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Today's Poll: Should the president give speeches aimed at America's school children?

By Howard B. Owens
Jeff Allen

Adding the yesses and maybes together shows a good majority find it appropriate for our Presidents to be motivators to our school children . I know it is early in the returns of the voting, but initial results, I think, indicate a recognition of civic apathy in our young people. I thought Jerry Buckman summed it up nicely in the other post "Sadly, kids could care less what the President says. They observe the adults closest to them for cues on how to act." If all our children see from us is partisan vitriol, then who could blame them for a disinterest in political affairs.

Sep 9, 2009, 10:07am Permalink
Dennis Jay

Some older kids are attracted to the hostility of the political environment, much of the same way they like to watch Jerry Springer or see cars crash at NASCAR events.

I've tried to send a message to kids that political stuff going on today is extremely important to their future welfare and that they need to consider all sides of issues.

Parents ought to teach kids critical thinking skills so they can sort out issues for themselves and make conscious choices and not just become another unthinking conservative or liberal because that's the way mom and dad are.

Sep 9, 2009, 10:23am Permalink
Jeff Allen

Well said Dennis, and Jerry Springer was the mayor of Cincinnati. Maybe if we mix the two we could have Springer shows focus on politics with titles like "Governors who sleep with Argentinian reporters" or "Presidential candidates who father children with thier campaign photograpers" or "Ensign, what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas" or "I can't keep my feet in my own bathroom stall". The more I think about it, there would be at least two full seasons of episodes.

Sep 9, 2009, 10:38am Permalink
Kelly Hansen

RE: President's addressing school children

I think that a President addressing school children is a positive thing. Context is very important, and as long as he does not use it as a political stage, it can be inspirational to many kids (and very boring to others). I think a lot of the uproar could have been quieted early on if the text of the speech had been released when the program was first announced. I believe a lot of nerves were raw with the raging health care debate and many had a knee-jerk reaction thinking that it was going to be political in nature. I'm just thankful there weren't Congressional hearings this time - we need to be focused more intensely on economic and health care issues than nonsense.

Sep 9, 2009, 11:22am Permalink
C. M. Barons

Most of us are outsiders in terms of politics. Yes, we gladly expound on issues that anger us, but when it comes to active involvement in politics, we generally feel out of the loop, disenfranchised, victimized and ignored. 40% of us don't even vote. We have allowed ourselves to be cynical, passive- often unwilling inheritors of legislation and propaganda imparted upon us. Some of our reticence is systematic; we are not an integral part of the legislative process. Most often we are either ignorant of methods to channel our input or find it more psychologically beneficial to merely blow off steam in private.

Our children grow up in a political vacuum, learning that politics happens every four years, similar to leap year in significance. So the cycle of non-involvement is perpetuated and reinforced. Certainly NASCAR, NFL and NBA are far more vital in children's lives than GOP, DNC and NAFTA.

Regardless of who is in the pulpit, maybe it's important for politicans to focus some attention on school children. Perhaps a few lights might switch on.

Sep 9, 2009, 12:36pm Permalink

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