OK.....what????

If I had children (I don't,) they would not be required to write letters asking how they can help the President. And anything that an adult wanted to say to them, they could say to me first if I so choose. President or not.

I would NOT have an issue with them writing letters to the President. I would NOT have an issue with them offering help because they wanted to. I would NOT have an issue with them asking questions, or offering opinions.

None of that is the issue here. It's Apples and Oranges. These kids aren't merely being encouraged to get involved, they are being indoctrinated to be subservient to the government, whether you realize it or not. It's the letter, not the speech. It's not an Obama thing. This would be sick and disgusting no matter who was doing it.

[edit on 8-9-2009 by mattifikation]

reply to post by calihan_12

but americans are pissed about a president addressing their children saying "stay in school"?

I think you missed an important point. It's not that the president was going to give a speech that made people made. It was the assignment that the White House wanted teachers to do. One of which, apparently was a letter.

Now, this wasn't any ordinary letter to a government official that kids write in grade school. Instead, it was a letter that students were going to write to themselves, saying how they were going to help the president. Imagine how you would have felt if you had a kid in school and this was George W. Bush giving a speech, with the accompanying assignment being, 'write a letter to yourself saying how you're going to help the president'. I doubt it would've gone over so well. With you, or many of the other people that are in favor of Obama's speech.

Just going a little further, do you honestly think that people went into a tizzy because Obama was going to tell kids that they should simple stay in school and get an education to be successful in life?

I think that if the president really wanted to help kids and encourage them to stay and to do well in school, he wouldn't give the speech during schools hours. Let them learn there.

well, as a child, if i was asked to write about something i didnt want to write about and was forced to.. it would have been almost every paper.

children are FORCED to follow the rules in school. many times they might have to write about a subject that the parent doesnt know about and might disagree with. the only reason this was such a big issue is because of how public it was and how big every is making it out to be.

when i was a little kid, i had a good head on my shoulders and i wouldnt do assignments i didnt want to do. that got me in trouble from my teachers.. but my parents always gave me a pat on the back because i stood up for what i believed in. all children are more than free to do the same. if they cant.. then maybe they havent been taught right.

reply to post by calihan_12


The question wasn't about what the kids wanted to do or not. But...

Being forced to write term papers and follow rules is just a little bit different than writing a paper about how your going to help the president out.

if they cant.. then maybe they havent been taught right.

Are you saying that kids are being taught wrong to obey authority?

[edit on 9/8/2009 by octotom]

In my country this almost was on the front pages!
Now, thats strange cause there have been 0 articles of Obama as the joker!

Whats even more strange, it clearly says people are angry because Obama said you have to study and work hard.. and also that the whitehouse cant understand the critic.

Yeah, this article is just another one to give the impression that the us citizens are some fat, lazy crazy people that Obama is trying so save..

reply to post by Annav


That doesn't surprise me at all. Where are you at? Here in Germany, that's the attitude that many people have about Obama. He is an intelligent man that is going to save, and set straight, those wayward Americans.

In the papers here, Obama can't do wrong. That's an unthinkable thought. The people are wrong if they disagree with him.

[edit on 9/8/2009 by octotom]

well many americans are fat and lazy and expect the president to save them.

that is pretty accurate unfortunately and it makes me embarrased to be an american sometimes. but there are also many people who are driven and strong and who realize that a single president cant fix all of their problems.. so they go out to fix it on their own, like everyone should.

reply to post by calihan_12

well many americans are fat and lazy and expect the president to save them.

I beg to differ. The "fat, lazy, government dependent" Americans, I believe, are a minority in America. They're not the many. Where I'm from in South Florida, the overwhelming majority don't expect the government to "save" them at all.

Also, you should never be ashamed of your fellow countrymen. The American people, are one people. When people start shaking their heads at one another, becoming embarrassed, it can start to divide the country, and a house divided against itself can't stand. Americans feeling embarrassed of other Americans, I feel, is the biggest cause of the problems in America today. If you feel someone is doing something wrong, you should try to steer them right. But never be ashamed. In doing so, you open the door for someone to be ashamed of you because they don't agree with the way that you live.

The written assignmentis simply one of psychological matters. It's like when you have kids write down their goals, they are more likely to remember them.

The paperis not about how they'regoing to be indoctrinated, it's about how they're going to STAY IN SCHOOL. He wouldn't give a speec bout staying in school andthen give acompletely off topic assignment, cmon people, this is pure ridiculousness. It's psychological. If a kid writes "I want to be smart and get a good job so I am going to listen to what the presdent said about staying in school and no doing drugs and blah blah blah" it is more likely to stick in their concious and/or subconcious. They're not being indoctrinated, they're being led by a figure which is supposed to do just that. Get a grip.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by octotom
reply to post by calihan_12

 

well many americans are fat and lazy and expect the president to save them.

I beg to differ. The "fat, lazy, government dependent" Americans, I believe, are a minority in America. They're not the many. Where I'm from in South Florida, the overwhelming majority don't expect the government to "save" them at all.

Also, you should never be ashamed of your fellow countrymen. The American people, are one people. When people start shaking their heads at one another, becoming embarrassed, it can start to divide the country, and a house divided against itself can't stand. Americans feeling embarrassed of other Americans, I feel, is the biggest cause of the problems in America today. If you feel someone is doing something wrong, you should try to steer them right. But never be ashamed. In doing so, you open the door for someone to be ashamed of you because they don't agree with the way that you live.

well i also beg to differ.. because i have lived everywhere from los angeles to san diego to portland to pennsylvania to north carolina... and every place i go people seem to expect that the government will somehow create a miracle and fix all of their problems. people complain about healthcare and money and this and that when... i dont have healthcare. i practice holistic medicine, and i am completely healthy and fine. i dont complain about the president.. because im doing whatever i can to make my own life pleasant and happy, and guess what? it works.

and many people in america are very lazy. doesnt have to mean they are fat. but they are lazy. same in other countries as well... but americans are by far the laziest. having to rely on cars to get everywhere. i have never owned a car in my life and i have done just fine without one.

americans are people of convenience and these conveniences have caused them to be lazy. i wish it were not so, but it is.

The manipulative and indoctrination-like qualities of the events leading up to the man's speech are what was causing a lot of the fervor. The general idea that there was going to be a 'follow your president' vibe and all that got a lot of people on edge. not because of the person himself per se, but that it also starts to undermine the parents authority over their own kids.

now, saying this to obama supporters is like speaking to a brick wall since it seems like they're all more than willing to throw their kids in the fire like this.

For whatever reason they're against the indoctrination like efforts, they're against it. Whether it is the 'thou shalt have no gods before me' or even just 'that man wants you to worship him', that is the vibe they get.

Now, the man has done little to gain the doubter's trust since hes gotten into office, and really, has done little to maintain the non doubter's trust, which is why his approval ratings are plummeting.

now, would you want to expose your child to this person if you're in this mindset? If you do, you're a lousy parent.

Reply to post by CoffinFeeder

You're basingyour judgment on past events. That's likesaying I don't want my kids ridingin the car with their grandmother because she's had 3 horrific car crashes.

Seriously, what's so bad about telling a child to stay in school and have them essentially write a paper describing how they will strive to achieve the goal set before them(a la, stay in school, get good grades, etc etc.)? Anything? That's manipulative? Seriously?

American parents are too protective and I think it is seriously undermining their children's ability to think and rationalise for themselves.


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Originally posted by Agree2Disagree
Reply to post by CoffinFeeder

 

You're basingyour judgment on past events. That's likesaying I don't want my kids ridingin the car with their grandmother because she's had 3 horrific car crashes.

Seriously, what's so bad about telling a child to stay in school and have them essentially write a paper describing how they will strive to achieve the goal set before them(a la, stay in school, get good grades, etc etc.)? Anything? That's manipulative? Seriously?

American parents are too protective and I think it is seriously undermining their children's ability to think and rationalise for themselves.

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

AMEN! they control their kids too much and dont allow them to grow on their own and mature into their own person... they only end up growing into another version of their parent if that parents controls them too much. give your kids freedom here and there and you might be amazed how well they turn out. tighten the reigns on them.. and it will usually cause more problems than it fixes.

Reply to post by Agree2Disagree

I relate this to the athiests that mention indoctrnation of children into the church.

These parents are essentially indoctrinating their children into anti-obama campaigns. They're doing to their own children what they are afraid of. I guess it's better that you undermine their rational thought processes with "this man is evil" than Obama with his "stay in school". Parents always think they know what's best and often times it ends up affecting the children in a negative manner.

Children have brains too, let them use them. Often times children are a better judge of character than adults anyways.


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reply to post by jvm222


How is telling a kid to stay in school programming and if it is, everyone should be programmed, also to not pick their nose in public, eat good meals, wear clean clothes, etc...stay in school falls under the category of smart ppl stuff

reply to post by kingoftheworld


I dont have kids, so my opinion isnt too valid, as always haha, but that is the jest of it.

the parents are worried that the kids will be indoctrinated to pledge their allegiance to obama, and not the flag or the country it symbolizes.

it is SOLELY the responsibility of the parent to make sure their kids do the best they can in all facets of life.

HOWEVER

hearing some of the stuff some "parents" on this board have posted, I would be much more weary of having kids go home and eat dinner with some of these people.

as a parent you have certain unalienable rights as to how you raise your child, but if you go ANYWHERE where there are people, you will see that the problems of today will not be fixed tomorrow, because kids are being brought up with the same detrimental mentality flaws of their parents.

as a kid I would go and eat with other famlies after playing and what not, and I was always suprised to find that most dinner topics hover around bad mouthing someone or some group or some other thing.

maybe its the way we ingest media, but the glass half empty outlook WILL NEVER be as filling as the Glass half FULL outlook.

Originally posted by drsmooth23
reply to post by kingoftheworld

 

I dont have kids, so my opinion isnt too valid, as always haha, but that is the jest of it.

the parents are worried that the kids will be indoctrinated to pledge their allegiance to obama, and not the flag or the country it symbolizes.

it is SOLELY the responsibility of the parent to make sure their kids do the best they can in all facets of life.

HOWEVER

hearing some of the stuff some "parents" on this board have posted, I would be much more weary of having kids go home and eat dinner with some of these people.

as a parent you have certain unalienable rights as to how you raise your child, but if you go ANYWHERE where there are people, you will see that the problems of today will not be fixed tomorrow, because kids are being brought up with the same detrimental mentality flaws of their parents.

as a kid I would go and eat with other famlies after playing and what not, and I was always suprised to find that most dinner topics hover around bad mouthing someone or some group or some other thing.

maybe its the way we ingest media, but the glass half empty outlook WILL NEVER be as filling as the Glass half FULL outlook.

is your avatar a picture of the kid from weeds? love that show.

yes i agree. with what many of the parents on this site have said... if i were a parent, i would be vary afraid to let my kids hang out with these people.

parents dont always know whats right or wrong. just because someone is an adult, doesnt mean they know everything. ive known many people twice my age who are more immature than i am.

trust your kids. allow them to think for themselves.. and they will more than likely make the best decisions for themselves.

reply to post by stereovoyaged


It's clear you aren't really just asking questions. You're repeating your beliefs over and over again in order to make sure your own mind is shut to anything else. You've been successfully propagandized, and it's a shame.

The left and right wings are just two arms of a sinister body. Join us outside the box and begin questioning everything the government tells you. It may sound paranoid, but the day we stop asking questions is the day the government no longer has to answer to us. We need people who think, not people who obey.

reply to post by mattifikation


yeah, you got me, I break down and admit it. I am propagandized to the notion that education is a wonderful thing. I am asking a question, and have yet to receive a valid answer. HOW can Obama telling kids to stay in school and that education is an important part of a good life be a bad thing. If Satan himself(not that I believe in him, but for this examples sake) came up from the pits of hell and said the same, no one would have as big a deal with it. You would all be like "well, the prince of darkness does make a valid point". I'm Canadian, so I'm on neither side. This is just nuts

reply to post by stereovoyaged


You're not paying attention. Nobody is criticizing Obama for urging kids to stay in school. The criticism has been explained to you, it's for something else entirely. Your eyes were closed and you missed it.

There is no sense repeating it again, because your eyes are still closed. And what do we call it when you let the people in charge close your eyes for you? Why, we call that propaganda!