Did you/would you let your kids watch Obama's education speech?

If you had power, did you/would you let your kids watch Obama's education speech at the time it was aired?


(Vote before reading any posts)












To me, the implicit message of the speech was not political, and it was a very positive message about staying in school and the future generation. I believe Obama is being responsible by addressing such an important issue. Education is a vital link to success of a country. The fallacious argument of the ultra-partisan opposition to the speech seemed to be effectively sticking fingers in their ears and saying "lalalalala". I'm a senior in high school and my superintendent chose not to view the speech for "unknown content". I believe he was too lazy to get off his [EXPLICIT] this weekend to realize that they posted the transcript online:

Media Resources Prepared School Remarks

After hearing the nature of the message I have no problem with it.

It takes a lot of partisanship to see the speech as remotely partisan

This whole affair was beyond pathetic. I wonder how many critical parents complained about Washington's partisanship bias, yet clinged to the idea that the President of the United States was going to send their children astray. Or how many of these parents pretended that their children's mental health was in jeopardy, but have no problems buying them thei favorite bands latest on sex and drugs.

The average citizen is just as bad as the politician anymore. And the media?
Merely whores catering to whatever will bring in a penny and pretending that nobility and integrity is a part of their proffession.

GySgt said:

The average citizen is just as bad as the politician anymore. And the media?
Merely whores catering to whatever will bring in a penny and pretending that nobility and integrity is a part of their proffession.

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I don't think it was the average citizen in this case. I think just a few on the fringe made a lot of noise.

Redress said:

I don't think it was the average citizen in this case. I think just a few on the fringe made a lot of noise.

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Isn't that what the media caters to? Controversy...drama...BS? These are people that would sell their own mother's out if it will bring in a dime.

GySgt said:

Isn't that what the media caters to? Controversy...drama...BS? These are people that would sell their own mother's out if it will bring in a dime.

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The media shows what is interesting to people, which is controversy. It does not mean that people believe the latest controversy, just that it is more interesting to watch and read about.

Redress said:

I think just a few on the fringe made a lot of noise.

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Case and point.

Redress said:

The media shows what is interesting to people, which is controversy. It does not mean that people believe the latest controversy, just that it is more interesting to watch and read about.

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This merely alleviates the media from having responsibility for itself. I don't buy it. The media is more interested in what will sell. This means that truth takes a back seat whenever possible if the "story" is more appealing.

People talk all the time about how horrible it is that we simply can't completely trust our politicians. Why is it that the media gets that red carpet pass every time because they are merely "catering to the people?" The media becomes more powerful every decade. In Vietnam, it shaped the outcome of the war. During the 90's it catered to Republican Blue Dress garbage when the President was trying to focus on Bin Laden. In Iraq, it dictated the outcome of a battle. It is getting worse.

In this world of Internet and satellite media where it merely takes a keystroke and a few seconds to send an exaggerated story around the world, the media better start accepting that it does have a responsibility to truth and nation.

I'll give you a clear example...... Two weeks after two of our soldiers were taken, tortured, and beheaded in Iraq, Abu Ghraib broke. The media spent the next year beating Abu Ghraib to death. Did it matter how many troops were in harms way? Did it matter how many angers were needlessly feuled all across Iraq? Did anybody even care about those two soldiers that were truly tortured and decapitated prior to the frat party at Abu Ghraib that took center stage?

One should think about what our people would have done to a bunch of reporters that tried to hammer away at how rough the Nazis have it on their side of the battle during WWII. Or reported never ending stories on how German prisoners did not have the comforts of home (or a lawyer for that matter).

Today, our media could care less about what they hurt. Who is killed as a result of their stories. And what this nation has to go through as it beats non-stories to death in regards to our presidents.

Of course I'd let my children watch the President's speech-- he's the goddamned President. If he's making a bunch of crazy moon talk during that speech, it's my job to make sure my kids know what's what.

are we talking about the original speech content
or the watered down version Obama settled for after teh Astroturfers :roll: ravaged the idea

Sure, it's easier than reading them a story to put them to sleep. That's if I had kids.

In its current state, yes, it had an important message that was well presented by a popular president that kids may actually listen to...

But the previous speech, before the revision, that will be up for speculation into eternity due to the fact it was never released to the public could have very well held indoctrinating liberal propaganda, which i would never subject my child to...

DrunkenAsparagus said:

It takes a lot of partisanship to see the speech as remotely partisan

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I am curious, however, what the speech looked like before the hullabaloo.

I watched Bush's speech after 9/11. I wasn't into politics back then but still we watched it. It's kind of hard to be against something when the message is a positive one and devoid of any partisanship. You'd have to try REALLY hard to like some Conservatives on this forum have to paint what Obama said as left wing or right wing.

I read this book that had a really interesting idea in it. It said that conspiracy theorists were people who were simply trying to give their lives a bit more importance. They stand up and scream about the atrocities of the government and swear that the government is out to get their children and them. From 9/11 truthers to people who swear Obama isn't a natural born citizen, when you have zero control over what is going to happen in Washington or what has already happened the most you can do is sink down to the lowest level of politics and scream insanities like a Beatles fan and hope there are enough people with you that you are somehow 'heard' even if being heard will get you labeled as a loon.

Yeah, I guess if my kid were old enough to understand what Obama is saying I'd not only let her I'd make her. Just like I'd have done if Bush were president or Bill or Reagan. It's mostly a matter of getting them to understand what is important to her as an American. Her president giving a speech is important regardless of what political lean he is on.

All US school children should watch Obama's education speech, and then learn how the art of rhetoric can trump the art of reality.

I'd have no issue with them watching it and would not take them out of school.

IF after it was done it came out to be exceedingly partisan, or have over the top rhetoric I didn't agree with, or the teacher had them doing asinine things that a teacher just has no business doing, then I'd talk with them after school and explain things. I have to imagine that, despite how much respect kids should have for the Presidency, they're going to have more respect for the words of their parents. I wouldn't exactly fear them being "indoctrinated" from a single speech that I can talk to them about unless I was just a ****ty, ****ty, ****ty parent.

If it ended up being like it was, I'd have no issue and urge them to take it to heart.

The partisanship in this country is disgusting to the point its reaching lately and frankly the last thing I would want to do is shove my kid into that when he's at a young, innocent, care free age. There was a time in my life where the notion of the Presidency was a noble thing and even though at the time I knew my parents weren't really fans of Clinton they didn't shove that thought on me continually. In the time before heavy interaction in politics it was nice seeing the President of the United States as simply that, the President, and not as "President Blank, Democrat / Republican"

I'd have no issue having my kids listen to the speech.

Of course they can listen to a freakin' speech. If your kids can be brainwashed or whatever the issue is by a sinlge speech may I suggest you become a better parent?

Good response, things are looking up. For those, fearful of change, wanting to over control their children, shame. :3oops:

Why wouldn't I? It wouldn't matter what it was. Even if we was talking horrible liberal propaganda, it's fine. Both sides speak horrible propaganda (I honestly don't know how people listen to Sean Hannity without their brains trying to hemorrhage) if you want you child to be able to shift through the dirt and crap of political doublespeak they'll have to hear this stuff eventually. I think the only reason people wouldn't want their kids listening to horrible liberal propaganda is so they can indoctrinate them with horrible "conservative" (I don't like using that word anymore for the GOP since it's no longer a conservative party) propaganda and vis versa. But if you're turning your kids into thinking, interacting beings then it's not a problem as they're going to need to listen to the tripe and ask questions and figure out what's lie and what's horrible lie.