The outrage over Obama absent in Bush years. AP Photo Ron Edmonds
In hearing all the outrage and concern over the alleged Obama worship in public schools I kept thinking to myself the Bush years saw much worst Presidential idolatry. However I simply could not find any video or evidence to illustrate my claim so I waited to write about this story. Low and behold I later found this article from Glenn Greenwald which explains in great detail just how much President Bush was revered in the early days of his presidency.
A mere eight months into his first term President Obama is being criticized for giving students what appears to be a non-partisan address on work ethic and setting goals. One Utah principal has been forced to apologize for showing a video of Obama quotes intermixed with celebrities who pledge to volunteer for America. The conservatives are up in arms over the perceived indoctrination of our young to worship Obama.
I must ask where was this same outrage during the Bush years when many churches openly advocated for voting and supporting President Bush. Some in churches even went as far as to teach children that the President was somehow divinely inspired as can be seen in the video below.
I know that some will say that Obama's message is different in that it is being shown in public schools. This is true but the Obama's school address is surely less controversial then the kind of true indoctrination seen in the video below. In either setting we are talking about impressionable young people who are being influenced before they can fully think for themselves.
Greenwald also documents extensive conservative praise for President Bush in his years much like the praise conservatives now complain about being directed at Obama. Among the many quotes Greenwald points to as evidence of the "Bush Personality Cult" is this beauty:
It must be very strange to be President Bush. A man of extraordinary vision and brilliance approaching to genius, he can't get anyone to notice. He is like a great painter or musician who is ahead of his time, and who unveils one masterpiece after another to a reception that, when not bored, is hostile."
Finally Greenwald also persuasively points to an instance in which one Department of Justice aid talked about swearing an oath to President Bush instead of the Constitution. Just imagine the conservative outrage that would spew forth if anyone in the Obama administration made a similar remark.
I am opposed to all excessive political idolatry and Presidential worship. I confess that some liberals have gone overboard in their blind administration for President Obama. I just wish conservatives showed the same kind of concern for this phenomenon during the Bush years. Now they seem to be overreacting to every incident which even hints at unfair Obama adoration.
Comments
This must stop! Indoctrination of our youth by foreign powers is not good! Hussein Obama has never given a birth certificate! Fellow Republicans, keep pushing on this because we have them on the run. They have no answer to this basic fact: no proof of natural born status. Obama wants to kill our grandparents, then us! VOTE REPUBLICAN AS IF YOURE LIFE DEPENDED ON IT! IT PROBABLY DOES!
A church is a voluntary organization, a church camp, even more so. Even if we buy Witt's premise wholesale, it is irrelevant. We might as well be outraged to hear the the Spokane Rotary club has endorsed Bush.
To have a public school, state funded and compulsory, telling children how to think about a politician is a clear violation of trust (not to mention professional ethics.) What's more, if it is that chanting, robotic Obama-praising video I'm thinking of, it's creepy.
Talk about comparing apples to oranges! One church supporting Bush is one thing but all the children of all the public schools of our union having to watch and hear Obama is entirely different, wouldn't you say? And if for some reason school official deems this inappropriate they will be labeled anti-patriotic or something to that effect.
Talk about comparing apples to oranges! One church supporting Bush is one thing but all the children of all the public schools of our union having to watch and hear Obama is entirely different, wouldn't you say? And if for some reason school official deems this inappropriate they will be labeled anti-patriotic or something to that effect.
The church you mentioned was not taking cues from President Bush, the Department of Education, or anyone else in the government. I have no particular problem with a President addressing public schools as long as the content is non political. However I don't trust Obama or his loyal minions to keep politics out of the speech.
Wow, Bush went to a school!!Your point is what?
That first comment is a perfect display of the modern Republican mind.
Are you serious!! You seem to be an educated man but yet you can't discern between one church laying on blessings as they see fit and the entire School system in the United States forgoing all the rules of School Boards around the Country because Obama says so!! Maybe your degree isn't in common sense because there is such a diference!!
"I know that some will say that Obama's message is different in that it is being shown in public schools."
You really should have stopped there.
It's funny how the righties are hyperventilating about this Obama speech "indoctrinating" the kids, when I can guarantee you that the kids will think it's the most boring thing in the world. Any "video" day in school was usually an invitation to take a nap for me. :)
Talk about comparing apples to oranges! One church supporting Bush is one thing but all the children of all the public schools of our union having to watch and hear Obama is entirely different, wouldn't you say? And if for some reason school official deems this inappropriate they will be labeled anti-patriotic or something to that effect.
I was planning to keep my kids home that day. I let the school know that, too. They weren't happy ....
Ron, honestly - are you that paranoid? I was diametrically opposed to Bush and his agenda, but I would not, for a second, have considered keeping my children home to prevent them from seeing him. First of all, what could he possibly say to them that would merit that action? And secondly, like I said before, the kids could care less. Keeping them home doesn't really seem any different that dressing up your young child in political clothes or having them carry a sign -- it's just a way to use a child to score cheap, political points.
Wow~This is the most partisan president we’ve had in recent history. The current radical-left ideas are not accepted by the adults in my family. Why should I expose my child to any of this socialist-SPEW in the name of an educational address? It’s very surprising that presentations / items are traditionally reviewed by the school board and addressed with parent involvement before release, yet this effort seems to “fly under the radar”. I certainly don’t really believe this is an indoctrination effort. I think it’s a feeble attempt to gain support on a grass roots effort in a time of poor approval ratings. Also, very differnt from past presidents reading to our children. I hate to restrict information from my child, but I want to send a clear statement that this is not acceptable. If an opt-out option is not provided, our school district will lose funding for one student on September 8th. Why the urgency on this anyway? All hail Mau Obama LOL
Wow~This is the most partisan president we’ve had in recent history. The current radical-left ideas are not accepted by the adults in my family. Why should I expose my child to any of this socialist-SPEW in the name of an educational address? It’s very surprising that presentations / items are traditionally reviewed by the school board and addressed with parent involvement before release, yet this effort seems to “fly under the radar”. I certainly don’t really believe this is an indoctrination effort. I think it’s a feeble attempt to gain support on a grass roots effort in a time of poor approval ratings. Also, very differnt from past presidents reading to our children. I hate to restrict information from my child, but I want to send a clear statement that this is not acceptable. If an opt-out option is not provided, our school district will lose funding for one student on September 8th. Why the urgency on this anyway? All hail Mau Obama LOL
Can't figure out the article...
Since churches supported a republican president, a democratic president can address all the schools at the same time. It's only fair.
I supported John McCain, therefore Obama can talk to my kid. It's only fair. No..wait...I supported Obama, therefore Obama cannot talk to my kid. NO..WAIT..I believe in God, therefore Obama can...Hmmm...
Got it...Bush was a demigod...and Obama is a demigod...but not as much as Bush was...so it's ok. Hmmm....
I'm really missing the point...and I keep looking so hard for it...maybe I'm looking too hard...and the answer is...the article is pointless. Hmmm...
AHA!!! It's a conspiracy article proving the churches influence on schools! Because if a church says it's for a republican president, and since the children in schools learn only from churches, it's only fair that a democratic president try to counter the church's influence on children in schools by talking to the children directly!
Damn, I thought Wi
If anyone can make sense of what relevance Bush and church voters has to do with Dingle Barry stuffing himself down the throat of every school kid in America please let me know. I'd like to know where the LA Times finds these yo yo's. Are they recruiting from the comic book companies ?
If Right-wing parents had faith in the merits of conservative logic and in the intellectual independence of the children they're raising, they wouldn't be so paranoid.
Since the "speech" will be on both the White House's YouTube page and the White House site proper why should the children be forced to endure it in school? That way if kids are as wildly driven to see it as the Obama-followers claim, instead of disrupting a school day they can watch it anytime and as often as they feel the undeniable, all consuming urge to do so.
That way the schools can also skip the entire "What can I do for Obama?" indoctrination plan/study materials the White House has put out for Obama's "Grand Can't Miss TV Event".
It's amazing the depths to which liberals will go to try to justify their continued hatred of President George W. Bush. The clip of a church service as "proof" of .. whatever point the writer hoped to make ... is an argument weak as pond water. If the White House would release the text of his comments (which they will eventually anyway) and drop the Department of Education's "suggested curriculum," it would probably score some points with parents who feel they have nothing in common with a President who has taken our country on a ride into European-style socialism. Demonizing those of us who don't like Obama, don't like what the socialist agenda he and Democratic leadership are pushing hasn't worked. I know too many Democrats in my circle of friends who have buyer's remorse for voting for the guy. The mid-term elections will be interesting; Charlie Cook of the Cook Report is anticipating quite an anti-Democrat backlash if the current trend continues.
And the million dollar question is:
When there is a Republican in office, will there be any opposition to him or her addressing all school children in the same manner?
Robert Moon is spamming The Activity Pit again: twi.cc/lAlq
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