This is the 43rd President, George W. Bush. Take a look at his face in this, his commissioned White House portrait. Does he look evil to you? An enemy of the very Constitution he was elected* to defend and protect?Most of all, does he look like a man out to indoctrinate your children and twist their impressionable minds to follow his radical right wing agenda?
After all, in 2001 he addressed children directly, asking them to send at least $1 to help children in Afghanistan. The funds were going to be distributed in conjunction with (get this!) the United Nations!
I know, I know. You're shocked. What a bastard!
Of course all of this is silly. GWB was right to appeal to children. Just as the hubbub about Obama speaking to schoolchildren is silly and Obama is right to appeal to children.
Aside from the hypocrisy of those who freak out over Obama's speech but not Bush's, there is another element of this that bothers me ...
When are the vocal minorities who protest Obama's speech going to accept it -- this man IS the President?* What is to be gained by encouraging schoolchildren NOT to listen to him? I mean, there are parents actually threatening to keep their children home rather than have them exposed to Barack Obama!
I live in a neighborhood where kids proudly wear Obama t-shirts as they skateboard around, so I find all this rather shocking and confusing. I had no idea how vitriolic this has become in other parts of the country.
*Tempted though I am to talk about FL 2000 and OH 2004, I am going to take the high road here.
I think it's outrageous. The uproar about the speech, that is. I'm happy to hear that the President is going to directly address kids to remind them about the importance of staying in school, etc. And I hope that BB's school lets the kids watch it! (If they don't - and I can understand why, as it's the first day of school - then Tim and I will find it on YouTube and let the kids both watch it.)
ReplyDeleteI just don't get it. The message itself certainly isn't controversial (stay in school? work hard? what's bad about that?) ...
Honestly, Obama could find a cure for cancer and the idiots would find SOMETHING to whine about that. It's not the speech, it's not that they don't want health care reform - it's that he is a legitimately elected african-american. There is a faction in this country (and I should know, some of them are my relatives) who cannot stand that idea. And they are being mind-f'd (censored myself) by those who gain from it. (gain = $$ and power)
ReplyDeleteIt is all so sad to me and yet I know - I KNOW - that we will come out the other side much better for having this shadow side brought out into the light and finally get cleared. I understand it will be very difficult. But I trust that higher good will come from all of it. (As I do in most things, I suppose.)
I'm staying off my soapbox. I will just say: great post.
ReplyDeleteHey guys remember this is America that we live in and we have the right to love or hate the President. We have the right to let the kids watch and refuse to let them watch. I didn't love GWB and I don't love BO but I do love America......
ReplyDelete