Words and Fear.
Sep. 4th, 2009 06:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tedwords"So, have you heard anything about this Obama broadcast in your school Tuesday?" I asked Theo as we were driving to the supermarcado. It's a Friday night without Corb, because he has to work, and the kids don't want to go to the hotel...and I'm not really happy about the whole thing.
"Yeah, I've heard about it," said Theo.
"Anyone upset about it?" I asked.
"Not really," he replied. "Why? Should they be?"
"There are some folks out there that are thinking he's trying to brainwash you," I replied.
"Brainwash us into doing what?" asked Ashes from the back of the car, pulling the buds from her iPod out of her ear. She's always up for a good brainwashing story.
"I'm not really sure," I said. "Liking him?"
"So, what's he talking about?" asked Theo.
"About staying in school, studying hard, going to college," I said. "That's about it."
"I thought you said he wanted us to like him," said Theo.
"Can he promise all of us a pony?" asked Ashes. "Then I'd REALLY like him."
"Seriously, how is that brainwashing us?" asked Theo. "So, like, we can't think for ourselves?"
"I really don't know," I said. "But some schools are sending out notes, so that if parents are concerned, they can have their kids skip the class. Still, I don't know...what do you think you'd want to do, if your parents refused to let you see something?"
"I'd want to see it," said Theo.
"Like when you wouldn't let me see 'Bring It On,'" said Ashes. "All my friends were laughing at me for that one, so I snuck over and saw it at my friend's house."
"This probably won't be half as entertaining as Bring It On," I said.
"Not if he won't promise me a pony," pouted Ashes. "It won't be entertaining at all."
Seriously, what are people so afraid of? Because that's what it really is, fear that Obama's words will somehow "change" their children. Into what, I wonder? Bush spoke to kids about "No Child Left Behind," Reagan about raising taxes. This speech sounds even less political than any of that.
And what if left-loving parents had objected to hearing their kids listen to, say, Bush speak?
Well, then they'd be unpatriotic, of course, and disrepectful.
I tell you, the logic sometimes boggles the mind...
"Yeah, I've heard about it," said Theo.
"Anyone upset about it?" I asked.
"Not really," he replied. "Why? Should they be?"
"There are some folks out there that are thinking he's trying to brainwash you," I replied.
"Brainwash us into doing what?" asked Ashes from the back of the car, pulling the buds from her iPod out of her ear. She's always up for a good brainwashing story.
"I'm not really sure," I said. "Liking him?"
"So, what's he talking about?" asked Theo.
"About staying in school, studying hard, going to college," I said. "That's about it."
"I thought you said he wanted us to like him," said Theo.
"Can he promise all of us a pony?" asked Ashes. "Then I'd REALLY like him."
"Seriously, how is that brainwashing us?" asked Theo. "So, like, we can't think for ourselves?"
"I really don't know," I said. "But some schools are sending out notes, so that if parents are concerned, they can have their kids skip the class. Still, I don't know...what do you think you'd want to do, if your parents refused to let you see something?"
"I'd want to see it," said Theo.
"Like when you wouldn't let me see 'Bring It On,'" said Ashes. "All my friends were laughing at me for that one, so I snuck over and saw it at my friend's house."
"This probably won't be half as entertaining as Bring It On," I said.
"Not if he won't promise me a pony," pouted Ashes. "It won't be entertaining at all."
Seriously, what are people so afraid of? Because that's what it really is, fear that Obama's words will somehow "change" their children. Into what, I wonder? Bush spoke to kids about "No Child Left Behind," Reagan about raising taxes. This speech sounds even less political than any of that.
And what if left-loving parents had objected to hearing their kids listen to, say, Bush speak?
Well, then they'd be unpatriotic, of course, and disrepectful.
I tell you, the logic sometimes boggles the mind...
