Obama's Political Speech to Brainwash Our Kids

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

Fanatics will be fanatics.

quite true.

[HAL 9000 96]

Fanatics will be fanatics.

quite true.

You can tell by the incredible amount of paranoid stupidity being available to gloss over lately.

[Peikko 1,575]

My kid doesn't go to school until tomorrow. He missed out on all the indoctrination!

Personally, I don't care for motivational speeches given by presidents no matter what their political stripes but to suggest that this speech is somehow more spurious because it's Obama giving it than one made by another political figure head is preposterous, but no surprises there.

Edited September 8, 2009 by Madame Cleo

[alienlovechild 75]

I dunno Dave, I don't think we really need a blow by blow breakdown of every paragraph.

You didn't read the speech as I left the bulk of it unchallenged. I know it was difficult to find as it was printed on the first post. There are other threads on this subject but this one is on the speech itself.

Its a bloody speech, take it or leave it.

Just don't try to pretend that its any more than it is.

I don't have to take or leave it as there can be elements I like and some I don't like. I didn't take you for a black/white sort of chap. I didn't inflate its importance, in fact, I think it means very little. The Federal role in education is relatively small and kids who drop out of school or do poorly in school don't listen to the advice of teachers or parents let alone some dude in DC. It's as likely that Obama will aspire as many kids as SpongeBob Squarepants. This speech isn't of any importance beyond the controversy.

[Peikko 1,575]

Just so you know, I would be equally unenthused by a speech the lovely queen.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I dunno Dave, I don't think we really need a blow by blow breakdown of every paragraph.

You didn't read the speech as I left the bulk of it unchallenged. I know it was difficult to find as it was printed on the first post. There are other threads on this subject but this one is on the speech itself.

Its a bloody speech, take it or leave it.

Just don't try to pretend that its any more than it is.

I don't have to take or leave it as there can be elements I like and some I don't like. I didn't take you for a black/white sort of chap. I didn't inflate its importance, in fact, I think it means very little. The Federal role in education is relatively small and kids who drop out of school or do poorly in school don't listen to the advice of teachers or parents let alone some dude in DC. It's as likely that Obama will aspire as many kids as SpongeBob Squarepants. This speech isn't of any importance beyond the controversy.

The speech isn't important beyond the willingness of a few people to find outrage in it. I think its very strange personally.

[MissusM09 1]

"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.

way off topic but the term african american came into use around the proclamation of emancipation, which most blacks born in the usa rejected. Barack calls himself both black and african american, He infact is entitled to do so as his father is from kenya. regardless of that, some do and some dont. its doesnt matter what you think he should be called, go by what the man calls himself. if you really wanna push it, try black american.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Just so you know, I would be equally unenthused by a speech the lovely queen.

Well I think speeches can inspire people, and public speaking that achieves it is a real art.

I don't care about this speech either way, there's nothing particularly controversial about it; but naturally with the US being the Punch and Judy show that it is... that's exactly what we get: a ridiculous display.

[nowhereman 1]

Rambling pontification just becomes a bore.

Nice summary for this thread with the exception of those who actually took direct quotes from Obama's speech and made comments on it.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the speech, that's the whole problem. It's about the same as Obama saying he likes chocolate ice cream & the right wing nuts accusing Obama of favoring blacks because of his choice of ice cream.

[MissusM09 1]

Just so you know, I would be equally unenthused by a speech the lovely queen.

Well I think speeches can inspire people, and public speaking that achieves it is a real art.

I don't care about this speech either way, there's nothing particularly controversial about it; but naturally with the US being the Punch and Judy show that it is... that's exactly what we get: a ridiculous display.

this is how it is in America. its weird because when i read the posts from ppl who are from the uk, i can see logic, i can hear a thread of reasoning. not this babble that ppl hide behind to cover up thier fear .....the speech is nothing to get upset about... but try they will.

[HAL 9000 96]

I dunno Dave, I don't think we really need a blow by blow breakdown of every paragraph.

You didn't read the speech as I left the bulk of it unchallenged. I know it was difficult to find as it was printed on the first post. There are other threads on this subject but this one is on the speech itself.

Its a bloody speech, take it or leave it.

Just don't try to pretend that its any more than it is.

I don't have to take or leave it as there can be elements I like and some I don't like. I didn't take you for a black/white sort of chap. I didn't inflate its importance, in fact, I think it means very little. The Federal role in education is relatively small and kids who drop out of school or do poorly in school don't listen to the advice of teachers or parents let alone some dude in DC. It's as likely that Obama will aspire as many kids as SpongeBob Squarepants. This speech isn't of any importance beyond the controversy.

If in your opinion it isn't of much importance... why are you here 'commenting' so much about it?

[alienlovechild 75]

If in your opinion it isn't of much importance... why are you here 'commenting' so much about it?

I could ask you the same question and get another set of evasive non-answers. The speech and the class exercise is currently in the news and it's generated far more posts by people other than me. Ask them the same question.

[HAL 9000 96]

If in your opinion it isn't of much importance... why are you here 'commenting' so much about it?

I could ask you the same question and get another set of evasive non-answers. The speech and the class exercise is currently in the news and it's generated far more posts by people other than me. Ask them the same question.

Nice try... 'Socrates.'

If you care to read back (you won't, likely)you'll notice whom started the thread with a very clear sarcastic implication that perhaps, due to political hackery, you may have missed.

The point?

The speech is not a brainwashing attempt. Get over it. Its news because of the ignorance behind the entire thing. Not something exactly surprising given the volatile and ridiculously silly nature of the reactionary sour losers apparently prevalent in this country at the moment.

[pedroh 21]

so is America communist after the speech? are the kids obamazombies now?

[nowhereman 1]

If in your opinion it isn't of much importance... why are you here 'commenting' so much about it?

I could ask you the same question and get another set of evasive non-answers. The speech and the class exercise is currently in the news and it's generated far more posts by people other than me. Ask them the same question.

Nice try... 'Socrates.'

If you care to read back (you won't, likely)you'll notice whom started the thread with a very clear sarcastic implication that perhaps, due to political hackery, you may have missed.

The point?

The speech is not a brainwashing attempt. Get over it. Its news because of the ignorance behind the entire thing. Not something exactly surprising given the volatile and ridiculously silly nature of the reactionary sour losers apparently prevalent in this country at the moment.

The POTUS gave essentially an inspirational speech to school age children, with no partisan rhetoric in the speech at all, and some people still have a problem with it. If that isn't stupid nothing is.