The editor of the Albany (Georgia) Herald newspaper made some good points yesterday on the silliness of twisting President Obama’s speech to students into an effort to indoctrinated the youth. Then, Thomas L. Friedman, my favorite economist, did the same thing on Meet the Press. To be fair, Obama Green Jobs guy was equally silly for siding in the past with those who thought President Bush knew about the 911 attacks in advance.
Speaking of 911, where was President Bush when he actually learned about those horrible events? He was sitting on a stage in a Florida elementary school reading the book “My Pet Goat” to kids. This silly season stuff is starting to get my goat.
Elected officials, bureaucrats and congressional staff should make themselves more available to speak to kids about the function and limited role of government because governmental decisions will affect their futures.
I have a friend who teaches high school government/history and he is always asking me when am I coming to “drop knowledge” on his students. I politely defer to the current congressional staffers who have that covered like a blanket but if I work in that capacity in the future, I would roll up my sleeves, loosen my tie and let them know that respectfully questioning and monitoring the government is vital and patriotic. If talking with the public about the federal government was the only thing I did for the rest of my life that would be a full life.
For example, some young cats in my community once asked why the congressmen and senators were always talking about agriculture when nobody cares about that around here. I told them that the only people who should care about agriculture were those people who want to eat safe food, drink clean water and breathe fresh air. The local school system is funded in large part by the taxes on farmland and farmers and their workers are a big part of who spends money shopping and dining in the larger regional hub city.
We are “involved” in the Middle East because we have become dependent on foreign oil but the ag industry is making advancements on renewable energy sources that can be grown here—our cousins can come back from the dangerous war zone because the farmers and producers are on their games.
On the other hand, speakers in schools must regulate what they really want/need to say: don’t have children before you can afford them and expect the government to provide for them—that simple is not right. Also, don’t lust for material things so much that you will commit crimes to get those unimportant things. Yes, those talks should come from home and church first.
As Thomas Friedman wrote his classic book “The World Is Flat,” school kids are fully focused and hungry for opportunity around the world while some American students are becoming weaker, softer, and more complacent. Somebody needs to talk with them other than MTV and BET because if they are reached early enough and wisdom sinks into their heads, we could save billions currently spent on nonsense.
I am still waiting for the Black moderate to conservative who will serve in congress and have no problems “getting on” the community about what we need to do to function better. Any sitting American president should make those “real talk” speeches without reservations.
Meet the Press segment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRzOAJPvlGI
Read Full Post »