“Cult of Personality”: Obama’s September 8 Speech to School Kids Drawing More Fire
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on September 6, 2009
UPDATE, September 29, 2009:
Recommended reading from Michelle Malkin: Indoctrination Watch: How your tax dollars are training students to be union organizers
President Obama's national televised speech to America's school kids drawing more criticism across the country
Two more days to go… The controversy is growing larger and louder about Pres. Barack Obama’s September 8 televised national speech to America’s school children.
From Breitbart:
…Schools don’t have to show it. But districts across the country have been inundated with phone calls from parents and are struggling to address the controversy that broke out after Education Secretary Arne Duncan sent a letter to principals urging schools to tune in.
Districts in states including Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin have decided not to show the speech to students. Others are still thinking it over or are letting parents have their kids opt out.
Some conservatives, driven by radio pundits and bloggers, are urging schools and parents to boycott the address. They say Obama is using the opportunity to promote a political agenda and is overstepping the boundaries of federal involvement in schools.
“As far as I am concerned, this is not civics education—it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality,” said Oklahoma Republican state Sen. Steve Russell. “This is something you’d expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.”
Arizona state schools superintendent Tom Horne, a Republican, said lesson plans for teachers created by Obama’s Education Department “call for a worshipful rather than critical approach.”
[...]
In the Dallas suburb of Plano, Texas, the 54,000-student school district is not showing the 15- to 20-minute address but will make the video available later.
PTA council president Cara Mendelsohn said Obama is “cutting out the parent” by speaking to kids during school hours.
“Why can’t a parent be watching this with their kid in the evening?” Mendelsohn said. “Because that’s what makes a powerful statement, when a parent is sitting there saying, ‘This is what I dream for you. This is what I want you to achieve.’”
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, said in an interview with the AP that he’s “certainly not going to advise anybody not to send their kids to school that day.”
“Hearing the president speak is always a memorable moment,” he said.
But he also said he understood where the criticism was coming from.
“Nobody seems to know what he’s going to be talking about,” Perry said. “Why didn’t he spend more time talking to the local districts and superintendents, at least give them a heads-up about it?”
Several other Texas districts have decided not to show the speech, although the district in Houston is leaving the decision up to individual school principals. In suburban Houston, the Cypress-Fairbanks district planned to show the address and has had its social studies teachers assemble a curriculum and activities for students.
In Wisconsin, the Green Bay school district decided not to show the speech live and to let teachers decide individually whether to show it later.
Florida GOP chairman Jim Greer said in a statement he was “absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology.” Despite his rhetoric, two of the larger Florida districts, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough, plan to have classes watch the speech. Students whose parents object will not have to watch.
From Jake Tapper, ABC News:
In an acknowledgment that the Department of Education provided lesson plans written somewhat inartfully, surrounding the President Obama’s speech to students next Tuesday, the White House today announced that it had rewritten one of the sections in question.
What it boils down is… we don’t trust Obama.
More related links:
Politico: Right blasts Obama speech to students
GayPatriot: Had Rightosphere Not Raised such a Ruckus Would Obama’s Speech to Schoolkids have been so unobjectionable?
Washington Independent: Gary Bauer: Obama’s Speech to Children Is an ‘Unprecedented’ Abuse of Power
Doug TenNapel, Big Hollywood: Found Art: Dear Leader Addresses the Children
Sister Toldjah: That was then, this is now – how Democrats treated GHWB’s speech to schoolkids and Creeptastic: Elementary school shows Obama “pledge” video to students
Michelle Malkin: Why parents don’t trust the Educator-in-Chief and his comrades and I repeat: It’s not the speech, it’s the subtext and “I pledge to be of service to Barack Obama” and Operation “Hall Pass on That” and Whitewashing the Obama education speech guides and Obama’s classroom campaign: No junior lobbyist left behind and Meet Obama’s newest Census collectors: Your kids!
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Gov. Tim Pawlenty Speaks Out Against Obama’s Sept. 8 Televised School Address, Many Schools Say They “Opt Out” and Obama Peeved, So Escalates Media Attacks vs. “Love Is in the Air” (video): UPDATE – School Propaganda on Sept. 8, “I Pledge to Give Service to Obama” and Ronald Reagan’s Clarity… “The Gipper” Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine and Statists, Left-wing Extremists: If They Ignore the Cries of Cubans, It’s Easy to Shut Their Eyes to the Evils of Socialism
Below The Beltway: Obama Speech To Schoolchildren Continues To Stir Controversy
Sharp Right Turn: UPDATED: September 8 speech from Dear Leader – Obama’s push to own the minds of our kids (in school)
NewAmerican: Obama’s Speech to the Children of America
National Review Online: Krauthammer’s Take
Washington Post, Post Politics: Obama’s School Address, Politicians and Profanity, More
Steven Crowder, Big Hollywood: Lonewolf Diaries: The Obama Era is Over
Watcher of Weasels: September 8th – National Keep Your Kids Home From School Day, Avoid Obama Propaganda School Plan
Ztower: Carroll County Times unhappy with the “far right.”
The Christian Science Monitor: Obama school speech suddenly a prickly topic for educators
The Underground Conservative: The Speech
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: Obama Youth – Obama to indoctrinate kids on Sep 8
Goodtimepolitics: Barack Obama’s speech to school kids draws fire
Kurt Schlichter , Big Hollywood: Deconstructing the Speech
Mama Winger’s Kitchen Table: Obama: No Child Propaganda Left Behind
Traction Control: Letter to the Principal, My Child’s September 8 Absence
Jim Geraghty, National Review Online: Department of Education Deletes Line About How Schoolkids Can Help Obama
The Salt Lake Tribune: Parents upset over ‘leftist propaganda’ video
Right Soup: Obama Wants Your Kid In His Cult
This Ain’t Hell, But you can see it from here: I pledge?
HillBuzz: KEEP PUSHING BACK, PEOPLE. WHITE HOUSE ON THE ROPES OVER SCHOOL INDOCTRINATION PLAN and HOMICIDE, NOT SWINE FLU, PREVENTING CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM HEARING OBAMA INDOCTRINATION SPEECH
From the Foothills: Obama Wants Us to Leave His Kids Alone
Tarpon’s Swamp: Indoctrination of School Kids
About the author
After the President of the United States speaks to school children about the value of education, Republicans will make opposing comments extolling ignorance.
See:
(Mike’s website url has been removed after 3 days since webmaster conveniently did not post my rebuttal and heavily edits conservatives’ responses – no linky love here, sport)
Mike, you’re a statist coward.
NOTE: I’ve also posted this response on your website, which I know you won’t post. I never expect statists to post conservative responses. But hey, here’s your short-sighted post AND link on MY site, so no worries, buckeroo.
Mike, Mike, Mike. No one is against the value of education, least of all the thousands of teachers and millions of parents who oppose this September 8 speech. It’s insulting and naive that you suggest it.
Answer this: why does the president need to interrupt children GETTING their education for this contrived message? Why isn’t his speech and educational materials available for educators to see and review before he issues it across the lands? Why does he feel compelled to be in front of TV cameras more than any other president in our history? We don’t TRUST him, Mike. He has not been forthright many times before and with his urgency to pass his socialist agenda, pushing it onto kids has been a part of the socialist game plan for more than a century. His mentor Bill Ayers has said many times that indoctrination of children is the best way to accomplish their socialist mission.
If all that Obama does is “hey, kids, stay in school and gain knowledge,” that would be fine. But we don’t know what he’s going to say, and neither do you because it hasn’t been released… and at this point, with all the criticism, I’m sure that his speech has been rewritten many times. The heat is on, and while he is our president, a growing number of those very people who voted for his “hope and change” are stunned by his radical views and are no longer supporting him. It’s not just Republicans, Mike… many Democrats are opposing him. His approval numbers are in the toilet.
WE DON’T TRUST HIM. And as parents, we have the right to not have our children be forced to view his speech. Many of my Democrat friends with children are uncomfortable with this as well.
So, Mike, go ahead and say it’s the Republicans’ fault… not blaming Obama for this lack of trust is par for the course of statists.
Admin,… AMEN !
You nailed this subject lock stock and barrel.
The trust is gone, the man is a liar, the American People do not want him to speak to their children.
His arrogance will be his downfall. His credibility is waning.
His ego will destroy him because the information flow throughout this great country will defeat his efforts to make us into a socialist nation.
The TIGER has been awakened, the GIANT is no longer asleep.
The children should not be submitted to the “I PLEDGE” crap, pertaining to Obama and the environment fomenting out of freaking hollywood !
Have faith, AMERICANS WILL SURVIVE !
Obama ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
The heat is on, AFVET, and America is waking up. I’ve always had faith in most Americans to see beyond this man’s skin color and winning smile and instead of giving him a “freebie pass,” dig more into his character. And the proof is in the pudding… there, of course, are a number of Obama-bots who don’t get it, but they are in the minority.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=38734
That is the text of a VERY POLITICAL speech Reagan made to public high school students in Atlanta, GA, in June, 1985.
Both Reagan and GWBush had nationally televised speeches delivered to our nation’s schools, and both had political content, not just pep talks like President Obama’s.
Condemn Ronal Reagan or suffer the curse of your own hypocrisy.
And Democrats were up in arms over that, as I recall, Uli Pele. However, Reagan’s speech adhered to our Constitution and the principles of our founding fathers, not a socialist agenda. His approval numbers with American voters were nowhere as bad as Obama’s are now.
There was nothing like this back in 1988 or 1991. There were a few calls from opposing party leaders not to wast money. No one was claiming Reagan or Bush Sr. were going to infect their children or try to recruit them into some personality cult or hitler-style youth army. I mean, c’mon! Is all that FOR REAL???? Some terribly gullible mothers are falling for this and have dissolved into tears on camera b/c they truly believe the POTUS wants to steal their children. Get real!
Do you recognize this quote? “Let me leave you with a simple message: Every time you walk through that classroom door, make it your mission to get a good education. Don’t do it just because your parents, or even the President, tells you. Do it for yourselves. Do it for your future. And while you’re at it, help a little brother or sister to learn, or maybe even Mom or Dad. Let me know how you’re doing. Write me a letter — and I’m serious about this one — write me a letter about ways you can help us achieve our goals.”
I recognize it as Reagan, but I could be wrong. And your point is?
Have you not read anything here? I don’t trust Obama. I’m not the only American who feels this way. I abhor socialism. It destroys the individual, giving unfettered power to the government, stripping us of our liberties. Obama has demonstrated his lack of love for our nation and its Constitution over and over again. A speech by a president isn’t a problem, but if Reagan was going to commandeer an entire nation’s children for his address, even though I admired and respected the man, I’d still want to know the contents of his speech.
Read all my posts on this. You don’t have to agree, and many Obama admirers honestly don’t understand socialism or why it is despised or that children are the genesis of change for tyranny in a nation. But to take over a nation must be done in small steps. Is this one of them? I don’t know, but I DON’T TRUST THE MAN. I’m not naive, nor are millions of parents and legislators. I’m steely-eyed cautious and suspicious.
I doubt that Obama will do a “heil, Obama!” speech. By now, with the national criticism, I’m sure his original speech (which no one has yet seen) has been massively revised. Additionally, his timing is inappropriate for this, as it disrupts and makes it much more chaotic for millions of students and teachers who are starting back to school on Tuesday. Why did he pick this particular day? As a friend of mine said, “He’s selfish and arrogant and it’s always about him. He doesn’t care if it causes problems for schools.” Obama’s background include community organizing and this is yet another example of it… and what is his hidden agenda, no one knows. If it’s a “stay in school and get an education,” that would be acceptable. But as he’s proven time and again, he often veers off script/teleprompter and starts to talk socialist rhetoric. He becomes a community organizer instead of a president. This is his core, his essence… he believes big government in control of our lives is a GOOD thing. Reagan did not. Therein lies the difference.
We also didn’t have the Internet as a major form of communication back then. Since this has gotten little airplay on the major networks, the blogosphere has served as a network of information. With access to more information, more feedback is available.
The real nut of the problem is NOT a US president speaking to the nation’s children. The problem is THIS particular president… and if you’ve read any of my Obama posts, you’d be more informed about why. We don’t trust him, we don’t trust the White House’s “Chicago politics,” we don’t trust his radical, unvetted czars.
LOL – MY hypocrisy? None. I did trust Reagan then and I still do. I still trust Bush, although I was in disagreement with many of his actions towards the end of his term. I still believe he did the right thing with the Iraq war.
I don’t trust Obama. I think you’re deliberately ignoring that. I never said that a president should never address school kids… I said I have major issues with THIS president, his socialist agenda, and his ideologies. I DON’T TRUST HIM.
So, define the hypocrisy. It would go something like, “I don’t trust Obama, but sure, indoctrinate my kids.” Or, “I DO trust Obama, but I don’t want him talking to my kids.” Hmm. How about “I DON’T trust Obama and I DON’T want him talking to my kids?” Yep, that’s the right one… no hypocrisy evident. You’re being a typical statist, trying to twist people’s ideologies to corner them to accept your left-wing rantings. Won’t work.
No worries… I’ll define YOUR liberal hypocrisy for YOU – you’ve deliberately left out the attacks on Bush for his speech. Wonder why?
Read Byron York’s piece in the Washington Examiner. It reveals how liberals’ attacked GW Bush after his speech, demanding an INVESTIGATION… Sister Toldjah piece this morning has an excellent analysis – here’s a portion:
Also, there’s a thought-provoking piece on GayPatriot by D. Daniel Blatt which asks if the right hadn’t made such a commotion, would Obama’s speech be as banal as it now is? Hindsight is 20/20, but I’d bet a day’s wages that Obama’s speech has had major rewrites, and much of his socialist subtext has been removed, in the light of all this critical attention.
We’ll never know for sure, of course. But that’s OK. Like I’ve said over and over, if all Obama is doing is a nice, motivational message with NO SOCIALISM about “Stay in school, learn as much as possible, don’t be a drug-addict bum,” I’d be OK with that. But, wait… what about my opinion of him? Oh, yes: I DON’T TRUST HIM.
You won’t accept vicious comments yet your post title is vicious in its implications. I don’t know why I’m surprised.
The title is from a quote from a politician in the piece. Did you read it, Wowee Wow? And please tell me where I’m being vicious? I’m quoting major publications and elected officials. Criticism is NOT a problem… liberal trolls trying to post that Sarah Palin is a c*nt is.
Either you’re horrifically naive or you’re trying to jerk my chain… either way, it’s amusing.
The problem with the address is the person giving it and the dept of education materials that went along with it — before they were backed off in the face of fierce opposition. The speech was supposed to be about doing well in school *and* how Obama wants to change education. The suggested activities included writing letters about how you can help President Obama in making those changes. You want to give them a prep talk, fine. You want to ask them to serve you, nope.
President Bush was also roundly criticized when he spoke to school children, but in comparison, Obama worries me much more. Obama has a proven history of community organizing, surrounding himself with radical people (in their own words thank you) and association with groups such as ACORN and SEIU that I would not want my children influenced by.
That said, I’m sending my daughter without a complaint. She’s smart and opinionated and I think she is better served by hearing what O has to say and discussing it with us, her parents, afterward. After all, this is the 8 year old who asked her teacher about monetary devaluation last year in 3rd grade — the presentation should be interesting if the school shows it.
Excellent points made, becbeq. Your daughter sounds awesome… obviously educated to not take things at surface value by an intelligent mom! Too bad the Obama-bots didn’t have a bright mom like you.
Do all of you really think Obama is trying to politically indoctrinate your children? They can’t even vote in 2012. What’s his purpose?
See my previous responses.
cough (liberal troll) cough
Ha ha ha – you acting like Obama’s being hurt by this “vicious title” is really a crack up. You libs are wacky fakers. You can dish it out and attack Palin and her kids and Condi Rice and GW Bush and Rush Limbaugh but can’t take it if someone says Messiah Obama is a ‘cult of personality’. And this isnt vicious title Wowee wow – it’s ACCURATE. Stop drinking the Obmaa koolaid.
I’m just confused on one thing: how is this speech spreading socialism? I mean the public school system is in and of itself socialist, but so is subsidising gas so it’s less expensive, but we do that anyway. The fact of the matter is that every time we go against socialist, which somehow is “un-American” (where anyone go that idea is beyond me), we end up being more un-American. He’s allowed to get feedback and take an interest in education; I may not like the guy, but he is the head of the executive branch and has to oversee and be involved with a department of it.
Phil,
Please read my previous responses and several other posts I’ve rewritten on this topic.
This has already been covered at great lengths.
All I’ve seen after going through this is “I abhor socialism” and “we don’t trust him.” I for one would just appreciate not being told that I don’t trust Obama from someone who doesn’t know me, but I don’t trust anyone in the American government, Republican, Democrat, or Independent. They’re all just greedly scumbags who are there only to further their own interests. What’s scarier is how gullible people in this country are; they’re willing to believe anything because people like you are making them afraid to question their leadership (which was never even elected by the people, ahem the electoral college) for fear of being branded un-American.
Until we cut out inefficient bureaucracy that both parties are accountable for and guilty of, the Department of Education and government in general are liable to corruption and waste. If you want to improve education, fire the five administrators per school and stop wasting money on NCLB and it subsidiary programs (worthless tests and forced military recruiment, which violates many anti-discrimination laws in certain states and in effect, the Fourteenth Amendment).
Phil,
I’ve written on socialism, with historical evidence, many, many times – do an internal blog search, read what I’ve written, and that should answer your lingering questions concerning my stance on the evils of socialism and why. You likely won’t agree, but that should resolve the confusion you stated earlier.
If my anti-socialist, pro-America ideology bothers you, there are many statist blogs out there who oppose what I believe. However, my heartfelt feelings are that the path this administration is trying to pull America down is WRONG and dangerous (and before you write a quick response comment asking “why,” please read ALL my posts on socialism/Marxism and the links I’ve provided with each and every post). Socialism is a failed system and America, for all her flaws and problems, is still the greatest nation on earth. Socialism will destroy that greatness.
As far as your statement “because people like you are making them afraid to question their leadership”, you obviously have not read my posts because I ALWAYS question leadership if it hits me wrong – and it is sometimes with Republicans, not just Democrats. Sometimes I agree with our political leadership, sometimes I don’t. With this administration, I usually don’t agree, since it is a 180-degree course from what our founding fathers intended and the provisions of freedom and liberty and limited government in our Constitution. If you’re criticizing me because I abhor socialism, you’re entitled to believe you’re right, as I’m entitled to believe you’re wrong. I can only fight so many battles at one time in a blog, Phil. I’m not a paid journalist, I’m just a regular American who is gravely concerned about the radical agenda of this administration and decided to speak out in a blog. I believe in free market principles and limited government. Yes, I know Social Security and Medicare are government-subsidized (and too late for my blog to change), which is why I speak out on things that have not yet come to pass, like socialized health care. And Obama’s speech with the school kids likely would have had socialist subtext, but because of bloggers and journalists and parents like me speaking out, it was very likely changed to a more Reaganesque speech. Don’t know for sure, but based on this administration’s whitewashing of so many radical elements (i.e., Van Jones), I’m pretty confident that it would have been a more “serve my leader Obama” type speech.
That should put all your questions to rest, Phil. Thanks for your readership and input.