What is really amazing to me is that people like Jim Greer, head of the Florida Republican Party, apparently is feeling so insecure about the way he has brought his children up, that they would be negatively impacted by a "Back to School" speech by the President.
A President who is intelligent, accomplished, kind, and who has become successful in spite of the many obstacles placed in his way. A man who admits that he has not always gotten it right, but who demonstrates through his life's accomplishments that one can pick oneself up and choose a direction in life and work hard to accomplish goals.( all good conservative, Republican traits, I might add!) A president who has gone out of his way (often to the point of angering his own base of supporters) to be open to the Republicans and their point of view. He has tried to be bi-partisan, in the face of absolute refusal by the other side to meet him half way.
What better example to demonstrate to so many of our young people who are struggling to succeed and overcome obstacles that, more often than not, are not of their making? In the world we adults have made today, our young people need all the positive examples they can find--they need inspiration, motivation, and someone to believe in them. They do not need fear, and name calling, and negative energy.
So, what is all this about? I do not really believe Jim Greer the person, feels that his children will be negatively impacted. I believe he is deliberately stirring up a situation to get others to go along with a political plan that has little to do with the President's speech, or the well-being of the children.
It is all about causing this President and the Democratic Party to fail, so that the Republicans can try to regain some of the ground they have lost. For some it is undoubtedly about the fact that a biracial man is the President; for others, the true fringe group, it is just about disruption for any reason...or, no reason at all--the true mob mentality.
I don't think it will work in the long run, but in the meantime, the people who can least defend themselves -- and who have the least voice -- are being affected: the children, the elderly, and those who may not be able to separate the facts from all the horrible, outlandish accusations. That is the hypocritical and sad part.
Where are the adults in the conservative/Republican party? We all know that many of them don't believe this stuff, yet, they are sitting back and letting the "fringe" element take over the entire conservative agenda. And, as a result, we are all losing.
The conservative perspective is vital to our country's success: we need at least two political parties; we need the point of view that supports less government and fiscal restraint; we need it all to make our system work well. Where is the true leader in the conservative movement that will stand up and say Enough. Who is the next Bill Buckley and will he or she please stand up!
Many of you on this board who have said some very harsh things, do not talk this way in person. I know some of you--I've done business with some of you--in real life you are more considerate and factual.
I wish that everyone would step back and take a deep breath and realize that Obama won the election--he is the president and all the facts point to the idea that he has the best interest of the people of America at the top of his agenda. As Miss Kitty said, let's give him a chance. Does anyone really believe that our children are not smart enough to think for themselves; does anyone really believe that one speech by one president can turn an entire nation of school children away from the American values they have been taught all their lives? Let's give our parents and teachers and the children the credit they are due. They are not that gullible.
Many of us did not vote for President Bush, yet after 911 almost every American supported him as our president. It was only after he started to take actions that were so off the mark that the people began to stand up and complain. We complained about his actions (and now we are beginning to realize that even President Bush himself realized that Cheney and company had gone too far) not something that he might do.
If President Obama and the Congress are doing things that the people object to, then there are civilized ways to deal with it. We have been doing this for years in our country. Never before have I seen the kind of behavior that we are now seeing and I lived through the protests of the 60s and the civil rights movement. Those protests were often violent and horrible, but at their core there was a purpose: end the war, and give everyone equal rights.
This behavior is without merit and it can serve no good purpose IMO. All Americans who care about the future of our country would do well to act like adults and put a stop to the hysteria IMO.
