Haven't our past Presidents done this EXACT same thing before? Why is it a big deal that Obama is giving a speech for the country's schoolkids when both Bushes and countless other Presidents have done it too??? The nonlogic of the crazypants part of the Right is making my head hurt. A lot.
@kityglitr: Laura Bush's cause was literacy. They were in the schools a lot.
Also, this brings to mind the whole council on physical fitness. No idea if they still do it, but you used to have to do a bunch of exercises and if you could meet the numbers, you got a certificate "signed" by the president. I feel like if Obama did that, people would freak and say he wanted kids to be fit for his Hitler Youth-esque army of socialists. Also, who is some arugula-eating elitist to tell us exercise is healthy? He's indoctrinating our children into a terrible life of jogging, reading, and regular check-ups.
You know what this reminds me of? When I was in college, we had one Senator Hillary Clinton as a commencement speaker (sadly, not at my own commencement). She gave a very typical, vanilla speech about the importance of women's colleges (I went to a women's college, as did HRC) and how, as young graduates, we should go forth and conquer the world. Really basic commencement stuff. Not. Controversial. At. All. Some of the older (conservative) alumnae got their knickers in a twist, about that no-good Clinton sullying their school, and the next year we had Eagle Forum crazypants Phyllis Shlafly (google her if you dare) come to campus (of a women's college, mind you) and tell us all that we needed to drop out, get married, and start popping out babies. We were allowed to resume our education once our youngest snowflake was old enough to register for the draft. It was insane.
@babyruthless: Oh Phyllis Schafly. What a nutter. That woman drives me crazy, I tell you.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with having different viewpoints come to colleges and all that. Schafly has just as much legal right to talk to students as Clinton does. But what an odd message to send to students: GO AWAY, MAYBE COME BACK LATER.
@boxspelunker: There was definitely an element of tit for tat to it, though, which was what made it strange. Like, we had Clinton come, and she's a liberal, so we have to balance it out with a conservative. But instead of it being a conservative talking about pretty innocuous things (yay, college) she was telling us that if we didn't have a womb full of babies, we would die regretting our terrible feminist choices.
@babyruthless: It's just such an odd thing for colleges to tell their students. Maybe the whole college didn't support her views, but because they brought her, they are somewhat responsible for her message.
And of course, she is so right. Babies! They'll get you jobs! They're great with bringing in that extra income! They clean the house for you! They help you study for tests! Oh, wait...
So wait, isn't it unpatriotic to teach your children that they should not even listen to/watch the POTUS? I thought being a real amurrican involved waving flags at said speaking engagements. Does. Not. Compute.
I saw a woman on the news who said something to the effect of, "I don't agree with Obama; he supports abortion and things like that and I don't want him telling my kid those things." As though the president were going to deliver a speech to schoolchildren about abortion! sigh.
I went on our school district's website last night to see what its position is. There is a message from the superintendent saying they were neither promoting it nor banning it but instead leaving it to the discretion of individual teachers to decide if it fits in with their lesson plans. What a bunch of wusses! This is in an affluent, well-educated and relatively liberal suburban school district. Then again, this is the same state that unleashed Michelle "Crazypants" Bachmann on the world. Surprisingly, I don't believe I've heard a word out of her about this. On the other hand, our distinguished governor Tim Pawlenty did put his foot so far down his throat it came out the other end.
Not that I expect much rational thought from people who are keeping their kids home today, but do they not realize they're making things difficult for their kids at a level that is way out of proportion to the speech? To keep their kids from hearing a 20 minute speech and 20 or so minutes of post-speech discussion, they're forcing the kids to miss an entire day of instruction. Not a big deal if you're in third grade, but by high school that can be a lot of in-class assignments and labs to make up. I mean, my own kid begs me to send him to school when he's sick because he doesn't want to have to make up the work.
Maybe the parents will demand their precious delicate flowers not be required to make up work Obama made them miss by scheduling his socialifascistinazinazinazi indoctrination session for the middle of a school day.
Why don't the hysterical parents just come out and say it: They don't want a black man to tell their kids ANYTHING, even if it's something as anodyne as "study hard, stay in school, eat your veggies."
You know what lesson you're teaching your kids today when you keep them out of school or tell them to cover their ears when the PRESIDENT speaks? You're teaching them that just because you don't actually say the n word doesn't mean you're not still a racist.
Thanks for that lesson, assholes. At least now we know who you are.
@willwriteforfood: You have confused them by using the word "anodyne." Pause, rewrite using a word they might have a fleeting chance of grasping and/or pronouncing, and start again. Thanks!
@willwriteforfood: None of this is too shocking; it was inevitable that a non-white male or woman would eventually ascend to the Presidency, and when that happened, a floodgate of hatred would be opened. Given what we are seeing, I wonder if Hilary has dropped any regret for losing the Democratic Primary? Because one can only imagine the torrent of misogyny that would be flooding the nation if she were President, as if it's not bad enough right now in her position as Secretary of State.
@NefariousNewt a.k.a. General Awesomesauce: You're right (as you usually are) but I'm stunned at the level of vitriol being unleashed at this particular president and how much of it is tinged with racism. I honestly believe some people who disagree with the president really aren't doing it because he's black, but it's like the election unleashed all the seething hatred that festered beneath the surface. And those people probably really did believe that no woman or minority would ever become president because it didn't fit into their Manichean view of the world. So now they're twisting themselves into pretzels to find new and creative ways to say "He scares me because he's black" without actually saying those words. Hence, we have a whole new vocabulary list of euphemisms like socialist, communist, secret Muslim, non-citizen, uppity, unamerican, doctrinaire, terrorist...did I miss any?
Also, I grew up in a 100% Republican household that spouted conservative ideas (more fiscal, than social...but still) while also attending religious private school. I am the total opposite (though I am still religious, I am the type that doesn't believe God hates gays or thinks that everyone should be my religion). So, when does someone's ability to make their own minds up come into play? I didn't become a liberal in college...I became in while listening to my father as a child and going "that doesn't sound right." Why are people so sensitive to other people's thoughts and social ideals? I don't understand this inability to think for oneself.
@JinxyMcDeath: They are sheeple -- they want to be lead to the promised land, and they put their faith in false prophets. They are indoctrinated into their faith, told that to think for one's self is anathema to belief.
This whole brouhaha is a result of the continuing descent of the American educational system into mediocrity. Rote learning is touted over give-and-take. Discussion of issues takes a backseat to memorization of "facts."
Read Lies My Teacher Told Me; it's a wonderful indictment of how the American educational system has been deviating from free thought for some time, with teachers spewing forth knowledge that is very suspect, because it is watered down by the companies that create textbooks.
According to the comments at Fox News, the speech was completely different until the conservatives freaked out and "caused" the administration to change it to their liking. They're all "See what we did! Victory! We got him to remove his socialist agenda because of our indignation!"
They can't even give the President a compliment when they LIKE what he's doing.
@JinxyMcDeath: Rick Sanchez was asking how anyone could oppose a speech they hadn't read. Someone who opposed it said, "I honestly don't care what's in the speech - I'm against it."
@JinxyMcDeath: Remember that the first rule of any conspiracy theory is that the absence of evidence for the conspiracy is the best evidence for the existence of the conspiracy.
Also - that picture. It scares me a little. I don't know why. Maybe because the kids were picked out of some photo line up of varying ethnicities to demonstrate Bill's love of diversity? Hm.
My major critique of the speech has nothing to do with content. It's just too long. Kids have like a 7 minute attention span, and the speech goes on and on and on. He has kids, he should know they don't want to listen to him drone forever about staying in school. I'm not sure I want a bunch of kids getting the idea that a president I'm pretty excited about is a boring guy.
@curiousgeorgiana: Exactly! I've taken to quizzing people on this and their anger and refusal to define them, "I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, OK! AND OBAMA IS A NAZI SOCIALIST!" is both hilarious and terribly depressing.
@wtfox?!: So, following that logic, Obama would be....Hitler? Or Stalin? Wait, I just got confused. Which leader is more evil? Cause that's the comparison I want to use.
@JinxyMcDeath: Maybe they're trying to give Obama a compliment? Telling him he can be 2 complete different ideologies at the same time? Reach for the stars Mr. Pres.!
I recall watching Bush the First speak when I was little. This must be why I'm such an ardent republican today.
Tipper Gore was scheduled to come speak at my high school to talk about women and education but the conservative asshole parents worked behind the scenes so she couldn't come taint us with her Clinton administration immorality. I'm still bitter.
"taxpayer dollars... being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology,"
Hey, guess what? The majority of taxpayers voted for him and his ideology. YOU LOST! Fucking deal with it
CNN showed a woman crying because she didn't want her child to see the speech. CRYING.
I love how the crazies are retaliating against this too. You want my child to stay in school and get an education? Hell no! I'm making them skip class today!
@victoriasauce: Oh geez, was it the same woman who sobbed that she wanted *her country* back?
I love the commentator I read this morning who remarked on the irony of pulling your kid from school so they could play Grand Theft Auto instead of hearing the president speak, because they're so concerned about the influences on their kids. Dumbasses.
@galaxina: Well, to be fair, they ALL want their country back. /tear
I'm so stoked right now! Our school district just released a statement supporting the speech.
"I know there are concerns that President Obama is using this opportunity to push his political agenda. Nothing is farther from the truth. His message is simple: stay in school and go for your goals. I appreciate the President reiterating the same message we give to our students: anything is possible if you work hard and stay in school. I hope that all of our students will be allowed the opportunity to hear from their President."
@victoriasauce: In my opinion they should pull their damn children out of public schools in general. What's more socialist than equal education for all?!
Payne county is the most liberal in Oklahoma. Although our entire state went red in the election, we definitely came the closest to defeating McCain. I felt that was a victory in itself. Attitudes ARE shifting, regardless of what Fox news says.
09/08/09
09/08/09
Also, this brings to mind the whole council on physical fitness. No idea if they still do it, but you used to have to do a bunch of exercises and if you could meet the numbers, you got a certificate "signed" by the president. I feel like if Obama did that, people would freak and say he wanted kids to be fit for his Hitler Youth-esque army of socialists. Also, who is some arugula-eating elitist to tell us exercise is healthy? He's indoctrinating our children into a terrible life of jogging, reading, and regular check-ups.
09/08/09
09/08/09
Of course, there's nothing wrong with having different viewpoints come to colleges and all that. Schafly has just as much legal right to talk to students as Clinton does. But what an odd message to send to students: GO AWAY, MAYBE COME BACK LATER.
09/08/09
09/08/09
And of course, she is so right. Babies! They'll get you jobs! They're great with bringing in that extra income! They clean the house for you! They help you study for tests! Oh, wait...
09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
Maybe the parents will demand their precious delicate flowers not be required to make up work Obama made them miss by scheduling his socialifascistinazinazinazi indoctrination session for the middle of a school day.
09/08/09
You know what lesson you're teaching your kids today when you keep them out of school or tell them to cover their ears when the PRESIDENT speaks? You're teaching them that just because you don't actually say the n word doesn't mean you're not still a racist.
Thanks for that lesson, assholes. At least now we know who you are.
09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
This whole brouhaha is a result of the continuing descent of the American educational system into mediocrity. Rote learning is touted over give-and-take. Discussion of issues takes a backseat to memorization of "facts."
Read Lies My Teacher Told Me; it's a wonderful indictment of how the American educational system has been deviating from free thought for some time, with teachers spewing forth knowledge that is very suspect, because it is watered down by the companies that create textbooks.
09/08/09
09/08/09
They can't even give the President a compliment when they LIKE what he's doing.
09/08/09
It doesn't even matter at this point.
09/08/09
09/08/09
[www.parade.com]
I hope that my school is letting the kids listen to this today.
09/08/09
Obama's Socialist Jedi mind tricks are way more powerful than we thought. Get out the tin foil hats!
09/08/09
Also - that picture. It scares me a little. I don't know why. Maybe because the kids were picked out of some photo line up of varying ethnicities to demonstrate Bill's love of diversity? Hm.
09/08/09
09/08/09
Like the president says, do your homework.
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09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
09/08/09
Tipper Gore was scheduled to come speak at my high school to talk about women and education but the conservative asshole parents worked behind the scenes so she couldn't come taint us with her Clinton administration immorality. I'm still bitter.
09/08/09
Hey, guess what? The majority of taxpayers voted for him and his ideology. YOU LOST! Fucking deal with it
09/08/09
I love how the crazies are retaliating against this too. You want my child to stay in school and get an education? Hell no! I'm making them skip class today!
Makes perfect sense.
09/08/09
I love the commentator I read this morning who remarked on the irony of pulling your kid from school so they could play Grand Theft Auto instead of hearing the president speak, because they're so concerned about the influences on their kids. Dumbasses.
09/08/09
I'm so stoked right now! Our school district just released a statement supporting the speech.
"I know there are concerns that President Obama is using this opportunity to push his political agenda. Nothing is farther from the truth. His message is simple: stay in school and go for your goals. I appreciate the President reiterating the same message we give to our students: anything is possible if you work hard and stay in school. I hope that all of our students will be allowed the opportunity to hear from their President."
And I live in OKLAHOMA.
Oklahoma, people.
There is hope!
09/08/09
09/08/09
Payne county is the most liberal in Oklahoma. Although our entire state went red in the election, we definitely came the closest to defeating McCain. I felt that was a victory in itself. Attitudes ARE shifting, regardless of what Fox news says.