Why? What is the Goal? What will he say?

[LyraM45 0]

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...what I am NOT fine with is that if this was president Bush doing this same exact speech, these people probably wouldn't be causing all of the fuss.

Right. The fuss would be coming from the other side of the political spectrum. You know, those folks who were "anti-war", so long as the war was in Iraq, but are now pro-war, simply because it's moving to Afghanistan.

I wouldn't classify a lot of people as "ani-war" in general... a lot of people were "ant-war without a cause." Many folks, myself included, were OK with a war in the middle east if it meant going after our 9/11 buddies, which is what we are doing now finally. (I hope.)

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[riddler 0]

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I wouldn't classify a lot of people as "ani-war" in general... a lot of people were "ant-war without a cause." Many folks, myself included, were OK with a war in the middle east if it meant going after our 9/11 buddies, which is what we are doing now finally. (I hope.)

Exactly as I would have said it. I am generally against war, but if someone comes and attacks you on your own land, you have a right to fight back.

This is opposed to the second war in Iraq, that was inexcusably justified (based on the statement of ONE habitual liar), without cause (seeing as how the WMD was a lie), politically motivated (by an unethical president), and poorly planned (in that we are STILL there).

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[LyraM45 0]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/


OK... is this enough to put the "indoctrinate," argument to rest? This is the official speech on the whitehouse website. I really think this is good for these students to hear, especially because there are parents who are not giving this message to their kids at home. (and kuddos to the ones that already do.)

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[LyraM45 0]

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I wouldn't classify a lot of people as "ani-war" in general... a lot of people were "ant-war without a cause." Many folks, myself included, were OK with a war in the middle east if it meant going after our 9/11 buddies, which is what we are doing now finally. (I hope.)

Exactly as I would have said it. I am generally against war, but if someone comes and attacks you on your own land, you have a right to fight back.

This is opposed to the second war in Iraq, that was inexcusably justified (based on the statement of ONE habitual liar), without cause (seeing as how the WMD was a lie), politically motivated (by an unethical president), and poorly planned (in that we are STILL there).

Yes, we are probably exactly on the same page, as are many other folks like I said. I think many people who supported the war in Iraq just saw all of the people who opposed it as ani-war hippies, when in fact they just disagreed with the reason for the war (because there was none, and every reason given ended up being a lie.) A war with reason does not make it any less bloody, and my heart goes out to all of the soldiers dying out in Afghanistan right now (and the ones that have died in Iraq over the years), but their death is less in vain when fighting the men that first attacked us on 9/11. That's about all I'll say on that to avoid risking a thread hijack and steering it towards the war.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[SpeedRacer 1]

To answer the subject line of the OP, here is Obama's evil scary commie indoctrination speech:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

Speed Racer
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[dks13827 3]

teachers, many of them, use this stuff to promote Obama. This has been happening since last Nov. parents talk about this all the time. BO is promoted as the greatest ever ( he has never had a real job ). Chris Mathews on TV, for example, said more than once that his job is to help this president succeed. ( he never said that before !!)

[dsandreas 0]

"Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it."

One paragraph...uses the word "I" six times; but its not about him but your kids. Sure....

[LyraM45 0]

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teachers, many of them, use this stuff to promote Obama. This has been happening since last Nov. parents talk about this all the time. BO is promoted as the greatest ever ( he has never had a real job ). Chris Mathews on TV, for example, said more than once that his job is to help this president succeed. ( he never said that before !!)

And it's the same for the flip side. Whatever president from whatever party can be accused of putting himself out there and advertising himself just by giving a speech like this. No matter what party's president is in office at that time and decides to give a speech like this to school children is automatically in a loosing battle then if that is how it's seen.

I honestly can not see many teachers taking this as an opportunity to spread the Obama love (if they have it.) As I remember it, when we had to watch things like this when I was in school many teachers went to great lengths to make sure their politics stayed out of it, even going as far as not answering some of our questions if it meant revealing the party of their choice. I trust teachers now a days enough to do the same... it's part of the integrity you have to hold when taking on the position of teacher. They hold that same integrity when it comes to religious discussions too. As far as I know it's just common knowledge amongst educators that you just don't go there.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[LyraM45 0]

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"Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it."


One paragraph...uses the word "I" six times; but its not about him but your kids. Sure....

Thats the same thing as evoking ones self when you talk to your kids. If you were to talk to your kids and say, "I support you. Don't let me down. Don't let yourself down. Do well," you expect your kids to hear that from an authority figure, a leader, a parent, the principal, the local policeman, the president, etc. I want to hear those figures say "I expect great things out of you when it comes to school. I expect you to listen to your parents and teachers and excel in your studies." When kids hear things like that from people with authority in powerful positions, I'd hope that they'd listen to message coming straight from their mouths, especially one as powerful as this one pertaining to education and their future.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[dsandreas 0]

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"Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it."




One paragraph...uses the word "I" six times; but its not about him but your kids. Sure....

Thats the same thing as evoking ones self when you talk to your kids. If you were to talk to your kids and say, "I support you. Don't let me down. Don't let yourself down. Do well," you expect your kids to hear that from an authority figure, a leader, a parent, the principal, the local policeman, the president, etc. I want to hear those figures say "I expect great things out of you when it comes to school. I expect you to listen to your parents and teachers and excel in your studies." When kids hear things like that from people with authority in powerful positions, I'd hope that they'd listen to message coming straight from their mouths, especially one as powerful as this one pertaining to education and their future.

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Not the same...sorry. Maybe its ok for you...that is fine. Not ok for me. He is making it about him as usual..."he is working hard fixing up their classrooms". I am working hard to pay the taxes...he is just giving the money away. Who is working harder?

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[LyraM45 0]

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"Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it."




One paragraph...uses the word "I" six times; but its not about him but your kids. Sure....

Thats the same thing as evoking ones self when you talk to your kids. If you were to talk to your kids and say, "I support you. Don't let me down. Don't let yourself down. Do well," you expect your kids to hear that from an authority figure, a leader, a parent, the principal, the local policeman, the president, etc. I want to hear those figures say "I expect great things out of you when it comes to school. I expect you to listen to your parents and teachers and excel in your studies." When kids hear things like that from people with authority in powerful positions, I'd hope that they'd listen to message coming straight from their mouths, especially one as powerful as this one pertaining to education and their future.

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Not the same...sorry. Maybe its ok for you...that is fine. Not ok for me. He is making it about him as usual..."he is working hard fixing up their classrooms". I am working hard to pay the taxes...he is just giving the money away. Who is working harder?

Do you have any further information or linked sources that supports the assumption that he is NOT working to fix education and classrooms? First everybody is up in arms that he is dealing with speaking to school children about their education, that he should be focusing on bigger fish to fry, and now you are telling me that he's NOT doing anything to fix schools or fix the education system (low test scores, drop out rates, etc.)?

I have a feeling that this president will do more for the education system than anybody else has in the past decade. Obviously he has been frying those bigger fish lately, but I am hedging a bet that he'll make some positive changes. If not, well, then I am wrong (and I'll be dissapointed, since I truly do believe that education is this countries future so we can compete with the intelligence level and knowledge in foreign countries.), and I will say nasty things and flame this president as soon as he deserves it for that issue.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

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[dsandreas 0]

I said nothing about his policies...although I disagree with most of them. I said he used the word "I" six times in a paragraph.

That being said...he is supportive of the unions (including the NEA) that provide him funding and other support. So yes, I expect he will funnel money to schools.

[freeflybella 0]

HE'S THE PRESIDENT.

Using the word I and You means he's speaking directly to the kids. It's a powerful and empowering thing (regardless of political buffoonery) to have the President speak directly to you. Especially to kids.

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[ianmdrennan 2]

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HE'S THE PRESIDENT.

Using the word I and You means he's speaking directly to the kids. It's a powerful and empowering thing (regardless of political buffoonery) to have the President speak directly to you. Especially to kids.

Agreed. But when people have to find a reason to hate someone, no matter what, they'll reach for any straw.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[dsandreas 0]

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HE'S THE PRESIDENT.

Using the word I and You means he's speaking directly to the kids. It's a powerful and empowering thing (regardless of political buffoonery) to have the President speak directly to you. Especially to kids.

Agreed. But when people have to find a reason to hate someone, no matter what, they'll reach for any straw.

Blues,
Ian

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Find the word hate in any of my posts...or anything close. I don't like his policies...I have a lot of company. Your forgot to call me a racist and whatever other labels you need to put on others who disagree with you since you are not able to argue the merits.

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[ianmdrennan 2]

And if you read my post it was referring to your irrational approach to Obama. This is NOT about his policies (regardless of what the propaganda machine may be saying) so please don't try and redirect the discussion that way. PEOPLE *thought* this was about his policies and turned something that was a positive message into a sandstorm.

It's about his speech to US schoolkids - just just happens to have a good (I think) message. Unfortunately so many people have made such a big deal about this that they've painted themselves into a corner and now have to desperately TRY and find something....anything, to hold on to.

In this case it's you trying your best to reach at straws regarding the use of the word 'I'.

If you want to bring up racism, or any other nonsense - please understand you're the one trying to make it about that. Not "I"

True, hate is probably too strong of a word to use, but it's hard not to think that some people hate him when their approach to this topic is so irrational. If you can never find the good in what someone is trying to do, under any circumstance, yeah....it might fall in (or be close to) *hate*.

It's ludicrous.

Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[LyraM45 0]

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And if you read my post it was referring to your irrational approach to Obama. This is NOT about his policies (regardless of what the propaganda machine may be saying) so please don't try and redirect the discussion that way. PEOPLE *thought* this was about his policies and turned something that was a positive message into a sandstorm.

It's about his speech to US schoolkids - just just happens to have a good (I think) message. Unfortunately so many people have made such a big deal about this that they've painted themselves into a corner and now have to desperately TRY and find something....anything, to hold on to.

In this case it's you trying your best to reach at straws regarding the use of the word 'I'.

If you want to bring up racism, or any other nonsense - please understand you're the one trying to make it about that. Not "I"

True, hate is probably too strong of a word to use, but it's hard not to think that some people hate him when their approach to this topic is so irrational. If you can never find the good in what someone is trying to do, under any circumstance, yeah....it might fall in (or be close to) *hate*.

It's ludicrous.

Ian

+1 with the whole hate thing.

The people that made all of the fuss are now either A.) grasping for straws like you said, or B.) now being very very quiet about the whole issue. It is exactly what I was talking about a few posts back when I said I bet when the actual text comes out that these people who had such large voices about this whole thing would all of the sudden find no voice at all or come out to even bother apologizing or admitting they were wrong.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[dsandreas 0]

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And if you read my post it was referring to your irrational approach to Obama. This is NOT about his policies (regardless of what the propaganda machine may be saying) so please don't try and redirect the discussion that way. PEOPLE *thought* this was about his policies and turned something that was a positive message into a sandstorm.

It's about his speech to US schoolkids - just just happens to have a good (I think) message. Unfortunately so many people have made such a big deal about this that they've painted themselves into a corner and now have to desperately TRY and find something....anything, to hold on to.

In this case it's you trying your best to reach at straws regarding the use of the word 'I'.

If you want to bring up racism, or any other nonsense - please understand you're the one trying to make it about that. Not "I"

True, hate is probably too strong of a word to use, but it's hard not to think that some people hate him when their approach to this topic is so irrational. If you can never find the good in what someone is trying to do, under any circumstance, yeah....it might fall in (or be close to) *hate*.

It's ludicrous.

Ian

[kbordson 8]

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+1 with the whole hate thing.

The people that made all of the fuss are now either A.) grasping for straws like you said, or B.) now being very very quiet about the whole issue. It is exactly what I was talking about a few posts back when I said I bet when the actual text comes out that these people who had such large voices about this whole thing would all of the sudden find no voice at all or come out to even bother apologizing or admitting they were wrong.

Not a hate thing.

See my post in the "coming apart at the seams" thread - I replied to that one first. (it's QUITE annoying that there are two threads on this)

[freeflybella 0]

The involved parents, the ones who care and take care of their children and oversee their education should have the right to decide if their kid sees/hears this speech.

The kids IMHO who will benefit the most from hearing this speech are the high(er)-risk kids in lower income families, with parents who work 2 or 3 jobs, with parents who don't place any importance on education (for whatever reason) and any other kid who's parent(s) may not be as involved as you or I.

Your assertion that it's too long or too complicated for the audience is WHY they prepared lesson suggestions for teachers around the topics in the speech - to aid and guide teachers.

It actually makes me sick to know that entire counties are not showing the speech. It's a lost opportunity to have someone who has risen from being a HIGH-RISK kid - through education - to become the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES speak directly to other high-risk kids and set the most glowing of examples.

Fucking sick.

Even worse, knowing the dropout rates in this country. Education is self-esteem. Education is courage. Education is a tool to build a better life.

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[freeflybella 0]

"But at the end of the day,

the circumstances of your life –

what you look like,
where you come from,
how much money you have,
what you’ve got going on at home –

that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework
or having a bad attitude.

That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher,
or cutting class, or dropping out of school.

That’s no excuse for not trying."

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[squirrelgirl 0]

C'mon now.

Too many kids today can't even remember what they learned in math class just two weeks after school is let out for summer break. This speech could very likely have the exact same effect of in one ear, out the other.

[LyraM45 0]

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C'mon now.

Too many kids today can't even remember what they learned in math class just two weeks after school is let out for summer break. This speech could very likely have the exact same effect of in one ear, out the other.

It can, and I'm sure it will, but even if it only touches a handful of kids isn't that enough?

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[rushmc 23]

What ever!

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rushmc 23]

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C'mon now.

Too many kids today can't even remember what they learned in math class just two weeks after school is let out for summer break. This speech could very likely have the exact same effect of in one ear, out the other.

Not the point now is it.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln