Seriously though, haven't you heard. President Obama is the new gateway drug. Hoodlums and drug pushers are going to be sneaking on to the playground to push the president on children. Next thing you know kids everywhere will be
I'm annoyed at myself actually because this is my second post in a row about President Obama and honestly he's really not liberal enough for me. Yet, I guess he's too left wing to expose our children too. Today the president gave a speech that was directed at kids nationwide about the value of education and what he's going to do and what he wants the students to work on. Amazingly enough everyone was so afraid that he'd say something controversial that most schools refused to air it. Have they not been paying attention to Obama.....he doesn't exactly throw to many unexpected curve balls at you. Rachel Maddow once said that she thought his biggest flaw was that he isn't more unpredictable or imprecise...he never steps out of everyone else's comfort zone. Apparently the right wing media got everyone all freaked out that he was going to start turning our kids gay or something. Of course he isn't going to bring up gay marriage.....the GOP were acting like Obama was gonna start tea-bagging Biden and yelling 'pass the poppers!" in front of the kiddies.
Education is actually one of the areas that I feel the most uncomfortable with Obama's outlook. First of all, though I'm the first to admit I'm no expert on the topic, I'm not that crazy about his fervor for charter schools. With their history of privatization for economic gain and leanings of modern day segregation (both exemplified in the Hurricane Katrina aftermath) I'm just disappointed every time Obama mentions his pro-charter school plans. Secondly, I get a little exhausted with his "its really up to you" speeches that are meant to inspire school children. Obviously many of our academic achievements have to do with the effort we put in.......but as more research is proving every day- there are about a million other factors that are part of the larger picture in why lower class communities have always struggled with education. Look at Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Children's Zone to see the real change that needs to be enacted. Luckily President Obama is also backing up that model with both speech and money so hopefully there is some sort of positive outlook for American kids. One of the most moving moments I found when watching the election night coverage of his victory was this one reporter in the middle of celebrating crowds up in the Bronx.....two neighborhood girls kept jumping in front of the reporter and yelling "we're gonna get new books for our school!". That was what the president meant to them.
So perhaps the kids out there are actually interested in what the President has to say. In the video below you can kind of tell that the 'republican strategist' doesn't even really believe the shit he's saying. The leader of the country wants to talk to kids about their futures and they aren't allowed to watch it. I find it interesting that the military must approach him as their "commander and chief" yet he's too controversial for that other socialized institution- the school. In case you think that this was only banned in republican ruled towns in Mississippi I'd like to add that it was also banned in the elementary school I attended in Connecticut.
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