Barack Obama's Speech to Students Revs Up the Wingnuts

Reader Comments
Back to blog

Good post. Your 5th paragraph is particularly insightful, I think.

Muser of NM 1:58PM September 04, 2009

Obama's social reorganization agenda rings a discordant chord with many Americans. Historically, America has been a land of hard-working individuals who reap the rewards of their labor, who enjoy their freedom to do whatever they deem right. Obama and his ilk seem bent on taking over America and turning it into a land of whiners with their hands out for free money from Momma government. He wants us to believe that only government is wise enough to make the big decisions for us....including what kind of car we drive, it seems.
Frankly, we don't trust him or his "democratic" cronies (czars), at least one of whom is an avowed communist, to have our best interests at heart. When he wants to talk to our children, we sincerely are worried that his agenda is not ours and what he would tell those kids is not what we would want them to hear.
Disagreeing with the President's agenda is not Political Derangement Syndrome; it's just plain smart.

Peter Abbot 1:48PM September 04, 2009

and nothing will cure them. This is not about facts. It's frustration that the Right is not in power, that a Black man is in the White House, that the Evangelical positions are not the only ones respected.
Bush spoke with school children, and of course the Right thought that was grand. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Either it is OK for any president to speak to them, or none. Since these folks supported Bush's little conversation (and many other presidents before), logic would conclude that it's OK for Obama too.
Obama is going to speak to these kids about working hard in school, finishing their eductions, and being open to information and all the bright colors it provides. No agenda there. How on earth does socialism play here? He is not talking about policy issues..... He's just trying to encourage kids to value education and prepare themselves for better jobs. I suppose an educated population is socialist?
According to their logic (if you can call it that) the wingnuts must think our grandparents on Medicare are socialists, those using Social Security too, our police, our fire departments, our road crews, our schools and teachers, our military, our defense contractors, corp of civil engineers, our NASA employees, and all federal, state and local government employees are all socialists?????? They are all part of a huge government program to run our country.....Oooooooooooooooooooh my. Scary!
These people need to realize they only sound really ignorant. They were content during the Bush years because they could always say they were part of the leading party, leading religion, leading ethnic group. They think being in the majority makes everything they do correct and validates them as individuals. So now - in the minority (man-they hate that word!)they are afraid they are somehow less. That's silly, because all of us from time to time are in a political party that is not in power, and it diminishes no one.
But another thing about this crowd - they are intolerant. That's ironic too - being that they all profess to be Christians - and Jesus preached tolerance up to his last breath. Their lies and hateful hearts are known to their God, and they will be surprised how their inability to live by Christs word will not be excused.....saved or not.

Dorfy of SC 1:45PM September 04, 2009

the president is going to win this one. He is going to give his speech to the kids who are permitted to listen---and the sky is not going to fall. Not only that, the kids who are not permitted to listen are going to feel very, very strange with the other kids---and wonder what their parents' or school officials' fuss was about.
After the fact, the bulk of children are going to think that the the president's speech was okay and likewise think the adult protesters of an innocuous and pleasant speech---are completely nuts.
Do you think kids like the president? Or Limbaugh and Beck?

Muser of NM 1:43PM September 04, 2009

The liberals did the same thing when Reagan and Bush made speeches, so there are WINGNUTS on both sides, huh? And no, there are a lot of people out there that don't want to listen to Obama and care not what he may have to say and don't want their children listening to him, either. That is their right!

Martin Hall of CA 1:42PM September 04, 2009

All very well and good, Mr. Schlesinger, for you to apply Occam's Razor to something a liberal does. But you seem to fail in its application to something a conservative does. For example, when Glenn Beck misspelled the word "oligarch," an application of Occam's Razor would have told you that the explanation of that was MISTAKE. Instead, the conclusion you reached was STUPID.
In terms of your analogy by which you compare the essay assignment to Catholic priests asking the Lord to help our political leaders, you fail miserably. I believe the prayer is that the Lord help political leaders GOVERN WITH WISDOM, not necessarily that He help them to ENACT THEIR AGENDA.

Scott of OH 12:47PM September 04, 2009