Obama's plan to talk to kids by video link touched off a firestorm of complaints among conservatives across the country and a tidal wave of complaint e-mails to Superintendent Carol Comeau.
"I will tell you I was really very surprised with the push back and some of the comparison and comments being made," Comeau said.
Comments that compare Obama to Adolf Hitler, as one man in Eagle River wrote.
"As Adolf Hitler began to 'educate' the youth ... he created a generation of youth who were loyal to not only the fascist state but to him personally. The federal government, or whichever party has political control at the time, must not be allowed to 'indoctrinate' our children."
"One actually does talk a lot about the Nazi issue, which I am totally offended by," Comeau said. "I just think that's wrong. I think if President Bush had chosen to do this we would have welcomed that opportunity, too."
In my opinion the best thing for the child of that Eagle River parent would be for Social Services to swoop in and remove them from that poisonous, ignorant environment. How stupid do you have to be to compare the first black president with Adolph Hitler? The kid would be better off in foster care.
From the crazy town hall protesters, to the under educated "Teabaggers", and now including these angry hate filled parents we are seeing a phenomena that simply defies explanation.
That is unless you consider racism of course. And yes I know, throwing out the racism word is like throwing gasoline on a potential brush fire, but what other explanation can there be?
President Clinton was despised by the Right Wing, but we never saw hate ratcheted up to this level.
George Bush made liberals crazy with frustration, but you never saw hate ratcheted up to this level.
But now you have Barack Obama, who seems to be making some very intelligent, if controversial, decisions to help the country and people are losing their freaking minds!
What is it that is so different about Barack Obama other than the color of his skin?
If we have learned anything in these last several months it is that racism is far from dead. It is alive and well and now emerging into the sunlight for everybody to see.
Perhaps in the end that will be a good thing for this country. Once identified and obvious, perhaps we can address it in a way that will finally drive a stake through it's heart.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I totally agree with you, Gryphen. I was listening to Air America yesterday, and Ron Reagan covered this topic on his show. Did these folks pull kids out of school when Pres. Ronald Reagan addressed the school kids, his son Ron asked the radio audience? No. Of course they didn't. It is racism through and through this time.
ReplyDeleteOr how about when Bush was reading books to kids in Fla. on 9/11?
Here's what these stupid racists should consider: if they pull their kids out, their kids will wear a "scarlet R" forever. They will be branded as racists, due to the actions of their parents. Maybe that doesn't matter much in AK (does it?) but it matters in the lower 48 and in other parts of the world.
Or here's another take: The sins of the father/mother should not be meted on the child.
It is racism, pure and simple. How sad it is to see Americans behaving like this. Where is their respect for the President?
ReplyDeleteGryph, I can't account for anything other than the color of his skin either. These people are just nuts. With the help of the crazy republican senators & congressmen, Beck, Palin & the rest of the nuts it is only a matter of time before a lot of people get hurt.
ReplyDelete1. It's racism.
ReplyDelete2. The far right has only one tactic: oppose anything and everything offered or said by the Obama administration.
3. It's ignorance and racism.
It is obvious how much Sarah Palin valued education. Five different colleges. Taking kids out of school to serve as campaign props. Taking kids out of school to go accompany her on state visits (even though they weren't invited). That People Magazine picture of Bristol in cap & gown, holding diploma and baby-- what a message to young women.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, people of Alaska, follow Sarah's example and keep your kids out of school. Then, they can grow up to be just like her.
At this point what with all the hate the right wing has been directing towards President Obama, I cannot fathom anyone being "surprised" by the push back from certain sects of people regarding absolutely anything suggested by the president.
ReplyDeleteThe Freepers are in fact directing the tone of this behavior. The radical extremist base of the Republican party has taken over the discussion of everything with their shouts of "Obama=Hitler" and the idea that somehow President Obama is going to send this country into ruination within his 4 year first term in office.
What happened when people protested against all that GWBush did? They were called un-American, they were told to find a new country to live in, they were told to support the president even if you didn't like what he was doing because he was the president.
My how times have changed.
Now you have outright hatred being openly directed at the President. People showing up at Presidential speaking engagements with firearms openly carried. People encouraging dissent, encouraging the idea that their children should be kept at home rather than listening to the President of the United States speak to all the kids about the importance of education. People glorifying Sarah Palin and vilifying President Obama. Having schools required to teach the bible in the classroom. Calls of fascism, communism and marxism all in the same breath towards the President and anyone who agrees with his policies.
This country is getting out of hand and it is frightening to watch how quickly these nutcases can rise up and take over the discussion. Rational people are being silenced or allowing themselves to be silenced for fear of retaliation from the nutcases. Never have I been more ashamed to admit that these people are from the same country I call home.
I can stomach disagreement and discourse, but I cannot stomach this frenzied hate that is becoming the norm rather than the exception.
Would it be okay if he only got up there and read My Pet Goat?
ReplyDeleteRight on Gryphen, thank you. Eagle River has some pretty strange people up there, they should succeed from Anchorage, let them steep in their own hatred, I do feel sorry for the kids, but very long in that atmosphere and they will be poisoned.
ReplyDeleteThese folks are batshit crazy. Why is it when a Democrat president addresses school children, it is a socialist plot to indoctrinate the hapless kids, but when a Republican president does it is good, simple, and pure?
ReplyDeleteWait, they didn't freak out when Clinton did it? What's the difference between Clinton and Obama? Oh, could it be because President Obama is BLACK!?
This is racism by proxy as exercised by frightened morons. This shit is directly because of the race baiting fear monger Glenn Beck. This has crossed into traitorous territory. The FauxNews crowd is going to incite one or more of these imbecilic twits to commit acts of violence against our government. If this happens, there should be arrests of on air personalities.
This is unconscionable and unAmerican and for the good of our nation, it must be stopped.
I agree, most if it is fueled by racism. There's no other explanation for the amount of hate and venom they spew. You only have to look as far as the crowd to see that they are mostly white. The Birthers, the ones who call him a Nazi (WTF -don't white supremacists idolize Hitler - I bet they're pissed at the comparison), the Tea Baggers, the health care town hall yellers are all fueled by racism. If it was really about the deficit, there would less yelling and the anger level would be much lower. I also believe calling him "socialist" is their way of calling him "ni..er". Most of them don't even know what socialism is. No Matter what Pres. Obama does, they won't like it because he's black. Nobody wants to say it especially the MSM, but it's true. Sad but true.
ReplyDeleteWhat I find interesting is that the complaints I've read use anti-sex education type language. Which leads me to think that what's rattling around in their pea-brains is Birth of a Nation "protect our women from the black man" type stuff.
ReplyDelete...oh ... wait, isn't he BLACK?
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious even now, they are no longer covering up their blatant hatred based upon racism.
People like Glenn Beck will rue the day they stirred this cauldron because when something horrid happens, it will be on their shoulders and we will hold them responsible.
What ugly ugly non-Americans.
Racism, pure and simple.
ReplyDeleteIf the President were a white man, speaking to school children would never be a problem.
These freaks are batshit crazy!
Gryphen,
ReplyDeleteHate is all these people have. And yet I'm willing to bet most of them earn under 250,000 a year and enjoyed their tax break. And I'm also willing to bet that a good share of them could benefit greatly by a public option on healthcare.
This is truly frightening and it makes me very sad. I've thought this a hundred times, and maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like if you could just get these people (who are patting themselves on the back for being the ones who are 'paying attention') to take a step backwards and LOOK at how they are acting, and LISTEN to what they are saying, maybe they would stop.
ReplyDeleteLike I said, maybe I'm wrong.
wait a second, don't blame Eagle river for the wingnuts, that's Wasilla. I for one am glad the wing nuts are taking their children out of the discussion, that way our children can be part of an unmuddied discussion and not have their fingers bitten off.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, we had to watch Bush Sr. talk about drugs, and no took their kids out. It's not as if the far right isn't going to tell their kids what to think anyway.
I'm pretty sure tho' that telling your children not to listen to the President and calling him Hitler is treason, not to mention wishing him dead. Didn't G-Dog Bush have a 14 yr. old and their parents picked up by the Secret service for writing a paper about her fantasy world and Bush being dead in it? Not killed, maimed, or assassinated, just dead. yep, i looked it up. He did and no one called him Hitler or told their kids not to listen to him. Even if they should have to save their English language.
I read the transcript that was posted at the WhiteHouse site. It is all about being responsible for your education and working hard. And you definitely DON'T want people saying that to your kid, especially some brown guy. I'm just sayin.....
Here in Loudoun County, VA our Superintendent will NOT air President Obama's speech. Ironic this is the same guy who banned the "Tango makes three book". Right now I HATE living in Virginia.
ReplyDeleteAnd to paraphrase my post above, I have to agree with trish:
ReplyDeleteThese people are batshit crazy!
"George Bush made liberals crazy with frustration, but you never saw hate ratcheted up to this level."
ReplyDeleteYou are so naive its almost incomprehensible.
There was a movie made about the circumstances of his assassination.
A photo of him sodomizing a sheep while wearing a nazi armband.
circulated in cyberspace.
He was, and is still, considered by many to have been part of a conspiracy that destroyed the twin towers.
The there was this from an article during his first term: (2003)
"It’s no exaggeration to say that George Bush is more widely and deeply hated in Britain and the Western World than Saddam Hussein is. And that’s even though Saddam has home advantage, as it were, in that he’s a fit object for hatred by both sides. If you punch up “I hate George Bush” on your favourite search engine you’ll get a good deal more links than with “I hate Saddam Hussein”.
There was the book "Deserter: George Bush's War... ."
Fabrications about his I.Q.
Life 101:
Nature has gone to incredible lengths to allow people (and even single-cell organisms) to "discover" the world in which they live. The object of the discovery is truth. It is law of nature that if you distort the truth, attempt to shield your eyes from it, or simply refuse to accept what is,
you have violated natural law and you will be your own judge, jury, and executioner. No exceptions.
To suggest that the criticisms of Obama are racially motivated is utter nonsense. If that was the case his popularity and/or approval would not have decreased among blacks. There has been a dramatic swing in his approval ratings. This not coming from rascists: it is buyer's remorse.
Now, you can pin it on the President's skin color but that will serve to suggest you are incapable of dispassionate reflection.
If you want someone to blame for his unpopularity, drop it in the laps of what has got to be the most amateurish group of advisors any president has had to overcome.
How is it they don't see these things coming? Who is suggesting that he
has constitutional powers that exceed the scope of his office (i.e., Cybersecurity Bill S.773)? Is he so insulated from the real world that he
thinks internet super entities like Google, eBay, Amazon, Microsoft, and
Apple would not recoil at the idea of giving the President the powers
granted in this bill:
From "Mother Jones" (hardly a rascist, pro-right magazine)
"The Cybersecurity Act of 2009 (PDF) gives the president the ability to "declare a cybersecurity emergency" and shut down or limit Internet traffic in any "critical" information network "in the interest of national security." The bill does not define a critical information network or a cybersecurity emergency. That definition would be left to the president.
The bill does not only add to the power of the president. It also grants the Secretary of Commerce "access to all relevant data concerning [critical] networks without regard to any provision of law, regulation, rule, or policy restricting such access." This means he or she can monitor or access any data on private or public networks without regard to privacy laws."
Basically, Gryphen, do you know what this means for YOU: you can be monitored, have records of your blog accessed and possibly even shut down if someone, for reasons that may be entirely irrational, think
you represent some sort of threat to "National Security".
This bill is just one example of a) how poorly advised the President is
or b) how ill-equipped he is for the job.
"A man's enemies are those of his own household."
This is not about race: it's about incompetence, either the President's or
the people he believes he can trust. Do you want a truly worthy cause--
a noble quest? Then forget about Palin and try to find out who inside the White House or Congress is sabotaging Obama's presidency.
I keep finding out how naive I am on a daily basis even though I'm 57. I actually thought everyday life in America would basically be the same as it was when the Prez was white. I'm waiting for the riots ala the '60's to occur; will the right wing lunatics and the so-called media finally be happy then?
ReplyDeleteI just found out my kids' school (lower 48 , east coast close to DC) will not be showing the President's speech because of previously scheduled activities. WTF? I really hope they didn't receive similar letters, phone calls and e-mails and cave to the pressure. They gave a link where we could access the speech afterwards to show our kids. They can change the schedule to accommodate a puppet show, but they can't change the schedule for the President's speech about something as important as education. He has a Harvard law degree, he might have some good things to say about education no matter what color he is!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous @ 8:54 AM said..Didn't G-Dog Bush have a 14 yr. old and their parents picked up by the Secret service for writing a paper about her fantasy world and Bush being dead in it? Not killed, maimed, or assassinated, just dead. yep, i looked it up. He did and no one called him Hitler or told their kids not to listen to him.
ReplyDelete_________________________________
I'm not sure where you "looked it up at", but you have the story completely wrong.
Upset by the war in Iraq, Julia Wilson vented her frustrations with President Bush last spring on her Web page on MySpace.com.
She posted a picture of the president, scrawled “Kill Bush” across the top and drew a dagger stabbing his outstretched hand. She later replaced her page on the social-networking site after learning in her eighth-grade history class that such threats are a federal offense.
It was too late.
Federal authorities had found the page and placed Wilson on their checklist. They finally reached her this week in her molecular biology class.
The 14-year-old freshman was taken out of class Wednesday and questioned for about 15 minutes by two Secret Service agents. The incident has upset her parents, who said the agents should have included them when they questioned their daughter.
On Friday, the teenager said the agents’ questioning led her to tears.
“I wasn’t dangerous. I mean, look at what’s (stenciled) on my backpack — it’s a heart. I’m a very peace-loving person,” said Wilson, an honor student who describes herself as politically passionate. “I’m against the war in Iraq. I’m not going to kill the president.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15258484/
While maybe not intending to (which I do believe she meant no harm considering she deleted it when she found out it was illegal) she still made a threat against the President, however innocuous it was so it was acted on. Better safe than sorry.
The problem is that this was not up to the President, and however much I cannot stand G. Bush (either one of them) this was not his call, but that of the Secret Service and they were doing their jobs.
Imagine how much harder it must be on the Secret Service these days, what with the deliberate and open threats that are made every day, on forums and blogs alike all across this country, and with those people being easily riled up, people like Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck, Rush Limpdick and others are doing a disservice to the office of the President regardless of who is holding that office.
Protesting policy is one thing, but this nation is under siege by those who are not simply protesting the policies of a president they don't like, this is deliberate and intentional negligence as far as I am concerned.
It sad day in America when we will allow a Black President to turn our children into gay tree-hugging glenn beck hating communists.
ReplyDelete-----------------------------------------
I did NOT approve this message.
It is Racism pure & simple & SICKENING! You wouldn't see this in any other country but 'merika!
ReplyDeleteAll b/c a "half white-man" got elected president, its driven the closet racists, bat-shit crazy.
I agree with "Truth" and the other commenters, its gotten out of hand...we must not let it slip by and call it out when we see it! If that means stepping on someone's toes...then so be it!
Right now, this behavior of the right Racist's makes me ashamed to a American!
Free Speech has turned to Hate Speech, people hang on the words of Glenn beck and Rush limpballs, what the hell is wrong with these insane people?
They are teaching their kids to hate too! Its bad enough their hate and ignorance but passing it on, is unforgivable....
I find it so strange that those who claim to be "Christians" can exibit such hate when Christ said "the greatest of these is Love". What Bible are they reading?
ReplyDeleteWHY is there a donate to sarapac ad under this post??
ReplyDeleteOh yes, god forbid they stay in school, get educated, and learn how to think for themselves. An educated population is the last thing the rethugs want. Keeping people dumb, fat, and insane is ensuring they stay in power forever.
ReplyDeleteIt's an old, festering sore that has had the scab picked off. We can only hope that its exposure to light and air will finally lead to healing without the patient dying first.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazes me is how fast this has all occurred even though it was inevitable. I just hope the country as a whole is ready for what is involved in a transformation of attitude.
Thank you Gryphen. I am crying now and I cried this morning when I saw one of the bylines on Yahoo and read of some of the things being said. Go read the excerpt someone has posted on Mudflats (I think) of President Ronald Reagan's speech to school children on C-Span (about taxes, guns ...)! You have addressed succinctly this issue and it hurts, but I thank you. I hope your last paragraph is right on. And education is so emotionally important to me, and I know it is to you. Namaste.
ReplyDeleteThese are the same people who didn't/don't want to use the same bubbler.....(I'm sorry, "water fountain") as a black person for fear of being contaminated.
ReplyDeleteI bet too once H1N1 hits (and it has, already, at UW-Madison; in today's newspaper)it will be all Obama's fault--ney, it would have been in the works for years, only to be spread once a Black Democratic Man became President, plus the inoculation program underway by the evil Feds is actually a socialist fascist conspiracy to make the huddled masses get inoculated with some lethal potion. oooo don't stand in line for a vaccine; it's a trick--it's like death panels...it's...it's....OMG it's JUST LIKE when the NAZIS were in power!!
You see, I have so little hope in 48% of Americans to think logically and clearly and to have an open mind, plus, given recent rant events and the school districts in nearby mostly WHITE areas here in WI to decline showing our President's speech on being scholarly....well, I will stick up for this President to the best of my ability, and roll my eyes as needed against those who deserve it. And I will "pray" as much as I can (given that I don't really believe it works) that my fellow Americans stop acting like totally effing idiots.
Hey, what's up with the ad on your page? It looks kinda tacky, but I'm guessing you have no choice?
ReplyDeleteDisgusting is all I can say..
ReplyDelete.
The idea that America can be a meritocracy, in which a hardworking young man can grow up to be President, even if he's only a high school graduate, like Harry S Truman, began wearing thinner by the time the bright, charismatic scholarship student Bill Clinton came along. Now that Barack Obama is our President, I'm hearing a particularly ugly phrase that I thought was a well-lost part of my girlhood in an all-white "sundown town," in which the grown-ups were the offspring of displaced Okies. The phrase is "college" followed by the N-word.
ReplyDeleteThe teabaggers, the anti-health-care-reform-but-don't-touch-my-Medicare-wingers--all of the people whose standards of living and security have been dwindling over the last thirty years at least could cling to the notion that as white men, or women married to white men, they ranked higher than The Other.
The Other (as they see him) is now President, joining the Supreme Court, etc. That's what's at stake here. Poor people aren't automatically consigned to another part of town, or even another town, any more. Poor people might be us. Hardworking, good-student folk upon whom fortune has smiled aren't all necessarily white, and predominantly male. That's what's really griping Today's Morans.
Here's my comment at ADN:
ReplyDeleteThe disrespect being shown toward the president of the United States in this matter is appalling. I was no big fan of George Bush's by any means, but if he had chosen to present an address to my children urging them to stay in school and study hard I would have applauded him for encouraging them. This irrational fear of our democratically elected president, not only in this case but in the whole health care debate and other important issues facing our nation, raises serious questions in my mind. Is it simply because President Obama is a Democrat? Would there have been such an outcry if Bill Clinton had addressed school children? Or is it something "darker," more sinister, perhaps the color of the president's skin? If you are so vocally and angrily opposing the president when all he is doing is talking to school children about the importance of a good education, you need to seriously examine your heart and your motives.
Blue_in_AK
I'm happy to say I already have 5 recommends within about 10 minutes. :)
From CNN:
ReplyDeleteFlorida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer released a statement Monday accusing Obama of using taxpayer money to "indoctrinate" children.
"As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology," Greer said.
"The idea that schoolchildren across our nation will be forced to watch the president justify his plans ... is not only infuriating but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power."
Really? I'm about ready to call my local school district to make sure they're showing the President's message. If they're not, I'll definitely let them know (politely, choosing words wisely) what I think about that, and see if there isn't a way to arrange a protest at a school board meeting. This anti-'Obama administration' attitude is getting old.
"From the crazy town hall protesters, to the under educated "Teabaggers", and now including these angry hate filled parents we are seeing a phenomena that simply defies explanation."
ReplyDeleteGryphen,
I ask myself that same question each and every time I put the teevee on.
It IS racism. What else could it possibly be? You take that racism, mix in Palin's hateful rhetoric, McCain ignoring that hate talk, Faux Noise being bad losers, this is what we get. It sure goes to show all of us some people's true colors.
Will it ever get better? I doubt it. As long as the rethugs are out of absolute power it will probably get even worse. The right wing nuts want to scream, holler and cry about their 2nd amendment rights (which are not in the least threatened), they want to scream about freedom of speech, but if anyone on the left dare speak their mind, then they are demonized. The right wants to scream as loud as possible how Christian they are, but they don't have a clue as to the example Jesus set for others.
I am sooooo effin sick and tired of these people.
Don't they realize that if Obama were even a bit like a Nazi they wouldn't have the right to criticize him? All they would have is Obama propaganda, not Fox News and their cohorts. They'd be locked away in secret somewhere, being tortured. Kinda like Gitmo.
Assholes.
The 'other' explanation.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 7:12AM said: '2. The far right has only one tactic: oppose anything and everything offered or said by the Obama administration.'
If you look at politics today, and see how polarised it is, well this comes as no surprise. Yes racism plays a part, but another, big, part is the attitude of 'just say no'. It doesn't matter what it is, 'just say no'. If Hillary had won, we'd see a lot of the same attitude coming from the far right. We'd probably be seeing more of woman's 'traditional' role in life though.
"My pet goat"....Too Funny! Obama will be speaking aobut the importance of education. How is that brain washing? Oh well, with a real education you can make intelligent, informed decisions. We can't let that happen!
ReplyDeleteCarrie
Excuse me wing-fucking-nuts of America...remember way back to that awful day on 9-11-2001. Where was President shrub? In a school, perhaps....poisoning the minds of CHILDREN?
ReplyDeleteFuck you and your hypocritcal racist hate.
Get out of MY COUNTRY!
This reeks of the 1930s push at antisemitism. Substitute black with "jew," etc. I have been reading a book found awhile ago in an antique store: "Last Train From Berlin" by Howard K. Smith. It reeks of similarities. How a small portion of society condemns others and projects their anxieties and fears on someone else.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is the output from 8 years of total frustration. "Let's blame somebody for these problems, but not the real guys who did the damage."
I am stunned and very upset by this latest rally against our duly elected President.
Glen Beck is really sick. But you must remember this is a global issue. Democracy is not a global culture. We are forcing it on everyone as the ideal. Yes, it is good way to go. But everyone else out there may not be ready for it or want it. Different cultures all across the globe.
I hope something happens to calm this world down. We do not need any more military dominionism.
It is racism. It is also very disheartening. The ignorant racists are popping out of the woodwork. It will be a very long time before this country is rid of them but at least they are making themselves obvious. And they hide behind religion, what a bunch of hypocrites.
ReplyDeleteSjK ***YEAH!!!!***
ReplyDeleteAnon@ 9:00am, heh! I don't think it will be Gryphen's blog getting carted away by security, but Red state, hot air and the rest of the right wing HATE fest sites Yes! Good riddance!
And sorry, missed the one about Bush and the Sheep?
And who started spying on 'MERIKAN'S??? Why Bush of course, namely the Patriot act, don't try to put it on OBAMA, course that is all you assHats know how to do, blame Obama, Just say no! Watch faux noise and spew the same dumbass talking points. Losers!
I took the balanced approach. My daughter came home with a permission slip to view the speech. I gave a tentative OK only if I am allowed to view the speech either with her or read the transcript prior to it. I would do the same if bimbo were speaking. no, I second guess that. I would not allow her to hear a palin speech on education. The two just don't go.
ReplyDeleteI might also add that so long as this is a speech on the importance of education, I'm all for it. If it is a political speech, there's no room for it in my daughters school. That is the only reason I would nix the viewing for her - if it was political. Otherwise, I have no issue with it.
ReplyDeleteMy husband's response to this (he's a licensed professional counselor): THEY are afraid that if their children listen to the President, they might start to QUESTION the parents' points of view, and their hatred.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this past year about how many kids in Alaska are home-schooled, and reading about the Palins in particular with the amount of time their kids were out of public school, I tend to shudder a little bit every time I hear some interview of a "man on the street" who says his kids are home-schooled -- like the interview this morning on MSNBC.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have to admit, he sounded a bit saner than most, because he said that he will sit down WITH his kids at home when they listen to Pres. Obama's speech directed to them, and the kids and he will discuss it ongoing and afterward.
Where are all the people who voted for Obama last year, giving him a mandate for change? And, where are our Democratic politicians, who should be on TV and radio daily, talking about Obama, what he's trying to do to save our once-great country after eight years of Bush/Cheney?
ReplyDeleteWe cannot sit by and let the Republican loonies define the positions and hope they destroy themselves in the process. Remember what not speaking up did to the Kerry campaign in 2004?
I am so damn mad at what I have been seeing and hearing the last two months - as well as what I have NOT been seeing and hearing. When are we going to point out that eight years of Bush/Cheney put us into this recession and it'll take more than 6 months to get us out.
When will we speak up for ourselves and verbally dismember these vile racsists? I've always been proud to be a Democrat and to come from a strong Democratic family (except for my sister and her husband!), and never so much as last November when a substantial number of voters went to the polls and elected a black man as president. I stood with my two sons in the infamous "Purple Section" on the lawn of the US Capital, in a crowd of blacks, whites, Asians, Hispanics, and cheered and cried as he was sworn in as our new President.
But, NOW, TODAY, I am mortified that Democrats have swung back into "default" mode of not defending ourselves against the visious slurs of the Right.
As you can tell, I'm really pissed off.
The hate and racism against Pres Obama has become institutionalized and it's a horror. I cannot understand why schools, for chrissakes, supposed bastions of learning, do not have more respect for someone duly elected as President of the United States and for his office. Sure, I despised Bush, but I criticized him for his lies, his policies and the politicalization of the office, and general dumbfuckery. I heard one critic on MSNBC this am saying that the President was intelligent, learned, articulate, a fine orator, but--he's going to indoctrinate our children with Marxist ideology!!! And where does this "Marxist" bullshit come from? Well, he IS black, and you know all those blacks are communists because they want welfare, healthcare, blah, blah, blah. The same old BS, over and over.
ReplyDeleteI live in a small semi-rural NC county, which is 95% white, Rethuglicon and reactionary (not my choice, my son's ex-wife's, but I moved in with him after his divorce 10 yrs ago). I heard on the news this am that this school district will not allow the President's remarks to the students to be aired. I dashed off an email to them immediately, voicing my disgust at their decision, and castigating them for it in no uncertain, but polite, terms.
Racism, communism, Hitler, Lenin, and all of the rest are but "tools" the republican party has been using to cause hatred and civil discourse against President Obama and the American people.
ReplyDeleteThe Bush/Cheney regime tried to destroy this country during those 8 years but their work was incomplete. That is why Palin was picked for the win.
Yesterday, I read an article at HuffPost regarding the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division. It will take around two years to clean out Bush's cronies; those who failed the people. And there was a similar problem at the Labor Department. No telling how long it will take to flush out all of Bush's cronies.
I read about the 9/11 conspiracy videos on youtube, so I thought I would check them out. I watched all the videos that youtube had regarding 9/11. And I heard about another site, Patriots Question 9/11. I am now a "truther."
http://patriotsquestion911.com/
There are 47 videos on youtube, titled "9/11 Truth." And at mininova, the complete 9/11 Truth 2-hr documentary. It's more than racism. A ploy against President Obama hoping for his failure as well as causing civil discourse amongst Americans in order to achieve their goal. It's about power, control and money; follow the money.
...back to the beginning, Vizzini.....
I'd like to see Civics make a comeback as a mandatory class. Make it mandatory to pass it in order to graduate high school, and make the content a mandatory part of GED tests, for people who go that route.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that many of the out of control haters and town hall ranters have no idea what the Constitution really says. It seems they also don't understand what it means to be a "citizen". I wonder how many could pass the Immigration and Naturalization test to become a U.S. Citizen? Do they realize that not only do we have rights, but also responsibilities?
A bunch of these people who are out of control at town halls would call themselves "patriots". And yet you've got people saying they don't want "the government" to indoctrinate their children. So what exactly are they patriotic about? Our form of government, we the people, are all part of this country.
Freedom of speech seems particularly misunderstood, and Palin definitely has been one to spread that ignorance. She seems to think it means freedom not to be criticized for making bad decisions or making ignorant statements. The town hall shouters apparently think freedom of speech means they get to yell so loudly or act in such an intimidating manner (carried loaded firearms to meetings about HEALTH CARE???) that others will be unable to be heard or simply afraid to speak.
Fox News, as well as the right wing radio personalities have done a very good job of warping the minds of quite a few people. I have watched enough Fox News and listened to enough talk radio (know thy enemy) that most of the time I can tell you which particular host that some nutjob in a town hall is parroting when they say some particular lunatic comment.
Thank God for the bloggers, and I mean that sincerely. We need a free press in order to keep our democracy, and right now the MSM is indeed too chicken to call a lot of this hatred out for what it is.
And to Anon 9:00, come on, you truly cannot see the difference between the level of hate being displayed now toward President Obama from that displayed toward President Bush??? I don't think you are naive, so it must be you are being dishonest. Yes, I know you are a troll, that's your crumb for the day.
As a Canadian fan of this blog and of Americans in particular, I was thrilled for you, and actually all of us when Obama was elected.
ReplyDeleteToday, and for the last couple of months, I have watched with horror, what is happening in your country. I cannot wrap my brain around the nonsense I am reading. There is no excuse to not have health care. There is no excuse to wish and pray for your Presidents death. Limbaugh, Beck and Palin...and several others, really need to be outed in a big way. I don't have the answer, but by heaven someone better do something soon.
I firmly believe these people want Mr. Obama dead...and will not stop until that becomes a reality...God forbid. Then...what becomes of your nation and your people.
Laurie
Our country is on it's way out as a world power, plain and simple. We've languished too long not promoting equal healthcare rights for our population and resting on the laurels of the world power that we were 3 decades ago.
ReplyDeleteMy dad said this would happen and I laughed but it is happening and America is becoming irrelevant.
We are going to be nothing more than a divided nation for the next decade and all of our infighting will accomplish nothing for our population. We'll offer nothing to the world except to spend billions that could have helped the American populace, cleaning up the damage that we've done in the Middle East in the quest for oil.
Canada looks good to me right now and may just be a refuge from American craziness once again; just as it was for those 3 decades ago that wished to not participate in an unjust war.
At least it's only 7 hours away by car.....
Before the Civil War, it was illegal in most southern states to educate blacks. Could it be that bigoted whites still do not want any minorities to hear positive messages about staying in school? Bigotry is alive and ranting...Sharon in Florida
ReplyDeleteThis really angers me! I am ashamed, and saddened that I live in a county where the school board has decided NOT to show the live broadcast!
ReplyDeleteMy kids are grown and out of school, but I do have grandkids in the school system.
WTH is wrong with allowing them to view the President's speech....a speech encouraging them to study hard and stay in school?
ArmchairJane is right: Civics class needs to be mandatory again. I remember having to pass Civics class, along with testing on both the US Constitution and my state Constitution, in order to graduate Jr High and move on to HS. My own kids did as well; when and why was that changed!
Hey, how dare all of you are ganging up on Anon @ 900 a.m.
ReplyDeleteAs the founder of the Conservative Republicans of America Party, I happen to know that Anon is a member in good standing. He stands proud and true when he spouts the C.R.A.P. line!
Actually, those who fear what Obama might say to our impressionable children are merely heeding one of the planks in our party's platform:
Article 1.
"Lernin'? We don't need no stinkin' lernin'!"
Anon, don't let them get to you! I know that you are full of C.R.A.P. and exude C.R.A.P. wherever you go! Be true to our party's values and be full of C.R.A.P. all your days!
The Conservative Republicans of America Party.
Remember,
It's not just a party.
It's a movement.
Are there agencies in AK that you can report the names of these various parents as UNFIT parents. Most certainly the ones making the comparison to Hitler in that they are a security risk to the state - to the country. The more they up the ante -- AK FBI sounds pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI posted this on Huff earlier today...
ReplyDeleteLet's be clear, (as I have stated before) there are numerous people in America, specifically within the GOP that do not like the fact, we the people elected our 1st African American President and he is our 44th Commander in Chief. That said, these same people (aggregated down to the White Older Men of the GOP) do not want their children and for that matter anyone's children exposed to a message that will undoubtedly give many children the inspiration, encouragement and concrete their self commitment of their own future. The GOP has now crossed a line of which they can not return from, they are using our innocent children and depriving them an opportunity and/or a teachable moment from our Commander in Chief and this is truly a sad moment in our political history. So I say again, to the members of the GOP have you NO SHAME or decency?
> Daisydem said...
ReplyDelete> THEY are afraid that if their children listen
> to the President, they might start to QUESTION
> the parents' points of view, and their hatred
That's pretty much it. Winger parents are jealous that their children have an opportunity to grow up without all the needless, ridiculous religious or social rules that they got stuck with (Whattaya mean your boyfriend's black? Whattaya mean you want to be an evolutionary biologist?) so they're trying to graft it on them x10. ("If *I* had to, by god, then so do you.")
Amen, Gryphen, amen. Agree 100%. Yes, it is racism---pure & simple. Pushed by the bigots; the less educated fall in line with the idea of a "nazi" or "socialist" boogeyman.
ReplyDelete1. goofy anon at 9:00 am --- legislation is passed by the house and senate before any president can sign it in to law -- so if you don't like the cybersecurity act, i suggest you look up all the votes on it and start writing to congresscritters.
ReplyDeletei really dislike fearmongers that don't even understand basic government functions like lawmaking.
2. why would this be the first time any school child has heard president obama speak? didn't their parents educate them during the campaign and during the election?
3. there is no buyers remorse with obama - he is the hardest working president we have had in FOREVER.
signed - ENOUGH
Was I being ganged up on? I didn't take it that way.
ReplyDeleteGasman, you couldn't fathom how indifferent I am to your barbs. Not because you are on the other side of the aisle--I think. It's because your post so poorly written, I can't process it enough to feel insulted.
Let's try this again:
I suggest this (the heat Obama is taking) is not about race. It's the result of a series of miscalculations he made since getting the nomination. He permitted himself to be seen as a messianic figure that
would shepherd in a new Golden Age for America.
He compounded his mistake by selecting advisors that have put his presidency in need of the political equivalent of intensive care. There has been miscalculation after miscalculation after miscalculation.
A few of the more grievous:
Taking a strong stand against pork-barrel spending and then signing a bill that contained 9,000 such items.
Denying he was aware of any "Tea Parties". (Given Rahm Emanuel is his Chief of Staff, that doesn't pass the laugh test."
Cozying up to Hugo Chavez. Did JFK ever even smile when hearing the name Fidel Castro?
Failing to place a call to the leader of India after he was elected but
putting in a call to the President of Pakistan. Dumb, dumb, dumb, since it is projected that India will be one of the world's most powerful democracies.
Releasing the torture memos. Morally, he may have made the right
decision; politically it was a disastrous miscalculation. The White House needs the trust of the Cia, FBI, etc; when it doesn't have that
you have a potentially combustible situation (see RFK v. J.Edgar Hoover) that become a national security nightmare.
It goes on and on: embracing former enemies while alienating allies like Germany and the U.K.
No racism--just minor league politics and diplomacy packaged as brilliance and advanced with arrogance. What other word adequately describes an attempt to ram through a 1,000 page health care bill that
congress had not read?
On Sarah Palin's faceboook page, as of 5:20 pacific time, there is a message from "white-full power-full" that has an icon of a small child in a KKK pointy-white-hat and cape. It's scary.
ReplyDeleteArmshairJane you are right. IMO Civics should be bough back.I did not realise it wasn't untill my second child was in middle school,although I had it as a freshman in high school
ReplyDeleteanonymous at 4:18, that comment on snailins facebook needs to be reported, we need to all head over there and report that comment as racist and hate mongering
ReplyDeletewe need to speak up from now on...we elected wonderful PRESIDENT OBAMA,, now let's show our support....
Isn't it the role of educators to be role models to children and adults alike...why are people bowing to the haters...
ReplyDeleteWho will stand up for what is right, when we allow crazy people to run this country????
Just because I detest a certain single black man and don't want him talking to my child, doesn't make me a racist... I hate certain white people too, and don't let them talk to my child, especially about religion or politics. LOL.. and my child is inspired by her country, her family, and her God, not by her president... She wants to help her country, her family, and her God, not her president.
ReplyDelete@5:29 p.m., you have no reason to "detest" President Obama. What has he done to you? Teabag much? And you are unpatriotic! You are an unconscious racist to boot. Get some help.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 5:29 pm
ReplyDeleteGod forbid he talks about going to school, doing their homework, maybe helping another kid having a problem with a math question, helping Mom and Dad at home
You fucking moron.
Anon@ 5:29Pm you are a "Racist"...PRESIDENT OBAMA IS HALF WHITE!!
ReplyDeleteAnon@4:18pm
Signing a bill with pork barrel (rethug wording) spending, the rethugs put alot of stuff in there too. And one example from Gov.Bobby Jindal of Lousiana...volcano monitoring. A active volcano has been going off since the end of Jan in Alaska, Mr. Redoubt. I'm sure the people of Alaska don't consider that "pork barrel spending" but I digress...
Why Should PRESIDENT OBAMA acknowledge tea parties? They are lucky they weren't all arrested, that is the problem he ignored them!
Hugo Chavez! Hugo Chavez!!! Hello, who has been giving Alaskans in the bush heating oil, "socialist" heating oil for over two years while Palin did nothing!!!!!
I am not sure about your India snark but India & Pakistan where not so long ago ONE!
I can't comment on what your saying because I am not familar with the incident...but I do have books where Pakistan is/was India.
So I will let you have that, along with Africa is a country. (from our VP candidate palin)
PRESIDENT OBAMA needs to release torture memos because they lead right up to our last VP dick.
He must be punished for war crimes along with anyone else involved. Why are you against that???
America does not torture!
Re: Health care bill. I have one question. HOW MANY OF YOUR RETHUGS POLITICIANS STILL HAVE THEIR GOVT (SOCIALIZED) HEALTHCARE?
To show solidarity against the bill they should quit their socialized healthcare immediately, other wise I will not listen to any arguments from them. EPIC FAIL!
Just ignore Anon 09:00/4:18pm. He/she is some kind of National Review Online/Jonah Goldberg type who wants to pretend that all the opposition to President Obama is from educated and thoughtful conservatives (like him/herself) who just happen to have a problem with President Obama's policies.
ReplyDeleteI can guarantee you that the huge spike in threats the Secret Service is having to contend with is not caused by a bunch of people who were ticked off that President Obama supposedly failed to call the newly elected Indian leader.
There are real live racists out there who are being emboldened, as well as some other right wing nutjobs who freak out whenever we have a Democratic president. Saying they don't exist doesn't make them any less real.
If Anon 0:900/4:20 pm really hasn't seen any evidence of racist opposition to President Obama, then I know of a very interesting Kenyan birth certificate he/she might be interested in. Orly Taitz has it for sale, cheap.
Anon,
ReplyDeleteIt is precisely about race. The moronic claims of socialism, Communism, Kenyanism, liberalism, and for all I know, cannibalism are not based upon ANY factual evidence. Not a shred. Obama has no history that supports any of the asinine charges that have been hurled at him. The level of ridiculosity from the right has been ratcheted so far beyond the insane, and the leaders of the Republican Party remain silent.
This damn well is racism by proxy and this American is mad as hell. I will not remain silent will armchair Klansmen trot out the most imbecilic charges imaginable because they can't shout N*GGER!
This is fear mongering hate speech by any other name. It is stupid, it is irrational, and now that these inbred cousin lovers are bringing guns to Presidential rallies, it is threatening our democracy How long before one of these disaffected morons actually shoots someone because they are so paranoid they see Communists everywhere? It is cowardly, unpatriotic, and unAmerican. It has to stop NOW!
I love it when the Obama haters call him a socialist AND a fascist. They would be funny if they weren't so dangerous.
ReplyDeleteGasman@8:11 Well said!
ReplyDeleteAnon@10:05pm so true!
Anon@3:43PM : Is was the far rw that bestowed the title of Messiah upon President Obama during the primary season. The first time I read it was on a conservative blog. This is just one of the many lies some conservatives tell to cover up the fact that Obama is competent and to mask their racism. I've lived in this country for 50+ years as an African American. I am highly educated. I was admitted to the University of Georgia on the basis of my grades, and my parents paid my tuition. I finished college in 3 years. You and those of your ilk can never see beyond a person's skin color. The only parents who ever questioned my skills as a teacher were conservatives.
ReplyDeleteAngela Merkel and Gordon Brown have no problem with the Obama Administration. The fact is that since Obama became POTUS, America's standing among the citizens of foreign nations has improved. And as far as the torture memos are concerned, there would have been no reason to release them had the Bush Administration not committed the atrocities in the first place. Obama is cleaning up Bush's mess, and before you come onto this progressive blog to spew your lies, you need to do the research and broaden your horizons. Fuchs Noose is fuching with your mind while placing a noose of misinformation, lies, racism, and prejudice around your neck and strangling reality our of your grasp, and you're buying every bit of it. You're too stupid to know that you are being subjected to censorship, and that your Fist Amendment rights are being infringed upon on a daily basis, besides the fact that your ability to think critically has been taken from you. As an African American who lived during the period of segregation in America and during the Civil Rights Era, you cannot tell me one thing about racism, prejudice, and discrimination. I lived through these periods, and in the South, no less. I recognize these things for what they are. I cannot be BSed about ANY of it. I've voted since 1972, and always for a white man. I have never witnessed such hatred and disrespect for a president in my entire life. Save it. Your party has alienated everyone except for your base of approximately 20-21% of the country. Forget the African Americans, and oh, by the way, 95% of African Americans still support Obama. You must have pulled that "poll" number out of your behind. Forget the Hispanics/Latinas after the unnecessary hatchet-job you did on Associate SC Justice Sotomayor. Forget the Asians and Middle Easterners, especially the MEs because you've pissed them off too with your crap insulting their religion and other customs. You think that by attacking Obama and making him look bad, liberals will vote for your candidates in 2010 and 2012. Forget it. We may not agree with all of President Obama's actions, but we know when we've been blessed with a decent national representative, and your party doesn't have one. Your party doesn't have any ideas or policies because if it did, lies, ad hominen attacks and threats against the president would not be necessary. What has made many members of your party psycho where Obama is concerned is his competence. It's scary having the old stereotypes and lies about a race/group debunked at a national and internatiional level. I'll be a liberal until the day I die because liberals allow the individual to be who and what they are. We think for ourselves, but most of all, I like being affilitated with people who want to reach out to others, who want to extend the same rights to all, and a group that has an air of family no matter where you come from. The Republican Party is devoid of any of these things. Here's hoping you'll be even more marginalized in 2010 and 2012 because I'm praying for it. Until the leaders of your party can admit the mistakes they made and apologize to Americans and other world citizens, all you can do for me is SD&STFU and KMAAA, and don't be too slow in doing it.
Co-sign Majii!!!! To Anon @ 9:00am & 4:18pm...we know who you are. We all recognize the lonnnnggg windyness (is that a word?) of your post as coming from the "Other". Nobody is buying what you are selling over here so go back to your own blog. Now Anon @ 5:29pm...you should be ashamed of yourself for even posting on the internet. Your ignorance and racism is coming through LOUD & CLEAR.
ReplyDeleteAs far as my children listening to the President asking them to stay in school and anything else...I see no problem in that.
Wow, you are very naive to think Obama isn't trying to pull a fast one. He got caught this time because people are starting to watch this man. Read or listen to David Horowitz - I think you might re-think some of the things you have said. B.O. is a scary scary man and it has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with racism. I find it funny when liberals KNOW they are wrong they start saying the right is racist. Funny and sad all at the same time. Can't wait until 2012 - he will be outta the presidency I have no doubt, America is starting to wake up and you will NOT be in the majority.
ReplyDelete