Two Americas
Barack Obama's speech to schoolchildren stirred controversy even before the president delivered it. The reaction reflected two Americas -- and, no, we are not talking exclusively of race.
The content of the address inspired. Obama spoke as a mentor; he urged youngsters to hit the books and reminded them not to forsake education for lesser things. The words earned an A.
They also resemble words middle-class students hear from their parents and patrons year in and year out, almost daily. Those same middle- (and upper-) class children also learn by example. Their families offer repeated lessons regarding school's importance. The pursuit of higher education rates as a given.
This is not so for everyone. At-risk children often lack a positive male role model. Rather than seeing success as natural, they witness daily squalor. College is not on the horizon. These are the children most in need of the message Obama not only speaks but personifies.
We are reminded of an incident in the Richmond public schools many years ago. When a no-nonsense principal announced stern disciplinary measures, parents of his school's middle class students objected. Their children did not require draconian control, they complained. That may be true, the principal answered, but his less fortunate charges required the firm direction the middle class families took for granted. The only real discipline many of these youngsters enjoyed (and enjoyed was the appropriate word) occurred during school hours.
Britain's Benjamin Disraeli called his platform One Nation Conservatism. Whether conservative or liberal, One America would set a noble vision, too.
Reader Reactions
Thetruth, finally some one that thinks for themselves and is an AMERICAN. (labels - conservative, liberal, republican, dem., rightwing etc.) Wise up people and stop following blindly.
“It is not his (President Obama) responsibility to “inspire” or “mentor” our children.”?...Some have an issue with U.S. Presidents inspiring our citizens? Children are citizens, right? Franklin Roosevelt did so with his fireside chats, when American families (including the kids) gathered around their radios for inspiration. Bush Junior did so with his inspiring words at Ground Zero soon after 9/11/01. Young, middle-aged, elderly; don’t we all deserve access to as much inspiration as possible?
“one America…moves…like doped up obedient sheep”….Got that right. I am old enough to remember one demagogue who put fear into many and used it to build hatred toward other Americans. Joe McCarthy of Wisconsin and his “is there a commie under your bed” routine. Tore our country apart, destroying many careers and lives, and built on a foundation of lies, fear, and hate. Then, came along similar demagogues as Rush Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, and the empire of Australian Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch even used a lie to form his Fox network motto, “Fair and Balanced”. That group got people with minds to be duped into obedient sheep, mentally walking as if zombies, believing the Limbaugh-Beck-Fox-way is the only way, and all other Americans must join them, or be classified as ungodly, racists, socialist, communist un-Americans. Just who are the evil-doers among us; these people who gladly do harm to us all for the sake of wealth? Beware of what others say, as what they say originates from within.
Zombie sheep, wake-up. Seek inspiration for the good of truth; not fear and hate built on lies.
The original speech called for 3 kids in each class to be sacrificed - THAT IS A FACT!!!
There is only one America. September 11, 2001 demonstrated that. But the beauty of America is that we can disagree with those who have been elected to lead. It is, in fact, our duty as citizens to examine the statements and actions of those whom we have elected and to assent to or dissent from those statements and actions.
I think Obama over-reached. It is not his responsibility to “inspire” or “mentor” our children. And it is morally wrong to use children for political ends, whether the politician doing it is republican or democrat, liberal or conservative, black or white; irrespective of whether those political ends are education, the environment, health care, etc. drhoagie is correct to point out that the message changed, because citizens questioned it. If Obama’s speech was as benign as his supporters claimed, he would have presented it and defended it.
Maybe Obama should have encouraged the unwed mothers in the schools to try and determine who the fathers are so they (the fathers) can pony up and take responsibility for their actions. If they are not sure then there is always the DNA test. Think of the money we can save by not providing in school day care, WIC, ADC and so forth.
drhoagie could you please let us know how we too may view the ( i pledge to Obama video) oh my fault you said it was scrubbed .
You ought to get outside and get some fresh air, dr.hogie—your comments are bizarre. Who was reciting “marxist” chants—and what were they saying? You’re just making stuff up. No public school children would say “I pledge to Obama”-that’s just your paranoia at work. The President was talking about the importance of education—to school children. He is and can be an outstanding role model for the children in America who most need a role model, and who most need an education. If this bothers you, well, you and other conservatives have very sad, narrow minds.
I guess you can say there are two Americas. One who exercises caution at politicians who are breaking down our values and tradition in an un Constitutional manner and one America who moves aside like doped up obedient sheep.
There is an irresponsible assumption made here. The assumption that Obama’s speech delivered was the speech originally intended.
They are not. The People were right to raise an eyebrow when the president tried to assemble their children in a mass fashion against their will for political purposes.
Public schools just a week prior (in other parts of the country) were showing kids an Obama “I Pledge” video. The video asked the kids to chant “I pledge to Obama” and other Marxist-esque chants.
Parents have a right to be concerned with this guy in 2009.
The original speech was scrubbed and changed only after an uprising.
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