Barack Obama is the President. This is a simple fact that some on the right just cannot accept. Because he is the President, they will find every little thing to complain about. You want to complain about Obama’s handling of the economic situation, go ahead. Excuse me, however, for thinking you petty if you complain that he wants to discuss the importance of education to our nation’s students.
I’m listening to a number of callers whine endlessly about the wasted time these kids will be spending listening to the President of the United States discuss something so trivial as education. Imagine that! I was once a student, so I consider myself an expert on wasted time in school. I’ve sat through more idiotic pep rallies than I can count. Crammed in the bleachers, my friends and I would stare vacuously at the cheerleader’s cart wheeling, and the football players awkwardly moping into the gym as their names were chanted. For a good half-hour we were subject to painted faces, lollipop pants and pom-poms. I don’t remember a single event of such celebration for the smart people in the class. Fine, you want to get rid of the President of the United States talking about education, then get rid of every pep rally! I think it’s a fair exchange.
This is such silliness to come from Republicans. You know the people who told Democrats to get over it when Al Gore lost to George Bush. At least that was a close election, Obama won and he won handily, they should take their own advice now. The best theory I've heard on why the President is doing this address is that he wants to pick up his poll numbers. There you go, that's it. I get many calls from pollsters asking for my kid's opinion on our elected leaders. Even if that was his dastardly plan, it wouldn't work. When I hear from my kids about the neatest singer, video game, movie, that just about means I 'don't' want my child anywhere near those things.
For the record, this is not the first time a President held a national address to the nation’s school students. In 1992, President George Bush warned kids about the dangers of drugs. I don’t remember any outrage over that, and our nation’s young people seem to have not been traumatically affected by undivided attention to the nation’s leader.
Republican parents so disturbed by the President’s address who are threatening to keep their kids out of school, or call the superintendent, are teaching a very bad lesson to their youngsters. You may not like your boss, but you do realize that he’s the boss, and does deserve respect. Teach them that even mommy and daddy can accept the fact that the man they didn’t want to be President, is President, and that you can handle it. I know this is tough since they’ve probably taken the loss much better than you.
What we are seeing in this issue is an extension of the town hall debate style many on the right have adopted. “I don’t like what you’re talking about, so I’ll just scream and yell and drown everyone out.” Now to think your kids will be subjected to our President without you there to cover their ears..egads, what to do? They’ll be fine, they won’t come back like mind-numbed robots. If they do, just turn on Fox News and that should do the trick!
Corbett
E-Mail
Print
