School daze: Why Obama's critics fan fears of the gullible
My friends, I bring good news today!
For months now, you’ve been feeling out of sorts and ill at ease. The state of our nation has you and your loved ones deeply concerned—and why not? Every time you turn around, there seems to be another battle breaking out among our elected officials, another broadside launched against those whose job it is to lead us through these troubled times.
And just when you think the battles couldn’t be any more strident, the criticism any more pervasive, we reach another new low:
The president wants to speak to our school children, and we find ourselves arguing about whether 15 minutes of presidential inspiration will somehow jeopardize their tender psyches.
“Indoctrination!” cry some of our leaders.
“Forced exposure to a socialist agenda!” shout some of our media titans.
And all because the president of the United States, here at the start of a new school year, wants to encourage kids to work hard? Go to class? Do their homework? Listen to their parents? Respect their teachers? Push through the tough parts? Take personal responsibility for living up to their potential?
Devious!
Dangerous!
And, of course: Socialist!!!
Why, if just a handful of students in each and every state were somehow lured into listening to this president and following his advice—let alone his example—you might suddenly have that many more students working hard, going to class, doing their homework, listening to their parents, respecting their teachers, pushing through the tough parts—and taking personal responsibility! Horrors! We can’t have that!
But I promised you good news.
Here’s the good news: They don’t mean a word of it.
Not even a little.
You know, if I thought for even a moment that the folks claiming to be so upset about the prospect of presidential confidence-building actually believed what they were saying, I’d be worried, too. I’d be really worried for them. And I’d be really worried for the rest of us, being stuck with national leaders and media titans who are so easily frightened, so prone to go off the deep end at the slightest provocation, so totally ignorant of history and political theory and all the rest.
Do I look worried? Of course not.
Because I know it’s just a show.
They’re not saying these things because they believe them. They’re saying these things because they think they’ll work. They’re desperate to slow this president down, to bring this president down. If they can keep him back on his heels, constantly on the defensive—no matter how trivial the issue—that’s one for their side.
And if it takes fanning the fears of the gullible, or providing shouting points to the angry and the unreconciled—well, it’s all part of the job when you’re trying to turn Barack Obama into Barack Pinata.
So take heart, my friends. Our national leaders and media titans aren’t nearly as spineless, as clueless, as paranoid as they appear to be. It’s all an act.
Cynical? Manipulative? Intellectually dishonest? That’s something else again.
See? Don’t you feel better?
Rick Horowitz is a syndicated columnist. You can write to him at rickhoro@execpc.com.
Sep 10, 2009 at 8:38 p.m.
Suggest removal
dreamchaserme: Brainwashing? Community Service? OMG! Does your child's teacher send you a nightly printout of the next days lecture? Cuz' there is a far better chance that your child's teacher will say something "questionable" to your kids than the President will on national television. Geez' you're paranoid and giving republicans like me a bad name.
Sep 10, 2009 at 1:37 p.m.
Suggest removal
andre, what does the first amendment have to do with the discussion? I didn't say anything was illegal, just not proper. The nut jobs were crying about indoctrination from ONE SPEECH about personal responsibility, goals and hard work. How stupid.
dreamchaserme, I would love to see what your "sources" are that said Obama changed his speach. More lies from the right. The only thing changed was one sentence in the Department of Education's suggested lesson plan to teachers. That's it.
Do your children currently have a "personal choice" to perform community service? Wouldn't you have to approve that, or don't you have control of your kids? Nothing in the speech "told" people to perform community service. So, you trust several people to teach your child in school every day, where you don't get to review their lesson plan ahead of time, but you're afraid of one 15 minute speech from the President? Strange.
Sep 10, 2009 at 1:09 p.m.
Suggest removal
I agree that as a parent, we should have a right to review the speech first before it was presented. I heard from more than one source that Obama changed the text on the speech from what the original was supposed to be. I don't want anyone trying to recruit my child for "community service". It's not that I don't think people should get involved with helping out the community, but it should be a personal choice, not something that someone is telling you to do. That sounds a little too much like brainwashing to me. I did read the new speech after it was released to the public and Obama had some valid points, however, I'd still prefer to review before I subject my children to anything that is questionable. It is different with older kids versus the younger ones, they can still make informed choices, but I worry about the younger ones being too easily swayed. I have a problem with the media and all the people who gush over Obama. I still have reason to be skeptical of him and I'll do whatever it takes to protect my children from someone I'm not sure I trust.
Sep 10, 2009 at 9:01 a.m.
Suggest removal
Rick Horowitz thinks he is funny. Jon Stewart, on the other hand, actually IS funny:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-au...
Sep 10, 2009 at 8:54 a.m.
Suggest removal
"I guess it's alright when a democrat does it, but we can't allow a republican to speak to school children."
Nope, the criticism wasn't right back then, and it isn't proper now. At least the Dems waited until AFTER Bush's speach to criticize it. Did Bush provid a copy of his speech before he spoke?
Sep 10, 2009 at 8:45 a.m.
Suggest removal
Republicans have a gullible base that they like to work up with missinformation in an ever dwindling attempt to shore up their power. Luckily they tend to overplay their hand enough that some are starting to wake up and decide they don't like being pawns.
Sep 10, 2009 at 8:34 a.m.
Suggest removal
This is so yesterdays news. This article is desperate. The media is the only one to blame for this blown out of proportion lack of a story. So some parents opted out, who cares. Some wanted to view it first, who cares. The President got is happy headline moment and the people didn't want to see it didn't have to. It's a win win.
Sep 10, 2009 at 8:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
From The Merriam-Webster Dictionary...
amuck: variation of amok; in a violent, frenzied, or uncontrolled manner.
As to the actual subject, both sides have blown it completely out of proportion. Most teachers had only one objection to students viewing Obama's speech. They felt it would be irresponsible to allow their students to watch something that they haven't had the opportunity to preview. As a parent, I happen to agree with them.
Sep 8, 2009 at 8:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
But, but, but the Democrats complained and held hearings when Bush spoke to the kids. Now it's not a big deal? Not having ready access to a memory hole, I'm having a hard time reconciling. Please explain.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinio...
Sep 8, 2009 at 7:46 p.m.
Suggest removal
Give em hell Rick!! The morons are running amuck!!
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.