Obama's Political Speech to Brainwash Our Kids

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Just a reminder - keep the conversation civil and please don't insult each other - it really adds nothing to the discussion.

[Joseph & Ana 0]

Milestones are not my criticism. The argument was that others had done it in the past, so its ok. Which I don't care what party it is, I don't agree with it. Just teach the kids, and quit trying to raise the kids. Schools don't do a good job of it anyway.

[Joseph & Ana 0]

"Mommy, I heard a great speech from the president! It makes me want to be president too! Mommy, what party is that GREAT man from?"

"He's a democrat"

"Wow, mommy, democrats are the greatest people on earth! I want to be just like them!"

Do you have children? It's been ages since I've heard a little kid say they wanted to be President. But they do sometimes. They'd never ask what party they were though, children don't really know or understand the republican vs democratic stand points. Especially since they (the parties) have their extremists and then the loosy gooseys in the middle that pick and choose which things they like from both parties. (it makes it difficult for a nice and easy definition).

Either way, I'd rather my daughter want to be the President, than a pregnant teen drop out trying to become famous by being a reality tv star. Maybe I just have high expectations for my children, but I want them to succeed in life and have dreams that will take them as high as they can go.

"Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain

Whether Obama has the answers. Whether he can fix the state of the economy or healthcare - I don't know. But, I do know that he is this nation's first black President and in a country with continued racism and discrimination, it was quite a great feat to achieve that position. I have to give kudos where kudos are due.

didn't you forget to use the correct descriptive/ divisive wording ... african american

Yeah you're right. As for me, I won't use that term until I'm referred to as a european-american.

[rebeccajo 14]

Milestones are not my criticism. The argument was that others had done it in the past, so its ok. Which I don't care what party it is, I don't agree with it. Just teach the kids, and quit trying to raise the kids. Schools don't do a good job of it anyway.

Do you have children in school, Joseph?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Milestones are not my criticism. The argument was that others had done it in the past, so its ok. Which I don't care what party it is, I don't agree with it. Just teach the kids, and quit trying to raise the kids. Schools don't do a good job of it anyway.

So you don't agree with the President making a public speech?

[rebeccajo 14]

"Mommy, I heard a great speech from the president! It makes me want to be president too! Mommy, what party is that GREAT man from?"

"He's a democrat"

"Wow, mommy, democrats are the greatest people on earth! I want to be just like them!"

Do you have children? It's been ages since I've heard a little kid say they wanted to be President. But they do sometimes. They'd never ask what party they were though, children don't really know or understand the republican vs democratic stand points. Especially since they (the parties) have their extremists and then the loosy gooseys in the middle that pick and choose which things they like from both parties. (it makes it difficult for a nice and easy definition).

Either way, I'd rather my daughter want to be the President, than a pregnant teen drop out trying to become famous by being a reality tv star. Maybe I just have high expectations for my children, but I want them to succeed in life and have dreams that will take them as high as they can go.

"Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain

Whether Obama has the answers. Whether he can fix the state of the economy or healthcare - I don't know. But, I do know that he is this nation's first black President and in a country with continued racism and discrimination, it was quite a great feat to achieve that position. I have to give kudos where kudos are due.

didn't you forget to use the correct descriptive/ divisive wording ... african american

Yeah you're right. As for me, I won't use that term until I'm referred to as a european-american.

What is wrong with the phrase 'african american'?

Am I missing something here?

[Joseph & Ana 0]

Not to kids who are incapable of making the choice. You all said yourself that politicians are prone to lying, what makes Obama the exception?

Milestones are not my criticism. The argument was that others had done it in the past, so its ok. Which I don't care what party it is, I don't agree with it. Just teach the kids, and quit trying to raise the kids. Schools don't do a good job of it anyway.

Do you have children in school, Joseph?

I'll leave you guessing on that one. Its possible I do, and possible I don't. There is a little Isaac starting school today.. is he my son or not? Won't discredit what I'm saying.

[MNCouple 3]

"Mommy, I heard a great speech from the president! It makes me want to be president too! Mommy, what party is that GREAT man from?"

"He's a democrat"

"Wow, mommy, democrats are the greatest people on earth! I want to be just like them!"

Do you have children? It's been ages since I've heard a little kid say they wanted to be President. But they do sometimes. They'd never ask what party they were though, children don't really know or understand the republican vs democratic stand points. Especially since they (the parties) have their extremists and then the loosy gooseys in the middle that pick and choose which things they like from both parties. (it makes it difficult for a nice and easy definition).

Either way, I'd rather my daughter want to be the President, than a pregnant teen drop out trying to become famous by being a reality tv star. Maybe I just have high expectations for my children, but I want them to succeed in life and have dreams that will take them as high as they can go.

"Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain

Whether Obama has the answers. Whether he can fix the state of the economy or healthcare - I don't know. But, I do know that he is this nation's first black President and in a country with continued racism and discrimination, it was quite a great feat to achieve that position. I have to give kudos where kudos are due.

didn't you forget to use the correct descriptive/ divisive wording ... african american

I do not believe he is from Africa. Why would I call him African? The African people may not like it. I'm referred to as white and do not take offense at it. I think the term "black" is more fair than African. Why must we be so tip toe around the tulips on descriptives that are not truly negative or derogatory? I do not believe the word "black" to be an insult. Would you like me to call you Mexican? Or Spanish? or Asian? Just because I think that is where you come from? Why not say, pale, tanned, brownish skin, black, dark, etc. Why are those descriptives worse than picking another country? Especially if the person was born and raised in America. There are white people in Africa. There are brown people in Africa. Why does African American automatically mean dark skinned? We'd say someone has dark hair, or black hair, or blue eyes, or brown eyes. We'd say they are "slender" or "thick" or "muscular". We'd say they look tanned or pale... why can't we say black?

And just so you know, I'm extremely open to cultural diversity and education of our youth. I am a white woman of English/Scottish descent. I'm third generation US Citizen. My x husband was also white. The first daycare I sent my daughters to was a traditional Hispanic home. My daughters called her brown. The second daycare I sent my children to was in a black home. She had foster children and the majority of her daycare kids were also black or dark skinned.

If you do not treat a difference as something "taboo" then you'd be amazed at how quickly the weight of that difference slides away. I remember picking up my younger daughter with my husband from Miss Candy's house and she said to him, "Daddy, you and Terrell's daddy are twins!" They both had close cropped hair and wore green shirts that day. Of course, Terrell's daddy had very dark skin and my husband had very white skin. She didn't even consider the color of the skin as something to differentiate them.

I would be interested to hear your opinions as to why the term "black" can not be used when the person is actually not from Africa? Or at least not from Africa in the last few generations.

[Ban Hammer 13,964]

"Mommy, I heard a great speech from the president! It makes me want to be president too! Mommy, what party is that GREAT man from?"

"He's a democrat"

"Wow, mommy, democrats are the greatest people on earth! I want to be just like them!"

Do you have children? It's been ages since I've heard a little kid say they wanted to be President. But they do sometimes. They'd never ask what party they were though, children don't really know or understand the republican vs democratic stand points. Especially since they (the parties) have their extremists and then the loosy gooseys in the middle that pick and choose which things they like from both parties. (it makes it difficult for a nice and easy definition).

Either way, I'd rather my daughter want to be the President, than a pregnant teen drop out trying to become famous by being a reality tv star. Maybe I just have high expectations for my children, but I want them to succeed in life and have dreams that will take them as high as they can go.

"Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great." - Mark Twain

Whether Obama has the answers. Whether he can fix the state of the economy or healthcare - I don't know. But, I do know that he is this nation's first black President and in a country with continued racism and discrimination, it was quite a great feat to achieve that position. I have to give kudos where kudos are due.

didn't you forget to use the correct descriptive/ divisive wording ... african american

Yeah you're right. As for me, I won't use that term until I'm referred to as a european-american.

What is wrong with the phrase 'african american'?

Am I missing something here?

i see nothing wrong with it. as we all came from africa, aren't we all african americans?

[Jenn! 918]

Black can be and is used now. Not sure why people keep using African American. I think it's because they like to be outraged about it!

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Not to kids who are incapable of making the choice. You all said yourself that politicians are prone to lying, what makes Obama the exception?

Incapable of making what choice? What is it about the speech that is a "lie"?

What this looks suspiciously like - is that you don't object to the content of the speech (which you haven't really made reference to), as much as the person giving it. Its a strange argument to be honest.

[rebeccajo 14]

Milestones are not my criticism. The argument was that others had done it in the past, so its ok. Which I don't care what party it is, I don't agree with it. Just teach the kids, and quit trying to raise the kids. Schools don't do a good job of it anyway.

Do you have children in school, Joseph?

I'll leave you guessing on that one. Its possible I do, and possible I don't. There is a little Isaac starting school today.. is he my son or not? Won't discredit what I'm saying.

Wait a minute.

You 'possibly' have a child starting school today?

You either have a kid or you don't, Joseph. This isn't like horseshoes where 'close' might count.

Unless of course you're telling me there's a kid out there that you don't claim and so he doesn't know his Father.

In which case - you have NO RIGHT to speak about the accountability of our President or our Nation towards childrens.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

"maybe I do maybe I don't"

Its hard to read that and not think of that character from Little Britain:

The only thing missing is the flute.

[rebeccajo 14]

"maybe I do maybe I don't"

Its hard to read that and not think of that character from Little Britain:

The only thing missing is the flute.

[MNCouple 3]

Ditto on the questions about "maybe I do and maybe I don't". What is this, a school game? You either do or you don't and I personally don't care either way.

If you have a child, fine, share your opinion and reasonings etc. If you don't have a child, you can still share your opinion, but those of us with children will more than likely disregard the majority of what you say.

How can you put a speech aimed at children (or general message to your children) in the proper context and frame of mind if you don't have children?

I say this because, when you have kids you experience most of the things they experience, what they watch on tv, the music they listen to, the conversations they have, the types of things they are thinking about... etc. You are able to judge what the potential impact of ... well... anything might be.

If you don't have kids, then you are missing a pretty big piece of the puzzle and you are looking at this with the eyes of an adult with bias, prejudice, etc. without being able to apply the part about how it will actually come across to a child. Telling a kid they can be great and they can be a lawyer or astronaut or doctor is pretty exciting for them. They love feeling that adults are proud of them and support them. They like to daydream, use their imagination, etc. They also need structure and guidelines. They need to know that some things have consequences. You may or may not know this now... I hope you do, if so, I'm sure you learned that lesson as a child.