The Obama School Address

My brother just posted this comment as his Facebook status: ” just got the greatest news: Trinity will not aire (sic) Obamas address.” And two of his friends were in total agreement, loving it.
I find this so sad.
We want today’s youth to be open to so many things, and the opportunity to see the President of the United States address the public and private schoolchildren of the United States directly is a big deal. George Bush did the same thing in 1991. Ronald and Nancy Regan lead the ‘Don’t Do Drugs’ campaign in the 80’s, and that was directed to school kids. Hell, Nancy even appeared on ‘Different Strokes’ in NBC Primetime. Yes, “Whatcha talking about Willis? Oh, say no to drugs? Okay!”
But now, in the 2000’s, when everything is open to suggestion, conservatives find this to be political campaigning. Folks, it’s a stay in school pep talk, not 1984. The school district I grew up in is choosing not to show the speech, as some schools are. Because they are afraid of brainwashing their children. God forbid, we don’t want to hurt the children!
You know, the fact that they are not showing this speech is brainwashing in a way. They are refusing to let their children make independent decisions and learn on their own. What is the huge tragedy here? Our President wants to encourage America’s youth to get a good education so they can succeed. What kind of message are parents sending by not letting the kids see this: listen to me, not our government? They want you to do well and succeed and improve the economy, but I don’t give a shit?
I know this isn’t what parent want to say. I’m KNOW my brother and his wife don’t want to tell their kids to be white trash idiots rather than listen while the President encourages them to go to college and do well. And they are NOT white trash… that was an extreme reference. In fact, I think my nephews are some of the brightest and most brilliant kids out there. I’m biased, of course, but they are. Because they see things the way kids should see things. They make their own assumptions, their own decisions. They are smart kids. They know that Rick and I will never hurt them, that we just love them. And they love us unconditionally. I want them to have to opportunity to continue to make those kind of choices and character assumptions by being given every bit of information they can gather. By denying them the opportunity to see the President speak, it’s akin to having a book on World War II and not having any reference to the holocaust in it. It’s not giving every aspect or bit of information so they can make their own intelligent decision on it. It’s half the story. And that’s bullshit.
My challenge to my brother (and my sister, as I’m sure she is equal in the rejoicing) is that let your kids make their own choices. Give them all the facts and information, rather than block certain things out. Just because you believe the gospel of, say, Glenn Beck (who is a douche-bag and a moron, but I digress), doesn’t mean they should be forced to.
When I was growing up, I remember being able to make my own choices and assumptions about people. Yes ,my decisions were colored by my parents and others, but I had the opportunity to form my own decisions. And because of that, I am the free-thinker I am today.
Why cheat America’s youth out of the same opportunity?