That’s what we are telling our kids when President Barack Obama addresses the nation’s schoolchildren in his upcoming address. Be there, listen, take notes and we will talk about it when you get home.
At the same time, I respect parents that are pulling their kids that day a hell of a lot more than those that are neutral on the issue, or aren’t even aware of it.
This is a teaching, parenting moment.
Some parents have cried “Leave the parenting to us, not the President!”
But guess what, a lot of you are really crappy parents.
Some are absentee. Others are uninformed, lazy or disinterested. Many are physically present but not active; wealthy but won’t invest time. A lot of our nation’s ills can be traced back to a lack of focus, leadership and discipline on the part of parents, fathers especially, coupled with the increasingly fragmented family unit.
If there is one thing to recognize Barack Obama for, he seems to be a pretty good Dad and I think its fair to say it’s a harder job than being President, and certainly while being President.
If the President is true to his mission for this address, it could be of value. The nation’s first African-American President, addressing millions of children, many of whom are without a father, telling them to stay in school, dream big, and make the American dream your dream is good for all of us.
At the same time I understand the disdain many parents have for the President’s address. This is in part due to its timing, amidst a controversial and highly unpopular push for a government takeover of our health care system, soaring deficits, and the predicted bloating of the federal government.
But I also think it can be tied to a growing awareness that the President really hasn’t been the agent of systemic change that he told us he would be; that the actions he and Congress have taken to stimulate the economy have more likely made things worse; and the growing list of broken campaign promises.
A lot of people don’t trust Obama any more and aren’t exactly looking for his advice, especially to their children.
My kids know that we are conservatives, but they also know why. They know we don’t blindly follow or discount a politician of any particular party – my kids also know I’m not a George Bush fan and why. They also know that I am not a Barack Obama fan, but not because he isn’t like us, rather because I don’t agree with his politics. That is not to say that there aren’t things we agree on, and that will purportedly be the agenda for his address.
…and if the President strays into political or ideological territory, my kids will spot it from a hundred yards.
I don’t want my children to blindly follow in my ideological footsteps. I want them to form their own beliefs and philosophies. I want them to own them so that no one can take them away without a fight.
And that is why I want them to watch the President with respect, and with an open but discerning mind.
Bravo Roosh – that is what we have been saying in our household since this all broke out! My son wants to stay home that day but we have told him that he needs to listen and (where necessary) defend his beliefs. Work willing, I will be listening to the speech as well (online) and we will be discussing it when we get home from work/school. That is what parents are supposed to do…..
LL
You said it much better than I did. I’ll be ready to jump all over the president if he uses the opportunity to spout partisan of socialist ideology. But he has to be presumed innocent until he speaks.
Ironically, the big fuss over this issue has probably all but guaranteed that the speech will be harmless, because of all the attention it is getting.
Now that the wingnutz have pulled Van Jones down, a man who’s only crimes were being a self-described communist, 9/11 Truther and all-around shit stain, Obama’s highly skilled, intellectual cadre will be careful what utterances Great Leader is allowed to make from here on out.
He’s lost more than half the nation, he can’t afford to lose more.
I would rather see the President speak to parents as a parent (I agree he does seem to be a good father), than to speak to children as their Dear Leader.
Barack will use the occasion to speak the gospel of liberalism. Liberals think that liberalism is and should be common sense. It would be like Reagan not mentioning the goodness of America for Obama not to mention the greatness of government.
Really good post, JR. Bottom line is this: my kids are taught many things that I might object to while they are in school. But my job is to make sure they understand the difference between what they are taught and what they learn.
Thul nailed it. Whatever partisan message was planned has now been replaced with a more generic one.
Obama has been marketed more that any other politician in history, there is no reason to believe that his September 8 speech is meant to simply be just some benign inspirational message for kids. His ratings have tanked over the summer, and he’s looking for any boost he can get.
With the unemployment rate now at 9.7%, it’s the economy stupid. Yet, he seems eager to talk about anything but the economy. After 747 billion in stimulus dollars, one would have expected to see some improvement. Cap and Tax, ObamaCare, Gates-gate(TM), two apology tours, and now a controversial speech to public schools – all done during a time when the economy is the #1 issue.
The victims is this deal are local school boards and administrators. Their going to get an earful no matter what decision they make.
“If there is one thing to recognize Barack Obama for, he seems to be a pretty good Dad and I think its fair to say it’s a harder job than being President, and certainly while being President.”
Based on what? The fact that the kids have a two parent family and the photo-ops we see?
JR, How did you first learn of the speech? Was it from media reports or from your kids’ schools?
Roosh wrote:
“I don’t want my children to blindly follow in my ideological footsteps. I want them to form their own beliefs and philosophies. I want them to own them so that no one can take them away without a fight.
And that is why I want them to watch the President with respect, and with an open but discerning mind. ”
Excellent, Roosh, well done. And while those of you who are critical of Obama’s speech are paying attention to what he has to say, may I refer you to the similar speechs, including for example the one made by Bush 41, made on 10/01/91 (available at the George H. W. Bush presidential library web site – and yes, I made the effort to find it, and read it).
Presidential libraries are excellent resources, and never more so than now courtesy of the internet. If one presumes to be critical – as everyone should be – then part of being fairly and objectively critical is to know what other presidents, both republican and demcrat, have said in similar talks to school children.
Yes DG, make sure that you closely compare the lesson plans that have accompanied the speeches.
Dog Gone said:
“then part of being fairly and objectively critical is to know what other presidents, both republican and demcrat, have said in similar talks to school children”
Even so, “Bush did it too” is really not an argument for this speech unless it is against someone who a) endorsed the previous speech, or b) is a “Republican Presidents, right or wrong” sort of person. *shrug*
DG,
Bush – and Reagan, for that matter – did it too, indeed.
And, without knowing the content of Obama’s speech, I’m happy to approach it exactly as Roosh does.
My big objection was the Department of Education’s fawning curriculum guide – which has been pulled off the website, by the way – which invoked some “cult of personality”-like aspects. Reagan and Bush never did this.
Great article, BTW, Roosh.
Right unloaded:
JR, How did you first learn of the speech? Was it from media reports or from your kids’ schools?
From Shot In The Dark…where else?
I think the underlying context is this President has engendered deep distrust in a very large segment of the population. For good reason.
Those of us who actually investigated and reported on him during the campaign know Obama as a dishonest man bent on a radical agenda. His circumventing of Congressional oversight by executive order in the form of dozens of “czars” has further alienated his opposition.
Add to this the slash and burn tactics of the Pelosi/Reid Congress and you have the most divisive and polarized of electorates ever.
So no, I would not trust my children with this man or the crowd he surrounds himself with. I think that fundamentally, they hate America. That means they hate me, and my children.
I wouldn’t trust my childrens’ education to this man, but because they’re well-read, discerning kids, with whom I discuss current events, local, national and world, I don’t worry that this speech will ruin them.
If all Our Leader does is encourage kids to stay in school, do your homework, respect your family and your teachers and the staff, stay out of trouble and off drugs, I’m fine with that. It’s not his responsibility, but if he gets the attention of kids whose parents DON’T involve themselves in their kids’ lives, then great. However, if he starts to stray into the “love your mother the earth”, “make it fair for everyone”, and “it takes a village”, my kids will both spot it, be respectful, but see him for what he is-and egotist who needs the spotlight on the first day of school, who wants the country to become something it was never intended to be, and actually something our founding fathers FLED and FOUGHT in order to start our nation.
And yes, I’ll be checking any homework required of them. My oldest has an AP Government class first period. Uh oh.
The text of the speech is out, and it reads pretty well. The catch 22 is that if conservatives hadn’t raised a fuss, it might have been Comrade Obama calling the young socialists to duty. Now the talking point for liberals all week long will be the conservative over-reaction to the speech, which will be rolled into conservative over-reaction to Van Jones, health care, and every liberal bogeyman available.
It would have been better to let President Obama hang himself with a speech full of radical Marxist ego tripping.
Dave, Great Leader has been doing that for over a year without incident or MSM attention.
It’s pushback time.
Roosh is right; there are WAY too many really crappy parents out there. That’s why it is important that bammie be slapped down before he gets the chance to start.
I’s love to, but I don’t have time to visit every neighbor to explain to their kids why Socialism is wrong, and neither does anyone else. That’s why we nip this asshole in the bud.
Yes he has Kermit, but as the home team we play with a self inflicted handicap.
In Iraq, I could see a guy who I knew dead bang was guilty of planting an IED, but I couldn’t shoot unless I saw him attacking me or other coalition forces.
Similarly, we conservatives have to set aside what we ‘know’ President Obama intends, and work off of what he actually does. It is a cruel handicap to work from, but if we don’t, we are nothing different than the Kos or HuffPo loonies who protested everything President Bush did, even if it made sense.
It looks like we now have an opportunity to preview the speech and it looks pretty benign. However, the study guides and learning activities provided by people from the federal Department of Education appear to be way off topic.
Instead of discussing reasons to go to school, they are focusing on the president. These people have been out of the classroom far too long.
Kermie lied: “Those of us who actually investigated and reported on him during the campaign know Obama as a dishonest man bent on a radical agenda.”
Oh really? Exactly what news did you break, Jimmy Olsen? You find Obama’s Kenyan birth certificate didja?
JR, allow me to “unload” once again. This may well be a topic that what picked up by MSM only because bloggers picked up on it.
I first heard of the on a blog the afternoon of September 3. The earliest report of this I could find is from Malkin on the evening of September 2nd (I would consider her to be a member of the media, others might thinkshe’s a blogger).
My understanding is, and correct me if I’m wrong, word of the planned speech came about from a letter that Arne Duncan sent to school principals. What appears to have been lacking, is an attempt by the White House to notify the parents.
For most Minnesota parents, today is the first day of school. Without the the controversy that’s erupted over the weekend, many parents may have been blindsided on the first day of school. For those of us who do our best not to be crappy parents, it helps to know the rules ahead of time.
It’s fine with me that Obama wants to address the kids, but the whole plan could have been handled better. It’s also fine with me if parents opt out of having their kids listen the speech.
AC, I’d settle for the Hawaiian birth certificate.
Clownie belched “Oh really? Exactly what news did you break, Jimmy Olsen? You find Obama’s Kenyan birth certificate didja? ”
No, oh ye of limited intellectual capacity. I post on a different blog, and we observed the many distortions and reversals Obama made that you are apparently ignorant of.
“Obama changes positions more often than a Nevada whore.” That was one of mine.
You want blatant lies?
“We’re only gonna raise taxes on the top 2% of earners, those making $250,000 or more.”
The first thing Obama did was sign SCHIP, which raised taxes on tobacco products. For Everyone.
“We’re gonna put all bills up on the Internet for 5 days for public review before signing.”
Oops! Another lie. He signed his $787 present to special interests, and Democrats (pardon the redundancy) without doing so because it “had to be done right away.
Obama is a liar.
Sitting in your jammies at the keyboard ain’t reporting, Kermite. It just makes you another right-wing Internet blowhard. While Angryclown is fascinated with your clever name-calling and kooky opinions, he wonders exactly what you’ve contributed to the sum of human knowlege over there on your little blog. Any, you know, new facts? Or do you prefer to limit yourself to thinking deep thoughts and letting other people worry about the facts?
Facts are stubborn things, Clownie. To those of us willing to see, they can be obvious. To those of you besotted with koolaid, they are evasive.
The information is available to all, should they choose to look. Blogging isn’t the didactic medium liberals seem to crave. It’s interactive, which is more than can be said for those “reporters” in the NYT or NBC.
But then, aside from inane baiting, exactly what have you contributed to the sum of human knowlege on this blog?
At least I participate.
On SitD, Angryclown is a divider, not a uniter. He mocks. Angryclown does occasionally point out when one of you far-right true believer types has distorted the truth more than usual, of course. But that is only because Angryclown enjoys doing so. He has no hope of improving your hopelessly benighted condition.
Assclown I think you would feel more at home on DailyKos because we all know how non-partisan the far left isl. They never distort facts, all those gun stats, global warming/cooling/climate change has been spot on from the beginning back in the 1970’s and having crappy healthcare for everyone seems to be a top priority on the left. Anyone else notice how all the smug lefties like referring to themselves in the third person. Anyone have theories on why this is?
Clownie is also incapable of addressing facts, which exposes the paper-thin depth of his understanding of “truth”. He mocks because he has no moral or intellectual standing.
Clownie would have a great time with Bill Maher and Al Franken. They are all vapid, shallow people with nothing to contribute.
Kerm’s opinions. Which are based on a lack of facts and a skewed outlook. They are worth nothing.
AssClown, your blind adoration toward the Obamassiah is impressive in its own way. So, yes, I guess you ARE special… …Ed…
We have yet to see any real skepicism or criticism toward Obama from the left.
Regarding GHWB’s speech to schoolchildren in 1991:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/When-Bush-spoke-to-students-Democrats-investigated-held-hearings-57694347.html
Hypocrisy, thy name is “leftist”.
angryclown Says:
September 8th, 2009 at 7:17 am
Kermie lied: “Those of us who actually investigated and reported on him during the campaign know Obama as a dishonest man bent on a radical agenda.”
Oh really? Exactly what news did you break, Jimmy Olsen? You find Obama’s Kenyan birth certificate didja?
”
AC, hadn’t seen you posting very much for awhile. Glad to see you are back and in your usual form. You were missed. While Mitch is the big draw to SitD, the regulars are a big part of reading here as well, and the only place to find you that I know of.
My big objection was the Department of Education’s fawning curriculum guide – which has been pulled off the website, by the way – which invoked some “cult of personality”-like aspects. Reagan and Bush never did this.
The grade 7-12 curriculum guide is still available at this address
http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/7-12.pdf
Cult of personality:
Why does President Obama want to speak with us today?
How will he inspire us?
How will he challenge us?
What might he say?
Do you remember any other historic moments when the president spoke to the nation?
What was the impact?
“Great Leader” becomes more applicable and less of a parody each and every day.
To be fair to Angryclown, he’s a lot funnier than Maher or Franken.
And just as qualified to be a Senator, albeit not from Minnesota.
Thanks Mitch and Dog Bone, you are much too kind.
Actually that’s just Angryclown’s well-known modesty talking. Angryclown believes He deserves every word of your praise.
Kermit: Here are some lies.
angryclown: You are not a reporter.
Yeah, he’s funny, but not “ha ha” funny. 😉
“he’s a lot funnier than Maher or Franken, And just as qualified to be a Senator, ”
That’s two extremely low bars.
Poor Clownie. “Kerm’s opinions. Which are based on a lack of facts and a skewed outlook. They are worth nothing. ”
I presented facts. Clownie was not able to comprehend (or perhaps accept) those facts. Typical liberal.
Nah. You cribbed some data from somebody else and put a spin on it. You’re not turning up anything worthwhile.
Thank you for confirming my point.