Thread: Presidential speech to our children.

Interesting. A lot of sarcastic input. I still haven't read his prepared speech in any kind of thorough manner, but our President has yet to show us that he can be trusted.
I wonder if there is a person on this board who can articulate their views in favor of Obama and his speech without resorting to sarcasm but rather give us an honest summation of their thoughts.

Originally Posted by JMS

President has yet to show us that he can be trusted.

Why do I have to point that this will never happen. Trust is a decision that you make by your own free will and what the other party does or doesn't is irrelevant. You have your preconceptions and they won't change no matter what. Trust me

Originally Posted by JMS

I wonder if there is a person on this board who can articulate their views in favor of Obama and his speech without resorting to sarcasm but rather give us an honest summation of their thoughts.

It's really not that long of a read, even for a product of the american public school system.

My opinion - it's a speech, pretty good one. I'm the wrong demographics to know how effective is on the children, the effect on the adults is before our very eyes. It says a lot about the adults, unfortunately not good.

Originally Posted by JMS

Interesting. A lot of sarcastic input. I still haven't read his prepared speech in any kind of thorough manner, but our President has yet to show us that he can be trusted.
I wonder if there is a person on this board who can articulate their views in favor of Obama and his speech without resorting to sarcasm but rather give us an honest summation of their thoughts.

I wasn't being sarcastic. I believe that Obama is once again sticking his nose into business that is not his. I did skim over the speech and it reads like his typical demagogy, this time aimed at coddling our youth. Let him advise his own children, we'll advise ours. He's still campaigning after being in office for 8 months. Time to stick to his job description and stop screwing around. He's being paid $400,000.00/ yr to be Commander in Chief, not Supper Nanny.

Originally Posted by honedright

it reads like his typical demagogy, this time aimed at coddling our youth. Let him advise his own children, we'll advise ours.

This is great! Do we need a new thread on the status of american education system or we can refer to one of the old ones?

Nope, I think it's not necessary, this says enough:

Originally Posted by http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demagoguery

• Main Entry: ¹dem·a·gogue
• Variant(s): also dem·a·gog \ˈde-mə-ˌgäg\
• Function: noun
• Etymology: Greek dēmagōgos, from dēmos people (perhaps akin to Greek daiesthai to divide) + agōgos leading, from agein to lead — more at tide, agent
• Date: 1648

1 : a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

the red color is mine

I think it's neat for the President to do this. A local radio show was inviting callers to give their opinions, and I was the only one who called in who did not say they think it is a bad (or worse) idea... Some callers were outraged (why?) and some were bewildered. Most said they do not trust Obama, and some said they were sure he was going to try to weasel a liberal agenda into the minds of their kids

Since then the text of the speech has been released, and though I've only scanned the text, I have no problem at all letting my kid hear it.

I don't even care if it's a political stunt - I like it

Originally Posted by gugi

the red color is mine

I especially liked the red colored part - thanx

Originally Posted by JMS

Interesting. A lot of sarcastic input. I still haven't read his prepared speech in any kind of thorough manner, but our President has yet to show us that he can be trusted.
I wonder if there is a person on this board who can articulate their views in favor of Obama and his speech without resorting to sarcasm but rather give us an honest summation of their thoughts.

Alrighty, here ya go:

When the President says that he wants to address the nation's schoolchildren with a positive message - and goes so far as to provide the prepared speech in advance - then, as a rule, I'd strongly favor allowing him to do it, barring any enormous, glaring problems with said message.

Seriously, what's the harm with the text linked in #1? The idea that one should work hard? That the struggle to overcome adversity is worth it?

Frankly, I have a hard time imagining an objection to it that isn't heavily partisan in nature. Even for those who personally don't care for the man, to get so up in arms over this of all things approaches the bizarre.

Additionally, I can't help but think that many of the nay-sayers have previously supported administrations (and the policies/actions of those administrations) that have had far, far worse effects on the general well-being of our nation's children than any motivational speech ever could.


(okay, relatively sarcasm-free was the best I could do)

I just heard that Former first lady Barbara Bush fully endorses President Obamas speech.

Originally Posted by northpaw

Seriously, what's the harm with the text linked in #1? The idea that one should work hard? That the struggle to overcome adversity is worth it?

He should have mentioned the glorious war against terrorism

Originally Posted by JMS

Interesting. A lot of sarcastic input. I still haven't read his prepared speech in any kind of thorough manner, but our President has yet to show us that he can be trusted.

And no matter what he does, he never will. Because he's an evil socialist. or something... The only president you would trust would be a republican.

Originally Posted by JMS

I wonder if there is a person on this board who can articulate their views in favor of Obama and his speech without resorting to sarcasm but rather give us an honest summation of their thoughts.

I haven't read the speech itself, but I don't see how it is bad that the president of a nation addresses the kids in school. As president, giving speeches is kinda his job.