Barack's Speech to the School Kids - Page 3

I thought it was great I think ALL Presidents should speak to the nation's school children. The Presidency is something that children can aspire to, and today's kids are our future. The leader of the country who is and should be a role model should absolutely be encouraging school children to work hard.

Wow. That's my reaction after reading this thread. I'm shocked. Literally shocked.

For those who want to play the "Obama the Victim" card, that it's just because he's (fill in the blank - race, politics, from Chicago, married with 2 kids - whatever reason you think people "hate" him), check this out. George HW Bush's Speech to Students Drew Democratic Probe. Huh, maybe this wasn't the first time after all.

The reason Obama's speech raised such an uproar wasn't even because of what HE had planned to say. It was because of the lesson plan that the Department of Education came up with and had published for the teachers, which included "How can you help the President?" which did lead to questions of "Help him with what? What is he going to be asking them to help with?" The questions in those lesson plans for both elementary and secondary students were quite leading. Those lesson plans were scrapped, by the way. It wasn't just because Obama was going to address the students, it was the questions raised by the lesson plans created by his Administration.

I agree with Cindy - the extremism on both sides is creating an overall climate of hostility. It's always been that way to a point, but Bush seemed to cultivate that climate moreso than at any point in modern US history. Yes, I said Bush. I'm not blaming Obama for starting it, but he is definitely continuing the cycle.

As for race, I'm sorry but I really think that issue is very much overblown. Did you realize that the man who brought the gun to the protest (blocks from where the President spoke) is black? Carolinalima - I think the reason for the difference in people's reaction to you isn't because of a black President but because of the illegal immigration issue we have, which is primarily a Latino/a issue. They don't know that you're a naturalized citizen. It's still racist and it's still ignorant and/or stupid, but it's not because of Obama. Are there racists in the US? In the world? Of course, you'd have to be an idiot to say there isn't. But the reason for the disapproval of Barack Obama as President is by and large because of his policies, not his race.

As for the whole Pledge of Allegiance and Nazi Germany...It really shocks me that history is either not being taught in schools (k-12 and university) or is so skewed now that this is even considered a valid argument.

Barack Obama used an opportunity today to reach out and touch many children's lives. Hopefully his words will resonate with them, because he's the President, and because he's the first black President. He has shown that it really is within anyone's dream to reach any precipice they strive for. And that's pretty cool, even if the "adults" of the country can't stop bickering long enough to hear the same message.

Oh hon, I don't think anyone would question you on that. You're probably more involved and aware of what's going on in this country than most people that were born here. I value your input (even if I don't agree with it )

Yes, there are stupid people out there, but I want to ask a question, and I'm not trying to start an argument. I agree, America DOES see color, and FWIW I am glad that America as a whole rose above their predjucices and elected an African American. That is a big step for us.

But, I wonder why the media made his platform because he was a minority, and was that why he was elected? Why is it ok to say that his was the first black president elected, but not ok to see him as black? And, since he is the first "black american president" why anyone that doesn't like his ideas are all of a sudden racists. That make no sense to me.

I am color blind when it comes to politics. I don't give a crap what color people are. I just try to find out what they are doing.

As I said I'm not trying to start another argurment, but I just want someone to explain it to me.

The media is guilty as the worst of them.... They are feeding the fire with gasoline... But, like anything else, drama sells, right? Apparently this is the newest drama in town

Thanks.... I just wanted to get that out of the way.....

I have to say, I don't always agree with you but I sure think you are smack on when you say this.

Really?? I voted for him because I liked his message and didn't like what the Republican party had turned into. I would have voted for him if he was purple with green stripes. Color never enters into the equation when I'm deciding who to vote (or not vote) for.

Valan is 100% right. This Obama speech was NOT the orginal one that was gonna be given as there was "lesson plans" to go along with the orignial speech.

When it was found out what really was planned and the truth was passed along to parents (one way or the other) THEN they had to backpeddle in the White House to "clean it up".

So the whole thing makes it look like the conservatives were in the wrong - what the media didn't tell you was there was another speech/lesson plan that was supposed to be given to the kids.......typical of "protecting" Obama and making it seem so innocent now.

Another comment - what Obama said was what EVERY parent should and does say to their kids before they start school - IMO it was a waste of time for Obama to say the same things.

What bothers me about the pledge is the "under God" they decided to stick in there in 1954. The Baptist preacher who wrote the original pledge in 1892 didn't even feel that was necessary. I thought we were 'one nation, free to worship whoever or whatever you want, or nothing at all if that's what floats your boat.' It got stuck in there (along with changing the national motto from "E. Pluribus Unum" to "In God We Trust") during the height of the 'Red Scare' and McCarthyism as a message that real Americans are christians and those who believe otherwise aren't real Americans. If we're not free to be different, I don't think there's anything worth pledging my loyalty to.

It's a good sentiment, but in my opinion, it's making a racial issue for something that's not a racial issue. The strongest indicator that a student will drop out of school is having poor and poorly educated parents. Because african americans comprise a disproportionately large percentage of that group, you see a higher dropout rate among african americans in general. If you group by income and compare wealth, educated blacks to similar whites, poor whites to poor blacks, etc you'll find that there is very little correlation between race and the dropout rate. I think that last sentence of yours [bolding mine] is the message that needs to be sent.

It's similar to the so-called 'racist' drug laws that give higher penalties for crack possession than cocaine possession. Poor people use crack because only wealthy people can afford to buy pure cocaine regularly, so in reality it's class discrimination. Calling it racist just cheapens the meaning of the word when it's applied to situations that really are based on race.