A TEA Party Rally and a Correction to a Previous Statement

I must correct something I said in my most recent post regarding Obama's proposed speech to our school-age children. In that post, I stated this: "Never in the history of our country has the President of the United States specifically addressed our school children through our public school system. Never. Ever. Has it happened. Until now." That was wrong. George H.W. Bush addressed school age children back in 1991 and Ronald Reagan did it in 1988. But here's the difference: neither HW Bush nor Reagan had the Department of Education compile a list of "activities" to accompany those speeches. Activities that included such gems as "how can I help the president?". I don't think that's the best civics lesson to be giving our children. I believe that the president is a public servant (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong on that). I think he's supposed to serve and help us, not the other way around. I further believe that our children should be taught to support our country - not the person who holds the office of president of our country. The fact that Obama and the Department of Education outlined and distributed these "activities" lists makes his speech an actual lesson plan and I firmly, vehemently and most vocally object to our federal government dictating lesson plans to our children, particularly in this manner. I will say again, I misspoke in my last post (oh who am I kidding? I was downright WRONG!) and I am embarrassed to have to admit that. I detest inaccuracy in "reporting" - any reporting. I hope not to do that again. However, I stand by my protest of this speech. I think it's inappropriate. Period. And truth be told, I think the speech Reagan gave was inappropriate, too. It contained political opinions and views that had no business being touted in a public school classroom. I'm less offended by HW Bush's speech because it was an actual challenge and/or plea to children to stay in school. That's not to say I'm not at all offended by the speech. I am. Again, I don't think politicians have any business in the "teaching" arena. That's more the role of parents and the role of our local and state education offices.

Now that I've stated my mea culpa, let me move on. (Please! I so hate having to admit to a mistake! lol). I attended a TEA Party Rally in Dallas yesterday. Here are a few images from the rally:

The rally itself was fairly interesting. I've never gone to one before. I think there was some unnecessary far-right rhetoric spouted off here and there, but for the most part, I agreed with what was being said. I am against big government, period. I don't think the government should be so involved in our lives - certainly not to the extent most democrats seem to want it to be. I don't believe in bailouts, handouts, free money, affirmative action and/or press 1 for English. I do believe in personal responsibility, earning your way through life, paying your dues, teaching your children core values, communities helping citizens through local organizations...you know, the things that people do for themselves and each other without government programs dictating and paying the way. I don't agree with everything that was said at the rally...I think the treatment of gays by the right is appalling and downright stupid. But then again, I'm of the school of thought that you're born gay and not that you choose to be gay. I'm also not real big on the death penalty, although I have a big hole in my logic with that one because I do indeed think pedophiles and child murderers should be put down like rabid dogs. At any rate, my personal laundry list of beliefs aside, I'm glad I attended the rally and I'm glad I let myself be counted among the growing list of people across America who are fighting against this massive growth of our federal government. It's something I feel strongly about. How about you? How do you feel? And why?

Obama Plans to Talk to My Child...

***This is the response I received from my son's school superintendent regarding this issue. I must say, I'm relieved.
"The ***** (school district name redacted) ISD will not be showing the address on the 8th. Our technology will not allow for the video-streaming. We are going to put the address on the *ISD website so that parents can show their children the address if they would like. Please let us know if you have further questions."
Okay. Enough's enough. Have any of you heard about Obama's proposed "address" to all public school children that is to take place September 8th? Anyone? Probably not. Why? Because it's not been talked about much. The media has suddenly become deaf and dumb when it comes to one of Obama's little speeches. Usually, they're waiting around with bated breath...all aflutter of what the "Great One" will mutter next. Now, when he plans to address school children all across America, from grades K thru 12, the media doesn't seem to find it newsworthy. I checked CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, CBS, Google News, Yahoo News, The New York Times, USA Today, The Drudge Report and The Huffington Post. Only 2 of those news sources mentioned this story. Only 2! Want to guess which two? Yep, that's right...FOX News and The Drudge Report. Why is that? Does the rest of the media really expect us to believe that the President of the United States giving an official address to each and every public school child in grades K thru 12th is not newsworthy? Pul-leazz! These are the same people who think the style of shorts Michelle Obama wears is actually a headline event! Of course this speech is newsworthy! It's never happened before! Yes, you read that right. Never in the history of our country has the President of the United States specifically addressed our school children through our public school system. Never. Ever. Has it happened. Until now. So I ask you again...why isn't every news outlet featuring a story on this? I'd truly love to know the answer to that question.
Now, as to the speech itself, I've got a few questions regarding it, too. Questions such as; What is the point? What does Obama hope to accomplish? Why has Obama scheduled this speech to my children without my express permission? What exactly does this speech entail? Is an advance copy available? Is every school forced to air this speech, whether it wants to or not? Are students going to be given the option of not listening to it? Are parents going to be given the option of denying their child permission to listen to it? My understanding is that this speech is supposed to be a message from Obama to our children regarding "personal responsibility". I don't know about the rest of you, but I am fairly choking on the irony of a politician, any politician, talking to my kids about "personal responsibility". I think Obama's time would be better spent talking to himself and his fellow politicians on this particular subject. I think they need this speech more than my kid does.
I've written a letter to the superintendent of my son's school district asking these aforementioned questions. I eagerly await her reply. I'm extremely upset over this proposed speech because I simply think it smacks more of "indoctrination" than education. This politician has no business putting forth his ideas and plans to our children. He should put those ideas and plans forth to us, their parents. Unless, of course, the government has decided to take over the role of parenting. Hmmm. Maybe that's the whole point, eh? Go here to read the letter from the Secretary of Education to all schools in the United States.