This brouhaha about the President speaking to classrooms across the country tomorrow would be absurd if there weren't such scary undertones. I mean, really...what harm can the President do with a short speech to the children of our country?
Think about it. All he's going to do is to tell the students to work hard, stay in school and strive to be a success in life. What's more telling is the fact that he is black. He is an inspiration to minorities everywhere in this country. After Obama's election, I heard a black commentator emotionally express the fact that now that a black man has become President, he can truly say to his children that one can achieve anything in this country if one perseveres.
What do these parents/citizens think will happen to the children after a five to ten minute speech by the President of the United States? Are they somehow going to be irrevocably “tainted” by his message? They will instantly become dreaded “liburals” upon the completion of the speech? Good grief...they might even become “pod people” (“You're next!”)? This is not the equivalent of a re-education camp brainwashing.
Does anyone really think that after a five to ten minute speech, a child's current mindset on life is irrevocably changed from the input they've been receiving from family and friends through their entire lives? President Obama's short message will not “curve your spine...or keep the country from winning the war“(apologies to George Carlin).
Presidents in the past have spoken to the children of our nation (Reagan, Bush I to start) and not a squawk was heard. This is the ugly undercurrent. Is it that the President is black that foments the outrage making this particular presentation different from past presidential school speeches? Is it that he's a democrat? Is it the desire by the (maybe not so) extreme right to foil the President on every single gesture he makes no matter how benign?
Are we really at that point in time that we will not work together to make this a better country and only our self-interests must be addressed? A “We need to utterly destroy those who do not agree with us at every turn” mentality?
I remember as a young student that any break in the normal school routine was welcome relief. Having the President break up the routine and let the children be aware that they can realize great accomplishments through perseverance is nothing but a positive gain for the children.
It astounds me that this subject matter even needs to be addressed. It's a five to ten minute, inspirational speech, people. Get over it!
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