Of course the content of the speech was innocuous.
Such a fuss was made beforehand that it ensured there would be nothing but platitudes. No call to join the Obama Youth. No subtle attempts at indoctrination. It was no fun at all. It was a speech any card-carrying conservative could have delivered.
Listening to a recap, I realized I had actually dozed off for a little portion of the speech. Yikes, napping during a Presidential address? Please don't report me.
Again for the record, I was never against listening to the speech. I was against the proposed post speech activities. I was against the use of resources it took to produce the speech. It's my beef with all of government: STAY OUT OF WHERE YOU DON'T BELONG.
What's the purpose of a president using his time, staff, extended departments, local school resources and more all to deliver an innocuous speech? For most of the country it was the first day of school. "Hello, welcome to school. Don't drop out, try hard. This has been a message of PBS the Presidential Broadcasting Service." My kids all came home and said, "Gee mom, I need to totally reconfigure my education plan. Today the President of the United States told me to not drop out. So I'm staying in school!"
Truth of the matter is that innocuous is a waste of time. Look it up. Banal, bland, flat, inoffensive, insipid, safe, sapless, unobjectionable, unoffending, weak. If you intend on influencing an at risk youth you need to be anything but innocuous.
But this speech was never really about the kids, was it?
One thing I have determined to do in the last couple of months is to be critical of the President when he deserves it, but not be critical just to be critical. I won't be like the Bush-haters, who hated just to hate - it became a hobby.
Don't get me wrong; I disagree with the President's politics almost 100% of the time. This speech was not one of those times. I don't see anything wrong with a President encouraging children to do well in school, even if the reason he is doing it is political in nature.
He deserves to be criticized on many fronts, such as his seemingly unending speech to Congress tonight where he told the nation he was going to spend $900 billion on Obamacare without raising the deficit (chuckle chuckle). My kindergartner could tell you that won't happen.
However, I believe he deserves to be praised when he does something above average. His speech to the kids qualifies. Well done, Mr. President.
Chad in the AZ Desert
September 9, 2009 at 7:57 PM
I agree with Chad. I was subbing at a junior high yesterday and listened to the student's comments of the speech. I then proceeded to watch them work, or some just sat and stared off into the distance. Obviously the speech didn't motivate them, but if there are a few hundred kids that were motivated to work harder, not feel sorry for themselves or blame others for their curcimstances, I think it was worth it. Maybe that will be a few hundred less we will incarcerate.
bdrain
September 9, 2009 at 8:40 PM