A Stupid Made-for-TV Controversy
by Jim Wallis 09-08-2009
Cable news and the blogosphere heated up with a new controversy in the lead-up to a noon-time address that President Obama gave as a back-to-school message for students across the country. Jim Greer, Republican Party chairman of Florida, had this to say: “President Obama has turned to American’s children to spread his liberal lies, indoctrinating American’s youngest children before they have a chance to decide for themselves.” A state legislator from Oklahoma said, “This is something you’d expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.”
I have to agree with Wallis on this.
This controversy seems to have been created to sell advertising on talk radio where people yell, hang up on folks with opposing views, belittle views not their own, gloss over the facts, and promote otherwise non-existent divisions within our country.
They call it politics. I call it sleaze.
It is not conservatism. It is not liberalism. It doesn't have enough thought behind it to be an "ism" of any sort. It is certainly not Americanism.
The President of the United States addressed school children to encourage them to take their educations seriously. I cannot imagine anyone who loves children, loves education, loves this country, or loves God objecting. It is beyond comprehension.
What is also beyond comprehension is how many good and decent people cling to every word these entertainers who call themselves commentators say. They really feel that they need to protect the children. These shock jocks who were once considered fringe elements have become so accepted and honored that many of my friends believe whatever they say.
Talk about political correctness! They decide what will stir up the most sand and start kicking it without any regard to what it does to the country and to the truth. Then they complain about the rest of the media being too liberal. They are being extremely liberal with the truth to the extent of inventing their own when what is real does not help their ratings.
The left does it too. They are just not the ones I am complaining about now. There really is no difference. This has nothing to do with political ideology. It is about good behavior and bad behavior. If there was more money in liberalism, I have no doubt that many would change their stripes.
So, I am not in favor of people calling those who follow these "teachings" stupid or evil. That would be resorting to the same tactics.
You never heard this sort of thing from real conservatives like William Buckley or Barry Goldwater.
The President's words were wonderful. They were conservative. They were traditional family values. The vitriolic and unchristian hatred for this man prevented many children from hearing a good word that they needed to hear.
As Wallis says at the end of his blog, "Read the speech for yourself and see what sort of agenda is so harmful: http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/
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