I would like to comment on the recent insanity about our president’s message about education to our children.  People in this country have turned what should have been an inspirational message and a role model’s speech into some kind of propaganda mind control. What this comes down to is an inherent mistrust of our president.  I am a very liberal democrat but I believe truly that I have never said to my children that the president is out to control your mind – Republican or Democrat.  No matter my disagreement or dislike with Mr. Bush and/or Mr. Clinton I knew that they were not out to destroy the United States.  That is the message the school districts such as mine have given to our children.

This would never have happened with a speech from George Bush or Ronald Reagan.  No one, including myself would have insisted that their children not watch or listen to their speeches on education.  The cry of racism seems legitimate here as well as disrespect. 

Our president does not want to dismantle the United States. How else can this be viewed except through the lens of racism? What about liberals?  Do liberals not love their country?  Because we think it can always be improved, does that make us less patriotic?  Do persons of color not love this country?  As humans, do we not hope to grow and develop over time to become better individuals?  We expect the same for our country. If we did not grow as a country and improve we would still allow slavery; restricted voting rights; etc.  The message the school districts, who did not show this and will not show it, are giving to our children and the world is that our president is not to be trusted.  I find this appalling. I have felt physically ill with the kind of power this minority of fear mongers has wielded in our school districts.

There seems to be a direct correlation between the districts that chose not show this and whether they voted for Mr. Obama.  So this is a political issue rather than a “first day of school” issue.  Our school district says the speech will be available to teachers who might want to use it as part of a lesson plan.  There will not be a showing of it at a later date.  I could handle the idea about disrupting the first day of school but this is so deceptive. If it is was a first day of school issue then why not show it at a later date?  That is the real issue. This is the crux of it.This is why I cry foul.  I, as well as other parents, know that most teachers will not find the time or make the effort to show his message.
 
After the fact, when the speech was completed, dissenters responded with “oh, that was OK”.  This is why this is an issue of trust.  Could they not trust Mr. Obama to say “the right thing”?  He is our president. 

That does not demand blind allegiance but it does command respect.  It is important in our schools for our children to understand that authority is to be respected.  I see little of that in our schools in the first place and I find this decision a further undermining of that.  To all my Republicans friends I ask: Does this not put to question your basic tenet in respect for authority and appreciation of the position of the presidency? This seems so hypocritical.  He was elected by a majority in this county.  What if our troops decided that he was not to be listened to?

Finally, I received this e-mail from a friend in India and I hope everyone who reads this will reflect on this.  He wrote this in response to the controversy about this speech. I was very inspired by this.

“Trust you will excuse my enthusiasm for sending you this message, unsolicited by yourself. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am an artist and poet based in Mumbai, India. I just read your comment about ‘being proud to be American’. I share your sentiment.
I’d like to share a thought, if I may please. There are several ways of being or becoming ‘American’. I choose it by virtue of its founding ideals and philosophy!
Although nationalism is a veritable ‘cul-de-sac’ and I am a proud Indian. I’m in principle ‘American’. Besides I don’t need to be in America, to be in America…If you know what I mean. America for me and millions of others idealists like myself, is a state of being, not just a great country. Hence President Obama is not just the president of America but of all sensitive and sensible souls in this world. Hope you will understand, appreciate and empathize with my ‘audacity’.”

I think this is how we would like to see ourselves – a nation that has ideals and values including the respect for those who are “not one of us” as Pat Buchanan said about our president when he was running for office.  Our president does not look like the old image of our head of state but nonetheless he deserves our respect. This was not accorded to him by our schools.

Cheryl Myers Johnson
Midlothian