When he says, "Study and you could be a doctor," is that "in-doctor-ating?"
We've been rewatching The West Wing because it's summer and there's not much on. This weekend, we watched episode 2.09 - "Galileo". In this episode, the President is preparing for a national classroom to discuss science and math in honor of the landing of the Mars probe Galileo. And even though the probe fails, Bartlett decides to go on with the electronic classroom anyway because we - and our children - can learn as much out of failure as success.
Being a smart writer - with some notable faults - Aaron Sorkin tried very hard to avoid painting Republicans and the right wing as villains. He also worked very hard not to write straw men. So this episode has no crazy wingers screaming and crying that the President is trying to indoctrinate their children. No one pressuring school boards to cancel the broadcast. No one pulling their children out of school to protect them from the President's message of hard work and education.
Because Sorkin wouldn't have wanted to be accused of creating outlandish, unrealistic, crazy characters just to make the right wing look insane. You know?
1 comments:
I can only speak for myself, but my fear is with the teachers, not The One.
I have no doubt that Obama will deliver a fine speech, and with the help of his teleprompter, will not say anything out of line.
I worry that some teachers or administrators will attempt to use this as a political indoctrination opportunity.
Looking at the fed's suggested activities for prek-6 for example, a person like myself who distrusts will see ample opportunity:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10582301/President-Obama%E2%80%99s-Address-to-Students-Across-America-September-8-2009
How would you feel about that if Bush or Reagan were president, instead of The One?
Further, we are a bit nervous about anything to do with our pres as he has a veritable cult following. We conservatives are not likely to forget this crap:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/kstu-obama-video-reaction,0,404952.story?track=rss-topicgallery
"I pledge to be a servant of Obama" to paraphrase. THAT IS FREAKING NOT ACCEPTABLE, NOT ACCEPTABLE AT ALL.
The One didn't do that, his loyal minions did. What will his loyal minions in our schools say to our kids regarding the speech? That's what worried me.
We right wingy types are not the only ones to freak out when a president delivers a speech to our kids. Dems went batshit when Reagan did it and again when Bush did.
Especially when Bush did:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/09/03/flashback-1991-gephardt-called-bushs-speech-students-paid-political-a
Was Bush's speech no more than a political campaign? If so, why isn't this one?
I talked to my kids. I told them that if the school shows the speech (I don't know nor care if our school system is or not) that they should listen, and try to evaluate it themselves. To be very wary of any teacher or administrator who talks about how good Obama is or how they should "do what he says" and so on.
Now this is pretty easy for me, as our school system does a very good job of staying apolitical. If I perceived our school system to be politicized, as so many are, I would have had much longer conversations with my kids and probably have made calls admonishing the schools to avoid using this as a campaign.
I agree that pulling kids from school or forbidding them from watching is going too far. But we conservatives are very aware and dismayed by the fawning, boot licking cult that surrounds The One.
Here, sing along with the children:
http://blip.tv/file/1309087
Children singing his praise, famous people telling children to serve him. And now The One delivers a speech directly to the children.
Nope, sorry buddy, we are NOT wrong for worrying. Though as I said before, I will make this my own "teachable moment" rather than to censor.
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