From a Forum

Okay, so this is a copy of a post I put on a law enforcement forum that I frequent. There was an ongoing conversation about the "Obama Song" and I threw in my two cents.

[QUOTE=Driven;1994208]Whether it was mandated or not doesn't matter. The fact is if this crap was done with President Bush it'd be all over the news and people would be ****ed. This crap is brainwashing period. There is no way in the world a reasonable person can look at the stuff this guy is doing and not see scary socialist attitudes and brainwashing indoctrination. If we allow this man to stay in office for a second term I guarantee people will look back and wonder how our country went so far.[/QUOTE]

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2006/04/17/out-of-the-mouths-of-babes/

And yes, I understand that this is not done in a school, but it shows a parallel in how kids can be wielded as political pawns by both sides of the aisle.

Furthermore, it's not like President Obama sent a coded message that this teacher was able to read in her alphabet soup directing her to have the children sing this song. This was something she did of her own volition. Was it wrong? Probably. Was it some evil plot by left wing extremists to turn children into liberal automatons? I don't think so.

Sometimes teachers bring their own ideas to the table when teaching children. Horrific, I know, but that's the way it is. And it isn't always bad. If some teachers didn't push the envelope, the Scopes trial would have never happened. (Now I know some of you will say that the teaching of theories other than divine creation is bad, but hey: we're not going to agree on everything.)

Even as a "dirty liberal" and Obama supporter, I think the song was ill conceived and shouldn't have been done. But we can't pretend that our children live and learn in a political vaccuum. Give them a little credit for at least knowing who the president is! And if their parents disagree with what they learn in school, then it is their RIGHT to explain to their children why. As with all things, if children learn everything from school and nothing from their parents then everyone loses.

Are there people out there that act like Obama is the second coming? Absolutely. Are there people out there that still swear that he is an illegal alien and that this was a huge plot to get a foreign born, secret Muslim terrorist extremist into the White House? Yup. As cops and cop flunkies, we should be able to recognize that just because there's a guy standing on the curb holding a sign warning of impending apocalypse doesn't mean that we should give away all of our worldly possessions, put duct tape on the windows and tinfoil on our heads, and hunker down for the rapture.

There are extremists everywhere... in politics, in faith, in making dogs wear stupid clothes. Remember that the vast majority of us, whether Obama supporters or detractors, still recognize that he is an elected [B]politician[/B], probably not much better than the other guy and absolutely going to make mistakes. All we can hope is that none of the mistakes that he makes will cause too many ripples in the waves of the future and that whatever good he does means something.

As for all of the nasty snarkiness going about on the forum, yes this is the internet and people shouldn't get their panties in a twist over others not agreeing with them. However, if we can't have an intelligent conversation without resorting to [I]ad hominem[/I] attacks, what the Hell is the point? If I wanted to stand around and throw insults back and forth I'd go back to the derelict on the corner with the sign. At least his taunts will be creative, if not a bit enigmatic. :D

Sarah Palin's Contribution to Literature

For those of you that are interested, I just "read" an early release of Sarah Palin's new book, Tracking Fun with Sarah and Mortimer!.

Tracking Fun with Sarah and Mortimer is a 26 page tour de force featuring Governor Palin and Mortimer the Moose. The book begins with Palin, decked out in couture hunting regalia, sighting in on Mortimer and firing. Unfortunately she misses Mortimer's lungs and, having only been wounded, he takes off into the forest. What follows is a Where's Waldo-esque series of increasingly amusing scenes where you must pick Mortimer out of a crowd. For example, after examing one scene, you'll find that it's actually Mortimer's adorable face hidden in the swadling blanket in Bristol's arms at a depiction of a Palin family reunion.

The book concludes when *SPOILER ALERT* you turn to the last page to find Mortimer splayed out alone on a field of pristine white snow having died of exsanguination.

Tracking Fun with Sarah and Mortimer will be available in time for Christmas orders.