Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Obama's Speech to Kids: You Shouldn't be Worried


The fact that the President of the United States is making a speech directly to and directed at secondary and high school students is not something we should be too worried about. Afterall, do we think that he can deliver a message in 18 minutes that will forever negatively influence our children for the rest of their lives? If so, we are doing a pretty crummy job as parents.

First of all, it is the President speaking, not just Mr. Obama. This should be a memorable experience for children to have the President of the United States directly address them, and yes remember for the rest of their lives.

Second, his message (as published ahead of time... smart move! Just like every other major speech he gives...) is primary directed at not quitting and not quitting school. Seems like a pretty good subject to be addressing.

Third, even if we are afraid that his phenomenoal starlike charisma will transform our students into a left leaning zombies... (like many adults during the last election) then please see my introductory point about being an effective parent.

The thing that is nice about children is their openness to ideas. That means the time they spend at home is an opportunity to hear YOUR ideas. Oh, and that shouldn't be, "Obama is bad don't listen to him..."; but rather take the opportunity to talk about what his policies and behaviors are. You know, like... maybe a lesson on free enterprise rather than government control... the idea that failure is as much a part of life and business cycles as is success.

If you think that is too hard to do, then you have already given up on the future of your children and have already given over to the school system, their friends, and the media the task of educating them. I hope those who will be denying their children the opportunity to hear the President are as "selective" about the TV, magazines, books, video games, music and movies they allow their children to be exposed to. (Maybe I don't...)

If that is too daunting a task to control everything the kids are exposed to... maybe the right thing to do is to talk to our kids about what they are bombarded with and give them our ideas and views on the merits or demerits of those things.

Hmmm... talking with our children, communicating our values and ideas with them... a novel idea indeed.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Fact: a huge amount of the population of our country does not trust President Obama.
Fact: In prepatory materials for teachers, students would have been urged to write about "what they can do to help President Obama."

Those two raise big flags for many people - me included. After the removal of item #2 and after reading the speech that the President was to give, I consented to allow my youngest participate.

This also ignores the issue of what business the President has for addressing students. He was not elected "Chief Principal" of our country.

I didn't speak out against President Bush when he spoke to students because I didn't have any kids in school back then. When President Reagan spoke, I was in school, and even though I agreed with him, I didn't know any better.

The government intrudes too much in our lives. This is just further encroachment.

Jen said...

I don't agree with a lot of what Mr. Obama says, but I do not understand why parents think he will "brainwash" our children. He's going to talk about the importance of staying in school. Isn't that a good thing? Isn't that something that both liberals and conservatives can agree on?

Anonymous said...

My feelings are simple, politics and religion should stay out of schools.

Unknown said...

You should be worried when the individual delivering the speech is NOT Constitutionally eligible to hold the office he usurps.
An Article II natural born citizen enjoins sole allegiance.
B.O. Jr, rightly, through the laws of nature, inherits his father's status at birth. This right cannot be denied him.
He relies on affirmative law aka man-made law to sever the foreign ligament which results in a form of cultured or cultivated citizenship ergo NOT natural.
He is not covered by the Article's "Sunset Clause" which made an exception for those that were merely U.S. citizens at the time of the Constitution's adoption These folks such as Geo Washington, Tom Jefferson, John Q Public circa 1787 were citizens of the new nation but NOT natural born citizens FOR THEY WERE BORN(LIKE THE USURPER) OWING ALLEGIANCE TO A FOREIGN SOVEREIGNTY
Keep living in denial but know in your heart that it is a monumental betrayal