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Obama Cult of Personality Hits Classrooms Today
By Ron Miller | 09/08/09 | 01:49 AM EDT | 15 Comments
Given the nature of political discourse these days, I wasn't the least bit surprised when liberals and Washington elites began ridiculing parents for objecting to President Obama's planned address to schoolchildren on September 8th. The Calvert County public school system crafted an excellent response to concerned parents and I was very satisfied with their solution.
Objections to and defenses of this address have generally fallen into one of two categories, logistics or content.
Logistically, some believe delivering the President's message on such short notice when schedules and coursework for that day are already in place would be too disruptive. Others believe the unique nature of such an address warrants flexibility and accommodation by the schools on behalf of the President.
Regarding content, some argue the message is a veiled attempt to steer children toward a political agenda at an age when their suspectibilty to suggestion and the appeal of President Obama to young people are both high. This impression was exacerbated by drafts of proposed lesson plans developed by the Department of Education for the speech in which students were to be asked what they could do "to help the President." The resulting firestorm led the White House to declare the lesson plan was still in the review process, and the questionable statement was changed.
Proponents highlight the importance of the President encouraging children in their education and exhorting them to work hard and stay in school, and call objections to such a positive, universal message "silly," to use Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's words.
There is one other consideration that hasn't received the same attention, however, although some have touched on it when acknowledging the President's popularity with young people.
President Obama is the consummate campaigner and candidate, one of the best in the history of American politics. His mastery of modern communications technologies and techniques simply amplifies his formidable skills. Other candidates have similar skills or are equally adept at the use of online tools and resources for political campaigns, but Obama's secret weapon is - himself.
Hundreds of politicians gave speeches at the Republican and Democratic national conventions in 2004, but only one speech launched a phenomenom, and that was then-Illinois state senator Barack Obama's keynote speech at the Democratic convention. Political observers across the spectrum knew then that a star was born, and the handsome, eloquent and elegant candidate evoked memories of the euphoric days of Camelot and John F. Kennedy's short-lived presidency.
No one could have envisioned, however, the deification of Barack Obama. A search of "Obama Messiah" in Google turns up about 2,000,000 hits. The German magazine Der Spiegel devoted a cover story to "Der Messias-Faktor." Slate Magazine, not generally regarded as a conservative publication, had a tongue-in-cheek series by Timothy Noah that began in January 2007 called “The Obama Messiah Watch” to chronicle the "gratuitously adoring biographical details that appear in newspaper, television, and magazine profiles of this otherworldly presence in our midst.”
Here's are a few verses from the Book of Obama:
“What Barack Obama has accomplished is the single most extraordinary event that has occurred in the 232 years of the nation’s political history. … The event itself is so extraordinary that another chapter could be added to the Bible to chronicle its significance.” ~ Jesse Jackson, Jr., U.S. Congressman
"Many spiritually advanced people I know (not coweringly religious, mind you, but deeply spiritual) identify Obama as a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet, of relating and connecting and engaging with this bizarre earthly experiment. These kinds of people actually help us evolve." ~ Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist
"Everything's going to be affected by this seismic change in the universe." ~ Spike Lee, film director
"In a way Obama is standing above the country, above the world. He's sort of GOD. He's going to bring all different sides together." ~ Evan Thomas, Newsweek editor
"I have to tell you, you know, it's part of reporting this case, this election, the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama's speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don't have that too often. No, seriously. It's a dramatic event." ~ Chris Matthews, MSNBC commentator
If supposedly sensible adults are reduced to such blather in Obama's presence, would you expect any less from our children as they sit in their seats, mesmerized by the voice and visage of the Lightworker?
Our celebrity-besotted society has elevated an extraordinary politician to a status exceeding even that of an American Idol, and I suspect President Obama is too smart and self-aware not to realize this.
"I have a gift," he remarked to Senator Harry Reid after he was congratulated on yet another stirring presentation, and he wants to use that gift to personalize his agenda so it's not about mundane policy questions but about him and the appeal of his presence. When you are gazing upon an illuminated being, it's harder to think critically about what he actually proposes to do.
With all the other reasons being given for the controversy over President Obama's school presentation, perhaps parents simply don't want the chorus of unadulterated praise for the President to include their children. Whatever contempt the President's worshipers have for them, parents' rights trump all else.
After all, it is their responsibility to raise and protect their children, not the school system, not the federal government, and not Barack Obama. If anyone's going to be a hero worthy of adulation in their lives, it should be the ones who've been entrusted with their care.
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15 Comments | Related Topics »National
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Comments
Being as objective as I possibly am able, it seems Mr. Obama may be a victim of his own charisma ... and self-centeredness. But let us not forget to give some credit to the masses; for their zealous desire to make more of this man than what he is has allowed him to enchant his audience with words of no substance.
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|AMEN!!!
I refuse to have ANYONE tell me how best to teach my children or what they should hear, especially if it is our government! Obama knows nothing of my family or what we believe! I thank God every day that we can homeschool our children and teach them values and morality as God defines it, not the federal government!
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|Yes this is a hero worship in the worst way. I told Matt to do his best to watch the President's speech and to tell me later what he heard and his view on it. Matt is a well rounded individual and I want him to hold respect for the office of President. But I also want to talk to him about what he hears today. Although he said it may be hard because his school is showing this video during lunch hour and now everyone in the school has lunch at the same time - very noisy. Anyway, we should remain in respect for the office but demand answers to the pertinent questions we have as parents after our teens watch this speech.
I also believe that people are angry about this event because just as he has done on every issue he is ramming this speech down our children collective throats. Even our school system has said that they did not have enough time to plan appropriately for this speech. He rams everything down our throats and then we are supposed to accept it because he is the first black president. Well not only do I say no I say heck no!!
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|Because "the One" has "the gift" it is most likely he is assuming that by taking to the kiddies, even about such mundane topics as education, they too will become members of this personality cult. He may be right since they have not developed critical thinking yet. So, it's up to the parents to protect their children from this slick lipped shyster in the same way they would protect them from a smooth talking drug dealer.
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|I am being held captive in a cult. The leader of this cult is a tall, skinny black man who refers to himself as The President.
I am trying desperately to make a getaway but there are serious looking fellows in suits who keep turning their eyes from side to side. The message is, "just make a false move and you are history."
I understand that there are bed rooms upstairs from the office where he works. And there is two young girls who come visit him from time to time, and he goes upstairs with them.
I want you to take me seriously. I am not a loony who is making this up.
I will be in touch with you, but I have to go now....
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|Hi,
You all sound like you are jealous of his popularity with the public!
It very much sounds like sour grapes to me. You are trying to pick any little fault you can find and even make up faults in order complain about him and his administration.
Why not use all this effort to do some good instead of constantly carping!
CliK
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|I must confess I'm amused at the filters people bring with them when they read an article. For what it's worth, I don't need 10 minutes of fame or even 10 seconds. This article isn't attacking anyone. Let's review, shall we?
1) I offer the reasons why parents are either for or against the school speech.
2) I speak of and give examples of the unprecedented hero worship of this President. The quotes are not my words but those of just a few of his supporters. I could have included more but 2,000,000 (that's 2 million) Google hits are hard to encapsulate in an article.
2) I suggest that the deification of Barack Obama by his most ardent supporters is off-putting to parents who should have some influence over who their children idolize.
3) I conclude by saying that parents have a right to raise, nurture and instruct their children. In fact, they have an obligation to do so and no one else should intrude on that responsibility unless there is reason to believe a child is in danger or being harmed.
Can someone tell me what is in that synopsis that warrants typing in all capital letters, using language inappropriate for mixed company, and generally making oneself out to be a little troubled? Of course, it's all done anonymously.
Let me say this; if your parents were cruel to you, then I am truly sorry. I was blessed with two loving parents who just celebrated 50 years of marriage. My wife and I just celebrated 25 years of holy matrimony ourselves, and we have three amazing children in whom we're so very proud. I cannot imagine your pain but I know that there are people of great compassion out there who can help you heal. More importantly, I hope the fact the one who was cruel to you was a pastor doesn't turn you away from God. He has to own his cruelty because God can only love. Good luck to you!
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|Mr. Miller, your Norman Rockwell portrait of your good life keeps me going. My existence being trapped in this cult is not a Norman Rockwell portrait. But I know you are my life-line out.
Please tell me that this is not just your 15 minutes and that you will persevere to expose this cult. I'll hang on, knowing that you will help to get me out...
God Bless
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|I understanmd if you play Obamas's speech backword, he proclaims that he is the devil. Lucifer incarnate.
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|Make light all you want, but the record is clear: the White House backpeddled like crazy on this and ended up crafting a speech completely unlike the one it had planned. You can only paint it as harmless now, after the massive revision.
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|First, it's okay for a president to encourage students to stay in school, work hard, and develop positive character traits. However, it's not the job of youngsters, or the job of Americans to work for Obama. Rather, it's his job to work for us because we pay his salary and countless benefits. Moreover, we don't need the robotic pledge created by Hollywood celebrities. We have a great Pledge of Allegiance that represents the principles of justice and liberty.
The president's role is to defend our liberties under the Constitution if we can't do it ourselves, and to protect the nation from domestic and foreign enemies. That's it, period. All other functions that Obama and the Democrats are attempting to carry out are either unconstitutional, or they are riddled with inefficient bureaucracy and unhealthy co-dependency. Most domestic programs can be better implemented by local areas, businesses, communities, families, and individuals.
Notice that Obama rarely mentions the word freedom, or liberty in his conferences, interviews, and speeches. Yet individual liberty is what this nation was founded upon, and that includes freedom from an ever advancing nanny state. Those that endorse gargantuan government don't realize that government can't bring happiness or fulfillment. We have to find it ourselves with the help of the divine presence.
Obama still smokes, yet he passes laws penalizing tobacco companies. Instead of strengthening our alliances, he appeases the enemies of civilization. He lectures businesses and families to live within their means, yet he's relentlessly spending the government into bankruptcy. On his watch, the deficit has at least tripled, and there's no end in sight for the national debt.
As a business as usual politician, there is little that Obama can teach anyone, because he doesn't practice what he preaches, and it's apparent that he cares little for the national interest, or for the future of this great country. He wants to tear the nation down, and then try to shape it in his own image. He's unfazed that central planning has been a colossal failure in every case down through history. BTW, Obama's not a black man, he's biracial. He was primarily raised by his Caucasian mother and her parents.
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|Just like the Armageddon that would befall us in the year 2000, the speech that was suppose to indoctrinate our youth. Now who was spreading the baseless lies…..hmm…..oh ya, “Fake News”. Is anyone real surprised? Too funny.
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|He is the President of the United States. I don't seem to rememeber a fuss when George HW Bush or Ronald Reagan wanted to deliver their addresses to school children
Why the double standard?
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|There are plenty of double standards to go around in politics. I seem to recall a certain Speaker of the House saying:
Then: “I’m a fan of disruptors. Nothing could be more American.”
Now: "Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American."
As I said in my previous comments, Dwayne, my point wasn't about the speech but about the parents' rights to raise their children as they see fit. If they have issues with their children listening to the speech without them present to discuss it, whether it's President Obama, Bush, or any other public official, that should be their right and society shouldn't criticize or demonize parents for making that choice. Our society is constantly pushing parents out of the way as if they no longer matter and this is just another example of that.
Frankly, the difference between the Bush I and Reagan speeches and now? Times have changed and the people have changed. Think of what would have happened if Bush II had tried the same thing.
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|There are plenty of double standards to go around in politics. I seem to recall a certain Speaker of the House saying:
Then: “I’m a fan of disruptors. Nothing could be more American.”
Now: "Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American."
As I said in my previous comments, Dwayne, my point wasn't about the speech but about the parents' rights to raise their children as they see fit. If they have issues with their children listening to the speech without them present to discuss it, whether it's President Obama, Bush, or any other public official, that should be their right and society shouldn't criticize or demonize parents for making that choice. Our society is constantly pushing parents out of the way as if they no longer matter and this is just another example of that.
Frankly, the difference between the Bush I and Reagan speeches and now? Times have changed and the people have changed. Think of what would have happened if Bush II had tried the same thing.
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