Comments on: Obama’s Speech: The Aftermath

By: Snardo

Snardo — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:47:10 +0000

There’s always going to be a “small vocal minority” regardless of the issue, and yess, they do usually get the most attention. How often, though, have you not made a fuss over an issue because the small vocal minorty that got it’s way was the one you agreed with?

By: Aidinthel

Aidinthel — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:43:40 +0000

My school left the decision up to each teacher, and I saw the speech live in my English class. I do live in a very liberal area, though. There probably would have been outrage if the school had tried to ban it.

By: Kara

Kara — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:33:38 +0000

The high school I attended did NOT show President Obama’s speech. Mostly because they wanted to avoid the political rampage that some people seemed to be pre-disposed to lately and they did not want to deal with the drama that may have ensued (this according to a teacher friend there). Which is too bad. The message was good.

However, when I was in high school and President Bush Sr. was doing his Whistle Stop tours, my high school band went and played the night he stopped in our area. It was considered quite an honor, and there was no hullabaloo about having our band playing for a certain political party - it was considered pretty cool to be playing for the president (he was running for re-election, if I remember correctly). Different school administration. Different time. Different parents.

By: Paperboy

Paperboy — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:07:38 +0000

Kids CAN pray in school; it just has to be a private, personal action and not a teacher-led activity. (Of course, it DOES mean only Christians can get away with it, since they just put their hands together and bow their heads; they don’t have get down on the floor, face a certain way, sacrifice a chicken or whatever.)

By: furrykef

furrykef — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:50:58 +0000

It was a small vocal minority that led to the elimination of prayer in school- and look what has happened since.

The difference is that our country has a certain little thing called “separation of church and state” which, in my opinion, should be respected. Obama’s speech doesn’t violate any principles of the Constitution that I know of.

Can anybody explain to me how prayer in public schools doesn’t amount to government establishment of religion? (I don’t think claiming that the prayer is non-denominational would do any good there, by the way. There definitely would be pressure in one form or another to make them Christian prayers.)

- Kef

By: Fried

Fried — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:01:50 +0000

Powers - incorrect. It was H. W. Bush’s (not G.W.) address to students and Democrat Congressman held hearings to determine if he was overs tepping his bounds. Same out cry occurred with Reagan.

Try not to allow bias to cloud facts…this was a nationally televised speech to intended and encouraged to be shown to all school children. not an isolated group. Two different things.

By: Powers

Powers — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:55:42 +0000

What is this absurd notion that “liberals reacted the same way to G. W. Bush’s speech years ago”? Calling into question the source and use of funds for the speech is one thing; suggesting that the content of the speech is somehow dangerous is another thing entirely.

How many times did Bush II address a crowd of schoolchildren in person, and talk about political subjects? Twice in my area alone. And while there were some protests, designed to communicate opposition to his military policies, no one tried to stop him from speaking. And those were *political* speeches!

As much as Bush was seen as illegitimate, as much as his policies were reviled, and as much as his speech patterns were ridiculed, very few people on the left felt the need for “makin’ stuff up” (to quote Palin) to try to undermine him. He was still the President and was, mostly, afforded the respect due. There is no valid comparison to the way Obama is being treated.

By: CIDU Bill

CIDU Bill — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:42:14 +0000

Okay, maybe “ban” is the correct word after all. As far as our school was concerned, the President was definitely Obama non grata.

By: CIDU Bill

CIDU Bill — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:31:31 +0000

Winter, I’m not sure “ban” would be the correct word, but they did make the decision that The Speech would not be shown to any students by any teachers in any class under any circumstances.

By: Winter Wallaby

Winter Wallaby — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:21:47 +0000

This idea that Obama’s freedom of speech is being infringed is a little silly. Sure, he’s free to say whatever he wants, that doesn’t mean that he has the right to have it replayed in classrooms around the country. After all, I have the exact same freedom of speech that Obama does, and no classrooms replay my speeches.

Bill, did your school really “ban” the speech (i.e. tell teachers that they couldn’t show it), or just decide that they didn’t want to make a decision to show it (which would by default let teachers do whatever they wanted)? The latter would seem reasonable to me, because after all, someone could just think this wasn’t a good use of class time.