Since I posted yesterday about Michael DelGiorno, the embodiment of irresponsible talk radio broadcasting, agitating parents with propaganda and sending them to your kids’ schools, I’ve heard from several conservative friends and acquaintances. They tell me they don’t have a problem with President Obama addressing public school kids next week and encouraging them, in the words of Republican Congressman Congressional Candidate Tim Gobble, “to work hard and stay in school to succeed.”
OK. I’ll buy that. A Tweet here, an email there, a random blog post, all saying that the loud voices you hear equating President Obama’s address and indoctrination don’t speak for them. And I totally believe them. I totally get that it’s a very, very, very vocal minority. But where are conservatives leaders on this? Why are they so silent?!
Are they silent because they are afraid they’ll have to apologize to Rush 24 hours later? Or are they so “disciplined” that they can’t even break ranks to condemn this over-the-top demonization of the President’s intent?
Where is Mitch McConnell? And John Kyl? Hello, Olympia Snowe? This would be a perfect time for Lamar Alexander to peak out from behind the curtain. What about John McCain? Or Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi, the ranking member on the Senate Education committee? What about all the elected Republicans who sponsored and/or voted for No Child Left Behind? I know Lindsay Graham has some humanity left in him. And David Brooks and George Will must think this is totally redonk.
Is it true? Are the inmates running the asylum? Are the most thoughtful and/or high-profile conservatives afraid to cross the cable news/talk radio cabal?
Edited: Tim Gobble is not an elected official, he is running for Congress in Tennessee’s 3rd District.
[...] educator (and Tennessean) Tim Wise gets some air time on CNN to ask the question that’s on everyone’s mind, “when will Republican leaders take a stand against the kind of rhetoric that stokes white [...]
[...] writer and educator Tim Wise gets some air time on CNN to ask the question that’s on everyone’s mind, “when will Republican leaders take a stand against the kind of rhetoric that stokes white [...]
Tom.. I think it went well…
I must apologize for doubting our President’s intentions.
So…
Anyone’s kids turn into socialist zombies after hearing the speech?
No one? Hello?
BWLIB, you forgot to address my point about the President ignoring the constitution.
BWLIB, you really don’t know how I think, but good try.
Tom, I have absolutely no problem with that speech, and as long as his teleprompter doesn’t bite the dust, I suspect he will stick with what is written, with a few “ah, ah, ah’s” in there.
I still have a small problem with the children not in class, learning, but I don’t think this will take much time from their day. It may really help some young child that needs to hear that from the President of the United States.
BWLIB, do you really think I would put an “a” in secret? I know how to spell..
Mary,
I’d like to say that I laughed at your response — but the fact is that it’s sadly most likely very true.
Anyone against this speech is going to do one of several things.
1. Refuse to read it (because heaven forbid they do, they may have to admit there’s nothing wrong with it and look foolish)
2. Read it, realize they were wrong, but not admit it – again for fear of looking foolish
3. Read it and find those cryptic Davinci Code like secret messages that Obama clearly inserts to subjegate our children and turn them into his unholy socialist army.
I’d also like to say that there’s a fourth one…those who read it, realize there was nothing wrong with it, admit to that and let their kids listen. But I suspect those people will be few and far between.
I can’t wait either!
But I think Ryan’s response is going to go something like this:
“Oh sure…that’s what he says he’s going to say but how do we know that he’s going to stick to that text and by the way, the problem is with his secreat, real motive and his actual agenda.”
Sorry the President didn’t get the speech to you at 9am this morning Ryan. How dare he run the country and not get the transcript to you bright and early so you could rip it apart, scrutinize every word, and convince yourself that there’s stuff that’s not there.
In any event, here’s the transcript. By all means, PLEASE tell us here what you think of what he says. I can’t wait to hear this.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/
BWLIB, I told you, I have no problem with the President asking kids to stay in school and do well. I need to read the speech because he said he would make it available…
If you know it’s only 18 minutes, where’s the speech?
And to answer your question, no the office doesn’t hold the stature it once did b/c lately Presidents have disregarded the constitution.
BWLIB, Michael doesn’t tell me what to think, but I’m flattered you think that I couldn’t come up with this on my own. Thank you.
What’s the matter, Ryan? Are you afraid that DelGiorno won’t get in time to read it and tell you what to think before his shift is over?
Ryan,
You have a problem with kids taking 18 minutes out of their day to listen to the President of the United States?! Wow, the office sure doesn’t hold the stature it once did…
Tom, it’s Monday, 10am EST… where’s the speech?
Agreed Sparky. It’s really a last ditch solution.
The right place for the kids to see this is in the schools: Set up an auditorium or a seperate classroom with a TV and allow the students who wish to watch it to do so. Anyone who doesnt want to — or is being co-erced by close-minded parents –can stay in their rooms.
Though I imagine, given the chance, the room with the TV is going to be very very crowded.
Thanks, Tom, I know you’re being supportive, but recording it and watching it later doesn’t solve the underlying problem of it not being shown in the first place. I’ve called the schools numerous times and they refuse to change their stance. I’m going to keep up the fight.
Sparky,
You should call your school’s principal, superintendent, your child’s teacher and demand that the option of watching the speech be provided for any student who desires to watch it. Everyone has a right not to watch the speech, just as everyone who actually WANTS to watch it has a right to do so as well.
Worse comes to worse, you may want to record it yourself if you can. Most likely CSpan, CNN or some other channel will broadcast it. It will also be available on the white house’s website. If your school denies your child the speech, sit down with him/her and watch it at home, and discuss.
Good points, all, but the greater problem is that MY CHILDREN ARE NOT EVEN BEING GIVEN THE OPTION TO WATCH THE SPEECH. MNPS has made the decision to leave it “up to the administrators” of each school which means that, without fail, the decision is being made based on the POLITICAL LEANINGS OF THE ADMINISTRATORS/TEACHERS. Isn’t that the real story here? Outrageous, unacceptable and not something I’m going to take lying down.
Another thought — When previous Presidents or First Ladies visited schools, sitting in on a class, reading to the kids, taking questions — were parents outraged that a day of lessons were interrupted? Were there outcries of “What a waste of my child’s valuable time?”
If anything, this experience will be LESS of a time waster than an actual visit. All the school will do is assemble the classes in an auditorium or have them gather around the TV in the classroom, listen to the President talk about the importance of an education, and if they want…that’s it. No secret service, no mobs of media making a spectacle of the thing.
Like you alluded to, Ryan — few of the people upset about this speech are against someone telling their kids “stay in school and get a good education.”
It’s all about the person delivering the message. Any other person in the White House, and we wouldn’t be having these discussions amongst us.
But Obama is an ultra liberal/closet Socialist/the next Hitler/the antichrist/muslim/not an American/black — so what right does he have to speak to our kids, right?
Ryan,
As I said, the transcript is being released “the day before” the speech, in other words Monday. So there’s an opportunity for any concerned or unsure parents to review the dialogue and make a — dare I say — educated decision.
When I was in school, classes were stopped to watch a space shuttle take off, a Pope visit America, and a Presidential inauguration. We took what we saw back to our classrooms and discussed it, incorporating it into our lesson for the day. Did that never happen in your school?
Frankly, I think the fact that the President of the United States wishes to speak to the country’s student body is a great springboard for a lesson plan for the day.
Tom, where is the transcript of this speech?
If all he is saying is, “stay in school and work hard”.. why does he have to make such a big deal out of it? Why can’t he just say that on the evening news, in front of the parents?
BWLIB, I responded to you on the other blog.
I don’t have a problem with President Obama telling children to stay in school and work hard. I have a problem with children missing class for this. They need to be learning, not watching tv.
Thanks for pointing that out, Hobbs. He is running for Congress in Tennessee’s 3rd District.
Thank you, Tom. Very well said.
Ryan, Leaving aside for a minute that the President’s intended message is “work hard and stay in school” and not “follow me unconditionally,” I truly believe that we need not be afraid of ideas that differ from our own. Are you trying to tell me that your kids aren’t exposed to different ideas and thoughts on a daily basis when you’re not around? And are you aloso trying to tell me that at night, at home, when you are sitting around your dinner table you don’t discuss these different ideas and thoughts and guide your children through them using your values? If not, you should be. And if so, what are you afraid of? Shouldn’t you want to discuss ideas openly and honestly with your children when they come back home to you every night?
Do you remember when parents used to motivate their kids to do well in school by telling them that in America anything is possible and that even they could grow up and be anything they wanted – even President?!
Well now we have a President that embodies just that and he wants to talk to the kids about the importance of staying in school. And it is being wrongly politicized by the Right.
Not every kid is lucky enough to go to public school in Williamson County. Some go where they can’t even get text books until the court orders it.
Gobble isn’t a congressman.
Dear Confused, Well, you certainly are! I would not have “freaked” if President Bush addressed public school kids to tell them to work hard and stay in school. I would have done what Tom theorized I would do in an alternative universe with a President McCain. I would have said, “Okay. I don’t agree with him on most things, but there’s nothing wrong with telling our kids to work hard and stay in school.”
And are you telling me that Congressman Blackburn can’t listen to her constituents on policy without implicitly condoning equating our President with Hitler?
Dear friends on the opposing side of this issue,
Let’s say you took your children to a sports event, and had the good fortune to meet a member of the team. The player then signed an autograph, knelt down and said, “Hey kids…Stay in school and work hard.”
Would you cover their ears and scream “That’s not your concern! Leave me to raise my children my way?”
Of course not.
Is the President’s encouragement to stay in school and work hard any less valuable than a notable sports celebrity?
Of course not.
If for one instant, the President had any plans to ‘indoctrinate’ students into some horrific twisted political way of thinking that you have convinced yourselves he has, do you think he would be willing to provide the transcript for everyone to read the day before?
Of course not.
If we were living on an Alternate Earth and ‘President McCain’ were giving this speech, do you think there would be a single peep out of anyone on either side?
Well, duh…of Course not.
Why? Because
1. McCain would be “Your President” so of course you wouldn’t dare disagree with him, question him, etc.
2. Those of us on the liberal side would hear that “President McCain” wants to encourage our kids to stay in school and work hard and would say “Oh. Okay. I don’t agree with him on most things, but there’s nothing wrong with telling our kids that.”
Where were the outcries when President Bush (the first) or President Reagan spoke to our nation’s school children? Where was the angry critics when GW Bush asked kids to donate a dollar to the hungry and sick children of Afganistan?
We do not live in George Orwell’s world of 1984 — so it is your absolute right not to let your kids listen to the President’s speech. But please, have the conviction to admit the true reasons why you don’t want to let them hear what he has to say:
Because they might like him. They might agree with something he says. They might, dare I say, think for themselves. They might think in a way that differs from your view.
And you are scared to death of that.
[...] » If This Deafening Silence Continues, We’ll Know Who Really Controls the Republican PartyPosted 3 hours [...]
BWLIB, you are so off base with this. We don’t want our children in schools, while we are at work, listening to the President without us there to censor it. Just as we didn’t want our children in school when the Al Gore “documentary” was playing. You see, it’s our job to raise our children, and to teach them to work hard, study hard, and do their homework. We don’t need the President there to do it for us. Wake up, and take care of your children. Stop expecting the government to raise them. Good grief.
To answer your question, yes, we inmates are running the asylum, and we are coming for people like you. People who don’t have a clue, but claim to, on a daily basis.
I’m sorry. Do you live in Blackburn’s district? I think she’s doing what she’s doing because people who VOTE FOR HER? Don’t want Obama in our schools. If you’d open you eyes – they don’t Obama as their Dr either. Nor do they want a CZAR ran govt. if this were Bush – You would freak.