Great Post on the Absence of God

One of the things I’ve really enjoyed in the month since I launched this blog is the opportunity to connect with people from around the country – and to read blogs from other frustrated conservatives, Libertarians, Republicans and Independents. One such blog is “The Right Wing Chick.” She has an interesting post on the shunning of religion and its affect on kids. Check it out.

The President SHOULD Be Able to Talk to Kids

But sadly, we live in a very politically-charged environment, where every move, every word, every nuance of a president’s actions are staged, scripted, planned and even rehearsed. I’m at a loss for what I really think about President Obama’s planned telecast to millions of school children next week. The president of the United States, regardless of political stripe, is the leader of this nation. Children need to know about the president, learn from him (or her), and hopefully set off on their own course to pursue liberty, freedom, success or failure. It’s all up to them.

However, I’m not convinced that can really be the case anymore. In the world of politics, message is everything. PR strategists look for “influencers” and “messengers” and the hot new PR term “evangelists” for the topic du jour. What better messengers than children? Keep in mind, politicians are like PR people on steroids. They live, eat, and breathe nothing but message. Everything is about shaping perceptions. And it is all about incremental steps toward election or re-election or pushing an agenda forward.

That’s why I am concerned about President Obama’s planned address to a captive and malleable audience next week. Students are not able to dissect a message to figure out if it’s driven by an agenda. Even the most seemingly innocuous comments could be brought to question by a discerning ear.

But I also do not want to be so jaded that I cannot even listen to what our president has to say. So I contacted the principal at our sons’ new elementary school today and asked what the intentions are at this specific school. I politely voiced my apprehensions about this issue, and I offered a suggested approach. Schools could make it optional for students to view the president’s video at home. It’s not as though you won’t be able to find it anywhere. YouTube alone will have countless links to the video the moment it is released. It will give parents a chance to ask questions and engage a dialogue. Student success does not hinge on what the president has to say. It has much more to do with what parents say, what teachers say and what the students themselves have to say. I look forward to the principal’s response to my email.

Of course, I have no doubt that had President GW Bush attempted a nationwide address to students that the outcry would be nothing short of deafening (other than the possibility of a school-focused address in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, which would be appropriate).

Perhaps there would be more trust if politicians spent more time listening to constituents and less time trying to control messages.

My recommendation to anyone reading this post is to simply (and respectfully) pose the question to your local school – how does the school intend to handle the president’s address? Voice a concern. Then, assuming the school does show the video, have a conversation with your child that evening. Ask him or her:

1. What did you think of the president’s address?
2. Did it make sense to you?
3. What topics did the president talk about?
4. Who should be responsible for your motivation and success? The president? Your teacher? Parents? Yourself?

Also, find the video online. Watch it. Then ask yourself: Was there an agenda? How else can I use this to talk to my kids to make sure they view all sides before deciding on an issue? Read the Department of Education’s proposed discussion guide on this (revised to not include “how can I help the president?”). See if there is useful guidance in that document – as well as guidance that may seem to push an agenda. Then decide for yourself.

While I’m no fan of President Obama, it sure would be nice to be able to look back and say, “at least that was ONE thing I didn’t have to worry about.”

There’s a good read on this by Nia-Malika Henderson on Politico at http://tinyurl.com/nfecgb. Check it out and read more on this around the web.