will be deleted, regardless of whether I have said something to upset you (which I'd correct anyway).
It concerns the fury over the President's speech to the kids yesterday, and my thoughts on some of the quotes found in various articles, all of which are cited after I mention them. Again, no insult intended to anyone just because of their political association. If there are any, it's my mistake. I'm a bit angry about it all.
Florida Republican Party chairman Jim Greer : Charged Obama's speech to the kids as an attempt to "spread President Obama's socialist ideology."
President Obama urged kids to take control of their futures and stay in school. And please, go look up the word socialism. And when you're done, tell me IN DETAIL, what part of doing good in school for yourself, your family, and your country is socialist.
BTW, the only thing wrong with communism (because thats what you really want to call it, Mr McCarthy) is when the idea is abused by greedy people to keep the masses poor while they reap the benefits.
"They don't need to be told by the president what their responsibilities are. It's the parents' responsibility to teach them that, not the government," said Ryan Christensen, a carpet cleaner who asked that his 10-year-old daughter be pulled from a fifth-grade class watching the speech in Caldwell, Idaho.
It is the parents' responsibility. But why is it so terrible to have the leader of our nation say it too? Is your refusal, Mr Christensen, about your daughter or you political affiliation?
FROM Olivia: “..and to the people who say it's the parent's job to say these things: yes, it is, but bear in mind that the president is a) a charismatic public figure who everyone knows and b) has professional speech-writers on his staff. he can say what's fundamentally the same thing a parent should, but in a way that will resonate differently. if the kid hears it from the parents AND the president, it'll be better than hearing it from one or the other. Another sad truth is not all parents care about their kids' education, and the teachers they see every day often give up. they need to know that someone DOES care.”
"We're not really happy with the way the country is right now, so I don't have real warm fuzzies about the whole thing," said Cushing, a stay-at-home mom and Republican. "I don't think there's going to be anything he will touch on that will be important."
So your side lost an election.Ok, I'd be kinda sad too. Now you're going to refuse to listen. Ok. You don't want your child to listen. Ok, you're the parent. Raise your child how you see fit. Believe how you see fit. That's your right as an American citizen.
But nothing important? He said “The truth is, being successful is hard. You won't love every subject you study. You won't click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try “. Again, is your refusal about your child or you political affiliation?
"Mr. President, stay away from our kids." --PTA protestors, VA
What exactly are you protesting? Why do you feel threatened?
Source of these quotes: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090909/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_school_speech
“What’s the message of this speech?”
Several hands shot up. “Even though it’s hard to go to school, you have to do your best,” said 10-year-old Mirella Azziaza.
This is the kicker. Ladies and Gentleman, a 10 year old girl can come up with the message of the speech in a few seconds.....
Source: http://www.projo.com/news/content/Obama_Providence_09-09-09_U0FLEU8_v20.3986d4d.html
“Others accused Democrat Obama of trying to foster a personality cult, and of seeking to win hearts and minds of children away from conservative parents. “
God forbid your kids form different opinions from yourself. I don't understand this paranoia. Why do you think it is a cult, ladies and gents? Where is your proof? What is the logic in your argument against the President?
"I think there is a place for the president of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children," she said in a CNN interview.
"I think there are a lot of people that should do the same, and that is, encourage their own children to stay in school and to study hard and to try to achieve the dreams that they have,"
Holy crap I agree with Hilary! Glad to hear a rational sentence.
"Children Serve God, Not Obama."
Yes, Obama is charismatic and people listen to him. But for heaven's sake, he's begging them to be good and learn, not suggesting the 'Final Solution' or writing Mein Kamph.
Oh, and kindly stop shoving your religion down my throat. It makes your religion look bad.
Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/153746/obama-recalls-restless-youth-in-address-to-kids
Some conservative critics complained that the Department of Education had initially sent schools suggestions about classroom activities linked to the speech, suggesting children write about "how they could help the president."
"That's Obama-centric. It's not focused on education but on the worship of Barack Obama," Michael Leahy, spokesman for the conservative grassroots Nationwide Tea Party Coalition, told AFP.
"This is indoctrination, pure and simple, into the cult of Barack Obama, and we are opposed to that," he said.
Jim Greer, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, raged that "Pied Piper Obama" was going "into the American classroom" to spread socialist ideology.
"President Obama has a vision for America which is government in our lives in every aspect. That's not the vision that I and many parents across this country want," he told CNN.
Ok this is a long one. Charge number 1: The letter writing is cultivating a cult of worshipers. I would like to see the evidence of this, Mr. Leahy. Yes the wording is weird, but I think saying “how they could help the President” is simply worded for even young kids. Like saying “help mommy with the cookies.”. Show me evidence supporting your statements, please?
Charge number 2: Indoctrination. I also do not see any facts supporting this accusation, so I can't refute it outright. But the statement is pure pathos. Emotional attacks meant to arouse the fears of most people with words like “Indoctrination” and “cult”. Again, show me some calm, rational statements and I'll listen. Until then, stop making attacks out of spite. Oh, and if the speech is indoctrination, then what exactly does "Children Serve God, Not Obama." sound like ?
Charge 3: Socialist ideology. Heres the definition of socialism according the the American Heritage Dictionary:
“ Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
The stage in Marxist-Leninist theory intermediate between capitalism and communism, in which collective ownership of the economy under the dictatorship of the proletariat has not yet been successfully achieved. “
The speech was void of A)references to the economy, B)centralized government, and C) social organization. Again, Mr. Greer, you have spoken without thinking, it appears. Perhaps you think the health care solution is socialist. You may have a valid point. But the speech?
Charge 4: The President wants government in every aspect of our lives. So far, the only thing approaching socialism is the idea to create a government option to balance the business of health care. And again, show me proof. What other things about are personal lives do you believe the President is seeking to invade?
SOURCE: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/153746/obama-recalls-restless-youth-in-address-to-kids
Additionally, has anyone seen the commercial with the woman saying how England has government health care, and their survival rate for breast cancer patients is lower? (www.IWF.org) The commercial fails to tell us why it is lower:
The American Cancer Society estimates that there are 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
In a 2008 study, the Lancet Oncology, a prominent health care trade journal, demonstrated that the five-year survival rate from breast cancer in the United States is 83.9%; the five-year survival rate in the United Kingdom is 69.8%.
The supporters of a government takeover of health care dismiss these differing survival rates as abstract numbers, but we know they are about real lives - lives that can, and should, be saved.
That is some smart writing! Pulling on the heartstrings! Yes, they're real people. But how does that substantiate the claim? How many patients, for instance, are diagnosed as terminal in the UK as opposed to the US? That would make a difference in the survival rate. So would the number of people from ethnicities statistically more prone to dying of that particular cancer?
So that's all. You know, I was never really political at all. Not even when voting for Obama as an independent. I listened to both sides, and decided I believed Obama's sincerity more than I believed McCain's. I'll admit, Sarah Palin turned me off a great deal because I found her speeches confusing and her personal issues too distracting for her to be an effective VP. End of story.
Then all this commotion happened. First it was the Health Care. I wanted to hit something when that woman at the infamous Town Hall meeting asked Barney Frank why he was with a “Nazi” regime (and mind you, he's Jewish.) And then people began comparing Obama to Hitler and saying they were Republicans. I got angry. Then this issue with the speech. I watched it. None of the claims seemed any more valid than they had before. So I wrote this.
I want to say I've never heard of this insanity. Of a politician making accusations with no proof, but we have, actually.
Anyone remember reading about Senator McCarthy and his Blacklist of accused Communists during the Cold War? He accused many people of being Communist spies. But his claims were never substantiated with proof. He was eventually discredited and is remember by the term McCarthyism, which is defined as “is the politically motivated practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence”
So if you don't like Obama, don't like his speech, or dislike his policies, ok. I don't agree with him on a lot of things either. All I'm saying, Republicans, is give factual support we can verify when making accusations. Know the definitions and histories of the words you use. As for my fellow Americans, don't take people for their word if the word senator, congressman, lobbyist, or any other political term is before their name. No one is without opinion.
The Speech itself:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/