Comments on: Obama’s school speech; conspiracy, incompetence, or mind your own damn business?

By: eronne

eronne — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:32:40 +0000

the only Mr. President is trying to do is to encourage the kids to staying in school and getting up with more education.

By: Rick

Rick — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:16:04 +0000

I am saddened by a vocal minority who are up in arms because the President wants to given our children a message to stay in school and try hard. Our school district in Texas chose not to show the President’s speech, and I found myself trying to explain to my 13 yr old why other people in the national got to see the speach by the President, but she couldn’t. If the schools were to note that it was due to a lack of time in the curriculum, then I’d support that. (Assuming we also had a lack of time for the football rallies during school hours.) But, this came down to people being afraid of the President. I’m not sure what drives such fear, but it’s so strong that people don’t want the President around their children. Reagan was equally popular, but I’m sure no one would have tried to stop him giving a positive message to students even though there were many who disagreed with his policies. Bush I gave a speach – and I don’t remember people fearing him. The far right minority has really become a hateful institution and is driving insanity. I’d like my children to be able to hear a speach from an influencial and successful individual. Unfortunately, a few vocal individual have made enough hateful noise around the President that they’ve chosen fear over inspiration, and politics over education. They are a sad bunch.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:52:03 +0000

It is important to point out that in “ancient history” similar speeches have been made by presidents to put into context the paranoia about Obama. You point out that we should imagine how we’d feel in the other side’s shoes. This is as close to direct evidence as you can get. REALLY, how dare he want to tell our students to stay in school! Were we worried that Regan’s face would end up on the side of a building? How about all the allegiance we were told we owed to GWB because we were a country at war? It shows bias against Obama, personally, because he’s not going to the schools to pitch healthcare or anything else that could be considered socialist.

By: Wol

Wol — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:13:52 +0000

For technical reasons having to do with my computer being made of stone knives and bearskins, I can’t watch the clip in which maybe-Demi-Moore pledges to be “a servant to our President.” But if it’s at the end — if it’s the last thing echoing in the viewer’s freshly-washed brain — then it’s an example of something that looks innocuous as a written transcript but can have deep, subtle, and lasting effects on the viewer.

A LOT of money and talent have gone into refining the art of motivational manipulation. Madison Avenue buys its caviar with the proceeds of this art. The President is no dummy, his taste in pastors and czars notwithstanding. Very little of the content of interpersonal communication — approximately 7%, according to a study I read about 20 years ago — is in the words themselves. Body language, cadence, inflection, all have more unconscious effect on the listener/wiewer than the bare words of a written transcript would show.

By: Jay Hill

Jay Hill — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:18:28 +0000

I applaud your attempt at writing an unbiased article of this very explosive issue. But I believe that people, including yourself, have underestimated his abilities to create a cult-like following. If we all remember the following he garnered during his campaign. People were ignorantly following him eventhough there wasn’t much known about him. And the rhetoric and inferences to a more socialistic country in his speeches and in the way he allowed himself to be promoted (i.e., the Hollywood video and the “Obama kids” video” showing children who you know cannot fully understand the meaning of what they are singing). I believe this is what concerns parents. I tend to agree with you that it is probably harmless. But the lack of communication and promote his own ideas effectively – and that always gives people an uneasiness, whether Republican or Democrat.

By: Sonny

Sonny — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:50:43 +0000

I’ve just read the speech that Obama will be giving tomorrow. I find nothing (personally or politically) offensive. In fact, the only thing I believe anyone could be offended by would be atheists who will object to his ending, of which he references God.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

By: smfree31

smfree31 — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:35:58 +0000

The problem is that both sides will find ways to defend their agendas no matter what the issue. You enter this issue with a slant toward Obama and then work from that as your starting and ending point, as well as everything in the middle.
Please tell me how you can defend a speech that you haven’t even read? You’re telling me it’s innocuous and it will be good for my 6 year old to hear this speech, and yet you don’t even know what will be said. Would that be called ‘slanted’? Given the short track history of this administration and their appointments, I do not trust anything that they say will be in this speech. 20 minutes to say “Stay in School”???
My main problem is that he has a captive impressionable audience that will not have a choice in watching his speech. That is truly cowardly and taking advantage. He could play this on any network that is in his back pocket at 8:00 PM and we could choose to let our children watch. What would be the problem there?
And speaking of scary, go to YouTube and search ‘Pledge to Obama’, and watch a video that was shown in some schools. THAT is what you should be scared of.

By: Stephen Eldridge

Stephen Eldridge — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:38:17 +0000

I do not oppose change, change is good when done in the appropriate manner. The problem most of us have is the fact that the president is to serve us not us serve him. If you have any belief system in place you should already be doing the things that these stars are pledging to do and we should never allow our children to pledge support to ANY one man. Yes I am a Christian and I pledge to be a follower of Jesus Christ for life and follow the change that He has told us to do. Not what any government tells me to do. Change is good but do it right and don’t make my children pledge to you. The change has to be in us first and foremost before we can make any change to our world. All change without Christ in the center will be change that will be undone by the world.

By: Don

Don — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:09:05 +0000

I expect to see Obama’s picture 50 feet high on the side of government buildings soon. I don’t think it is about brain washing my kids but rather part of the growing Obama cult of personality.

I am not going to give him unfiltered access to my kids.

By: Sonny

Sonny — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:06:36 +0000

I believe the bulk of the problem at this point lies a little more in Obamas performance and idea’s.
1. I believe Obama won this presidency only because the republican candidate was a bad choice, not because republicans though that highly of Obama.
2. He attended a church known to preach racism and hatred for 20 years.
3. Obama has started a ‘path’ to socialism by buying into so many facets of american businesses. (intentionally or not) and is pushing social medicine as hard as anyone has in prior history.
4. He selected a candidate for our supreme court that made a very ignorant statement.
5. He displayed very bad judgment in handling a highly racial event in which he himself may have shown some racial overtone.
6. He selected a man known to carry communistic values as one of his czars.
7. Although this has nothing to do with Obama, the I pledge video has contributed very negative connotations.

I’m not claiming to speak factual truth in any of this. However it’s indicative that’s it all taken hold by the fact that his approval rating has plummeted further, and faster than any other president in history. The republican politicians will of course jump on anything they see to berate him, the people however are also seeing the jist of this and I’m certain that right now they actually see him as a threat to this country. I can completely understand the fear that many have, adding to the list that the classroom outline contained verbage referring to helping Obama (viewed as in, helping his agenda). However I believe with the release of his speech a day prior to his actually talking to the schools, should calm the more intelligent people down.