Next Tuesday,the President is going to have a Nationwide "news conference" broadcast on C-Span and the White House website. The stated purpose is to encourage children to stay in school and do well.
I believe, as in previous "town hall" type meetings, he will have a child planted, who with tears in his eyes, will say, "Mommy and Daddy can't take me to the doctor and I have been sick. They have no money or insurance. Please help me, Mr. President."
That will open the door for Obama to tell the children of this nation if only all these mean-spirited protesters would support him that he knows best how to help this child. The White House has already sent out information to each state's governor, explaining his veiled purpose. They in turn have sent out information to each school district, who can participate or decide not to.
Now, let's get to the root of everything - money. After this educational broadcast, let's say each state reports to the White House which districts supported the President and showed his info, or opted out. When it comes time to hand out the stimulus money for a school, doesn't anyone realize if you did not support his "TV special," your request will probably go to the bottom of the pile of requests. I assure you someone in the White House is tracking all this and making a list and checking it twice.
I am sure out there in Internet land there are people skilled in subliminal messages. I hope they watch this over and over and look for long-lasting statements that will stay in these children's minds. I have believed from the get go, Obama has a reason, a plan, for everything he does, not just the obvious. On the news this morning it was reported that HCDE said it was the decision of the principal as to whether the children view this program or not. Another way to pass the buck.
Parents, it is your decision. Many have said their child will be kept home that day.
When your poll numbers are dropping, go to the most impressionable, 6-12-year olds. Let them go home and tell Mommy and Daddy that President Obama teally cares about them.
Remember, there is a reason for everything. Be aware. Do not keep your guard down.
Mitchell Thurmer
Signal Mountain
mthurmer4300@comcast.net
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To Mr. Thurmer, I agree with you that Obama has a purpose in everything he does. Unlike you though, I believe this is a good thing. Surely we want a President that has a plan, and isn't doing things for any old reason. I think the President has made himself pretty clear on what he wants as far as healthcare is concerned, and doubt much subliminal messaging will be necessary.
It seems a bit paranoid and presumptive to say that you think the White House will be calling districts to find out which one's supported the President's view, in order to bump those that did not to the bottom of a list. If everything the President does has some sneaky plan behind it, don't you think he'd be smart enough to target an audience that could actually vote for him next election? What good does it do to target 6-12 year olds?
Even if you disagree with the Presidents views, I don't see why this is a bad thing. When your kids get home from school you can ask them what they thought about it, and have a good discussion about what you agree with and what you disagree with. That's being responsible, not trying to keep children from hearing opposing viewpoints.
It's not like the President is going to get on TV and use inappropriate language. And honestly, I couldn't sit through 10 seconds of anything on C-SPAN at that age, so I really doubt that the kids of America are going to unite and demand that adults do as Obama wants.
Lewis Baxter
chattbreak1@live.com
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Dear Mr. Thurmer and others,
I have watched over the past week as resistance to the President's speech has grown. I have seen people outraged at the fact that Obama would "dare" to address the children. I have seen the general concern grow and grow, but now we have gotten to a new place. Brainwashing with subliminal messages? Really? What's next, winged monkeys flying out of the West Wing? He is a human being, not an alien with ESP sent to indoctrinate us all.
For years the president and first lady have addressed kids across this nation at various times of the year, each time with different messages. Nancy Reagan wanted to keep us off drugs; George H Bush wanted us to stay away from gangs and violence. Bill Clinton wanted kids to quit bringing guns to school. Each president has addressed the most pressing issue facing schoolkids at that time.
This president is doing the same. The most pressing issue today: dropouts. All across our country kids are dropping out of schools at rates higher than we have ever seen, dooming themselves to a life of poverty. It is happening in Chattanooga just as it is in other places. The president is trying to head that trend off and send the message to kids that the best way to be successful is to go to school, get an education, and graduate.
I find it ironic that the way many parents have chosen to respond to this call to keep kids in school, is to keep their kids home from school. Can we not put our politics away for a brief moment and wait and see what he has to say before we pass judgement? If you don't like his speech afterwards then by all means rip him apart. I am sure FOX News will need some company. But until then, can we not wait and see?
He is the president, the man that has been selected to help govern our nation, and maybe, just maybe, he is trying to do something to help. We should at least give him a chance.
Todd Grainger
todd_grainger@yahoo.com
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President Obama is addressing our nation's children next week to get across a very important message: stay In school. While some folks might consider this more of the parents' job, considering the 30% dropout rate in this country, apparently many parents are failing to get this message across.
I find it very ironic, not to mention amusing, that another president has done this in the past: his name would be George H.W. Bush. He gave a very similar speech in 1991, on national television, with the same message: stay In school. It too was shown in schools. I remember being a junior at Notre Dame High School and watching his speech in my government/economics class. I was glad to see his speech. Not only did it make me feel important that he would take the time to address students, even though at that age we couldn't vote, it also gave me a realistic view of the country and world I was growing up in. It gave me a dose of reality.
No one was throwing a fit back then. Because back then, parents wanted their children to be educated, and informed, not sheltered and censored. Now, why is it ok for former president George H.W. Bush to address our nation's children, but it's not ok for President Obama to do the same?
My child is not going to be missing school because the President is speaking. Her education is far more important than her parent's political views. I doubt most people around here would be throwing such a fit if former President George W. Bush wanted to give a speech like this. But then I doubt he ever would, considering how little value he placed upon education.
Mariah Smith
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Mr. Thurmer,
My gosh, you sure are a smart man. Nostradamus has nothing on you when it comes to predicting the future. You are able to tell us what President Obama is going to say in his speech on Tuesday to the returning students, and you are able to tell us how the states are going to feed information on which districts participated back to the Administration so they can then prioritize the stimulus money to schools, thus discriminating against their own districts. Wow, that’s incredible. Where do you get this information? Do you have a crystal ball, or do you read tea leaves (after the party of course), or do you have a gypsy down the street who reads Tarot cards? Or, maybe you yourself are simply indoctrinated by Fox News and the Glen Becks of the world.
What message does it send to our youth about respect for the office of the President of the United States when you spread this clap-trap around? I certainly was no fan of President George W. Bush, but if he had made a similar address to students, I would not only allow my children to attend, I would encourage them. Since when did information, especially for students, become a bad thing? My only real concern would be that they would pick up some very bad grammar habits listening to President Bush.
Come on, right-wing, grow up. Stop trying to scare people with this kind of nonsense. If you can’t respond to the important issues of the day with facts and ideas, then just sit back and accept the fact that you lost the 2008 election fair and square. Try to be the loyal opposition, and stop being the fear-mongers and mouthpieces for the special interests, especially in the health care debate. The stakes for our health, our economy, and our nation are too great.
Charlie Neff
Los Angeles, CA
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It is very funny at how so-called conservatives are horrified at the President speaking to our schoolchildren. Not to make a point of the issue, but their brand of conservatism is relatively new, highly suspect, and works on the ability of the strong to take advantage of the weak. Maybe the school children will find out that mom and dad aren't telling the truth about our President? Heck, President Bush spoke to our school children often. Once, he even demonstrated his good reading ability in front of them by reading a book upside down. Let's not forget where he was when the 9-11 tragedy occurred.
It seems all these so-called conservatives feel they have to do to win an argument is to brand their opponent a socialist. The last party that went around branding people as socialist was the group that took over the Reichstag in Germany led by Adolf HItler.
These so-called conservatives want Constitutional rights ...for everyone like them. Their ideas of a Constitutional Republic don't go so far as to reach liberals or socialists. They have their heroes like Ralph Reed, of the Christian Coalition, who bragged about having 10,000 preachers in his pocket to help get gambling legislation passed in Louisiana. Albeit, the preachers didn't know what they were doing, it just goes to show the brand of conservative politics in this country.
Smedley Darlington Butler, two time winner of the United States Congressional Medal of Honor, saw first-hand how our country squanders its resources on bad corporate decisions. He saw how our government was being taken over by those who do not want the rule of law. Their political slogan of small government means to them that no one will be left minding the store. He saw the dangers of corporate interests in perverting the US Constitution. Many of his comments in "War is a Racket" are directed at the military industrial complex, but his memoirs elaborate on the United States social and political fabric en blanc. To those who would call those of us socialist because we desire a public option insurance plan, I would answer as only Gen. Butler could, "...I know I am regarded by the rich as a 'red' but I am not, but do believe in fair play-something they do not."
Stephen Durham freethinker1963@yahoo.com
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I've been waiting for the text of President Obama's speech to be released before responding to Mr. Thurmer and his types. Read this and tell me how this speech can possibly be considered propaganda and subliminal messages to our kids regarding passing a health care reform:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/
Sure sounds like a good reason to keep your kid home on Tuesday and have the school loose out on state funding for your child's absence.
I would suggest you stop listening to Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck and the others who have an agenda of negativity against Obama for the sake of ratings. We all know that they dislike him because he's a Democrat and black.
And stop watching Jerry Springer and Maury Povich while you are at it. Believe me, not everyone in America is a nut case--just the sheep who parade before town halls to get on TV.
Stephen W. Schmidt
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I for one know I wouldn’t want my children listening to Obama’s address. He is going to be saying all kinds of controversial things like don’t do drugs, stay in school, respect parents and teachers. I know I wouldn't want my child to hear such horrible insidious propaganda. If you honestly think that Obama is going to brainwash your 8 year old through a short TV message, then, to be honest, I'm not sure about your parenting capabilities anyway.
It might not kill anyone to consider that most small children have little (if any) conception of politics or the current state of our Union. If parents are concerned about the content of the speech, they can read the speech first which can be found at Whitehouse.gov and then decide whether or not they want their child to listen to it. Of course, I’m sure you right-wingers probably think it’s fake and that he is planning an entirely different speech other than what’s posted.
Anna Scholze
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I have spoken to administrators at my child's school and received permission for any child whose parents disapprove of the speech to have an extra study hall during that time instead. That is a reasonable response to a reasonable concern about hearing a message from an extremist politician my family and I do not approve of and cannot support. I cannot think of a single approach to any problem Obama has taken on that I agree with.
The real issue is how liberals currently in power want to use their bully pulpit to advance their destructive policies. Obama and his ilk have taken us down a road to a place where the division is greater than ever, and they cannot be trusted. This is the root cause of the uproar over the Obama speech.
Jim Nichols
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I agree, the message of staying in school and obtaining an education is wonderful. However, for me the issue is not the message, it is the messenger and a matter of trust. I don't agree with his politics, his ethics, and many of the individuals he associates with and has appointed to his administration.
In the end, is the decision to watch and listen, not a freedom of choice? Let the children and parents, not the schools, make an informed decision on this matter. As I have heard before, if you don't like what is on the TV or radio, change the station.
George Linden