September 7, 2009 9:56 PM
Obama 9/8 public school speech - 20 staff fan out to schools
My Middle Isle Soapbox is a new blog launched today by a MommyLife reader with an analysis of Obama's public school speech tomorrow. I agree with her that the speech is probably much different than it would have been had the public not caught on to this unprecedented intrusion (remember, it's about more than the speech: it's about the accompanying curriculum, which is in violation of federal statutes):
MY MIDDLE ISLE SOAPBOX
The teenagers he's talking to (because let's face it, this speech wasn't for early education or even elementary aged kids) may not have the same fortune or number of second chances he did (private schools, loving grandparents, and who knows what else since he won't release his school transcripts) but he still tells them that he expects them to push through their challenges so they don't disappoint him and their country because all of us are counting on them to do something with their lives that matters in big ways.He goes in and out of relating to students, saying on one hand how he gets where they are because he didn't have an easy life, and yet, he says how he made bad choices (which he blamed on his unhappy childhood) and was given many second chances. He enjoyed private schools from fifth grade all the way through law school. He was set up for success through money and a good education in PRIVATE schools. About that pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps mentality - I thought that was anti-liberal thinking.
I had a hard time with the DO something mentality and focus, rather than BE someone. How does this message apply to kids with disabilities that might not be capable for any number of reasons of achieving Obama and society's definition of success?
But, if we're going to talk about DOING something, there were no examples of real people that DID something that meant something to THEM - just sports and entertainment examples and analogies. After he tells them they likely won't make money later in life through sports or entertainment careers. I can think of quite a few in just a few seconds - Amelia Earhart, Ted Kennedy, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Martin Luther King, Clara Barton - all failed many times or suffered immense hardships before accomplishing their goals.
The quiet put-the-parent-in-the-corner nuances were bothersome. I liked how Spunky put it. I am not just my child's babysitter during times when the school is not in session, reading to them and monitoring TV time and homework.
Read entire piece at My Middle Isle Soapbox.
Posted in Obama Nation, Propaganda, Public schools | Permalink
Comments
Barbara,
I edited the post quite a bit as I had some time (bed time for the kids does amazing things for my brain sometimes!) to think through more of my thoughts so I could summarize a bit more without being as incendiary or emotional. Those were my initial thoughts and I haven't really changed them much but I did bite my tongue a bit more and simply state my concerns and not so much my immediate and maybe a bit sarcastic remarks. I appreciate you posting them here because I am enjoying the conversation but I want to add to the conversation with words that don't detract from the actual concern and points. I am new to the idea of blogging politically but I'm driving my husband a bit nuts with all my outbursts and opinions so I thought it would be good for me to have a place to process what's going on in my head as I come across so much information in the political sphere. I do not associate myself with a particular party, specifically not liberal or republican and I do tend to be an average issues voter, meaning I consider all the issues each candidate stands far and I vote based on how I feel on the issues of most importance to me and where I stand on those. Sometimes those issues lean more Republican for me, sometimes they lean Democratic. A lot of times, I'm finding they lean more independent and even libertarian. I'm fascinated by the conversation and love to learn more (of actual truths regarding the matter) so I appreciate the information you share here and the links you pass on!
Posted by: Laura | September 7, 2009 10:23 PM
