Schools refused to air Obama's speech but will bus kids to hear Bush speak live

[mystieus]

Source: nbcdfw.com

The Arlington Independent School District, which passed on airing President Barack Obama's live classroom address, has announced that some students will be bussed off campus to hear a message from former President George W. Bush on Sept. 21.

District officials said it's part of a Cowboys Stadium field trip that the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee invited 28 fifth-grade classes to attend several months ago.

In addition to hearing from Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, the students will hear from legendary Dallas Cowboys players and North Texas business and community leaders. The event launches the Super Bowl committee's largest-ever youth education program.

Students must have their parents' permission to attend, school officials said.

Dwight McKissic Sr., the senior pastor of Arlington's Cornerstone Baptist Church, said he's concerned about the district's decision to not broadcast Obama's message while transporting students to hear a message from Bush.

"I do not understand the duplicity in this situation," McKissic said in a news release from the church. "I believe the students and the public deserve and need to have these differences explained."



Read more: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-beat/Kids-Didnt-Hear-Obama-But-Will-Be-Bussed-for-Bush-57827022.html

[Skittles]

1. I'll explain the differences, Ms. McKissic

one speaker is black and democratically elected; the other is white and a fucking fraud

[saigon68]

34. BRAVO SKITTLES

He is also THE AWOL CHIMPANZEE




"BRING EM ON" shouted the AWOL CHIMPANZEE

[HowHasItComeToThis]

128. WHO SERVED WITH BUSH IN MILITARY?????????????

THESE BUMS COST DAN RATHER HIS JOB.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

129. BUSH CORRUPTS ALL HE TOUCHES

[madokie]

185. Yep and they brung 'em on too didn't they

to the tune of somewhere on the wrong side of 4000 of our brave sons and daughters and no telling how many wounded for life

[blm]

54. I'm with Skittles on this....

.

[Joe Bacon]

55. You got that right, Skittles.

What is so shocking for me is what I hear at work. I work at an 800 number and ever since Obama was nominated, people calling us on the phone use the "N" word like the dam has broke. I have never heard such plain hatred for a man in my life. People should be ashamed of themselves.

[Name removed]

97. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Skittles]

172. I guess I have been lucky

I live in Texas and have heard a lot of crap about Obama but no one has used the N word with me - but then, I'm not on the phone with them - in real life, those kind of cowards would be afraid to say shit like that to me

[Name removed]

96. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nightrain]

118. LOL, exactly! Thanks for the morning laugh!!

[Old Codger]

132. what you said

Says it all no more needed, the rest of the replies here are extraneous.

[Zorra]

152. Yep - that, and the fact that Texas is 50th(!) in percentage of people that finished high school

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GRTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-_box_head_nbr=R1401&-ds_name=ACS_2005_EST_G00_&-format=US-30

It has been estimated that one in four adults in Texas cannot read above the 5th grade level.

Given the statistics, it seems only natural that a school in Texas would prevent students from listening to a speech by a highly educated, intelligent person like Barack Obama, while bussing them to listen to a semi-literate miserable failure like Bu*h.

Like Forrest Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

[humbled_opinion]

159. Will that state just secede already.

You know its only a matter of time.

[Skittles]

174. keep in mind there are people like me in, er, "that state"

I feel it is my mission to torment ignorant bastards in Texas

[humbled_opinion]

198. LOL...

Well we certainly will help you relocate when the time comes.... Keep your powder dry....

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. perhaps parents can get a refund in local tax as compensation

[Solly Mack]

3. Typical

K&R

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Obama's speech was free and they are going to pay for the busses to see Bush

Un fucking believable.

[xxqqqzme]

133. so somebody is making money on this

'generous' offer.......hmmm, I wonder who??

[proud2BlibKansan]

191. Only the bus company

And they don't make much from field trips.

[MrModerate]

5. Well, that is the sort of event I'd expect to require a permission slip . . .

So in absence of any other behavior makes perfect sense. Outside of the hypocrisy thingie and the batshit insane thingie, there's no comparison between the two events.

[grytpype]

6. Fucking unbelievable.

[EndElectoral]

7. Here my former high school that invited Bush to speak, prohibited the Obama speech

Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg, PA invited President Bush to speak on No Child LEft Behind. He came to the school and from what i'm told every teacher attending was strongly advised to wear a supportive GW No Child left Behind T-shirt. Those who didn't were reprimanded. Now, the Assitant Superintendent sends out a letter informing teachers that the Obam speech would not be shown to students even if they wanted to see it or even if they had parental permission to see it. The school would not even allow the option.

I have to say I am ashamed of the place, and agree with Carville, PA is Philly and Pittsburgh with Alabama in between.

[pnorman]

22. Here's what Google yielded:

Did Central Dauphin forget Bush visit?
by Rebecca Boone
Wednesday September 09, 2009, 1:03 AM

I was amazed to read that the Central Dauphin School District, the district where my daughter attended school, would not allow the airing of President Obama's address to school students until a group of administrators and educators had the opportunity to review it for content.

Is this the same district that only a few years ago welcomed President George Bush into the Central Dauphin High School auditorium to speak to their students? Was the content of his speech reviewed prior to delivery? Were students given the option to "opt out" of listening to his speech with impunity?

Why couldn't the Central Dauphin administration extend the same courtesy to a speech from President Obama?

REBECCA BOONE, Penbrook
http://www.pennlive.com/letters/index.ssf/2009/09/did_central_dauphin_forget_bus.html

By next week if not earlier, those know-nothing ASSHOLES will be feeling pretty sheepish!

pnormn

[durablend]

25. Eh, you're being too optimistic

The district will come up with some shallow excuse and no doubt the writer of that post will be called a terrorist by Pennlive's resident nutcase trolls (if that hasn't happened already--haven't checked)

[pnorman]

28. No, I'll stick with my prediction.

They may bluster or bully. But that mind-set is identical to the Terri Schiavo crowd --- ie: no more than ~25% of the US population. I don't think they could handle being so PUBLICLY in the minority. PLUS, the rest of the country (the world) will be snickering at them.

pnorman

[HowHasItComeToThis]

130. THE BORED UGIN XTIANS ARE OUT IN FORCE

[Altoid_Cyclist]

29. That would explain all the confederate flags I see around here.

State College is probably one of the more advanced areas thanks to Penn State, but once you get a few miles away from there you start to feel as though you're in a sequel to Deliverance.
On reflection; this is a general statement, there are some progressive people around here, but we're outnumbered by at least a 2 to 1 ratio.

[RufusTFirefly]

88. I had a similar experience in south-central PA

Stayed in a house by a pond, where the house across the way was flying a huge Confederate Flag. The restaurant in town served "Freedom Fries" during the Bush insanity.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

100. I get the feeling that some people around here have never heard of the Mason-Dixon line.

For some reason they identify with the south. Somerset county is about the worst (no offense if anyone here lives there) in terms of bigotry, but some of the other counties around here are almost as bad.

[Richard58]

205. Pa is redneck central

I used to live in Harrisburg and although there are a number of progressives living there it is still a conservative area.
However I now live in Butler Pa which is just north of Pittsburgh and I must say that Butler makes Harrisburg look like San Francisco! Pittsburgh is a liberal city but 40 miles north in Butler it is like Deliverance! I have never met a bigger bunch of redneck idiots in all my life. They all LOVE Bush here and are all big fans of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. I hate it here and plan to move. I am afraid the stupidity might be contagious so I am going to get out as soon as I can. Hey is that banjos I hear in the background??

[Altoid_Cyclist]

208. My sister was visiting us two years ago.

She lives in Germany and does a lot of kayaking. She went to Ohiopyle for a private lesson in class 3 & 4 rapids. I forget the name of the man who gave her the instruction, but he's supposed to be one of the best instructors in the US. His daughter is good enough that she was the first alternate on the US olympic team because she's able to practice on the "Yough" every day. She was planning to move to North Carolina though because she's so sick of the racist and xenophobic atmosphere that her children are exposed to here. I realize that you're going to have jerks no matter where you live, but they just seem to be heavily concentrated in Central PA. for some reason. I'm still shocked that nobody vandalized my car during the Presidential campaign last year. I had enough Obama and/or anti McCain posters and stickers on my car to really stand out.

[DollyM]

138. our local grocery store . . .

still makes and sells "freedom bread". I refuse to shop there now.

[AlbertCat]

141. Damn those Southern states like PA!!!!

:eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes:

[MountainLaurel]

156. You know what they say . . .

Philly in the east, Pittsburgh in the west, and Alabama in between.

[bc3000]

89. Pennsyltucky

[AlbertCat]

142. Kentucky didn't secede either

I suppose it is really too much to ask that when dissing the Confederacy, one know something about it. After all, the fools down here in the actual Confederate States don't know anything about it either.

[goclark]

95. ACLU where are you?

[RedCloud]

154. Off with their heads again. I am sick of these racists!

[chollybocker]

8. Ugh. These people are just so f*cking dense.

[Algorem]

9. is this why they had laura bush give "her" opinion defending Obama's speech?

[SlingBlade]

53. Exactly !!!!

[beac]

62. Of course, she "defended" it much too late to make a lick of difference.

She got to make herself and AWOL look good and there was ZERO chance her last-minute words would impact the debate.

[msanthrope]

76. Pickles ain't stupid. Just married to it. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

83. If she isn't stupid (which I think she is) she is still worthless.

[Mythbuster]

10. "I do not understand the duplicity in this situation,"

Well... welcome to Red-fuckin-Neck Texas!! The State where anything pro-Bush or pro-Republican is 'good as gold' and anything pro-Obama or pro-Democrat is an outrage! This Red State is the Capital of Hypocrisy. Our dumb-ass Gov. Rick Perry provides almost daily proof that the right wing fanatics that flourish here are IQ deprived and all worship the likes of Palin, Beck, Rush and any other extremist the right offers up. It's gotten to be an embarressment living in this bass-ackwards State!

[Tunkamerica]

16. read the above post from pennsylvania n/t

[Mythbuster]

17. Sounds like something that would happen here in Tx. n/t

[BabbaTam]

65. Texas

The last map I saw had Texas as a purple state. We worked hard in our red county during the presidential election to turn red to blue and saw a lot of progress. It's true that there are areas in the state that I wouldn't want to live in, but there are also areas that are truly progressive with delightful people around you. This right wing hate thing is waking up many people of the Christian right and I see movement toward sanity and compassion.

[treestar]

90. People forget that the cities in red states are often blue

And thanks for your work. Texas can be made blue yet.

[crispini]

121. Arlington, however, is not one of them.

We're talking about one of the only cities in North Texas to opt-out of the public transit system. So now they have this huge new taxpayer-subsidized Cowboy-opolis monstrosity with no public transit to the games, and they're already bitching about the traffic. None so blind as those who will not see....

[tammywammy]

139. LOL!

I love the reason the voters give to not have public transist...it'll bring in "undesirables."

It cracks me up as I drive to my home, in East Arlington the old part of the city and heavily Hispanic. Those lily white folk in South and North Arlington don't wanna mix with us.

The thing that would make Arlington better even without public transist, is if they'd fix the damn potholes in East Arlington. :)

BTW, crispini, you know Arlington's the largest city in the US to NOT have any public transportation.

I have to say that during the democratic primaries there sure were a lot of people at the caucus that night, there are some of us dems hidden around this city.



:hi:

[crispini]

151. I don't think I knew you lived in Arlington!

:hi:

Either that or I've met you and spaced it or just not made the connection. :silly: I'm a friend of Tom's (Texas Thought Criminal) and I think he's mentioned meeting you. I'm going to see him at a Party committee meeting tonight, actually. :D

My precinct convention was nuts -- 400 people! :wow:

[tammywammy]

160. Yeah, I think I met you at a meet-up many moons ago

It was at Texas Roadhouse in Grand Prairie.

[moonbatmax]

165. What's Grand Prairie like, do you know?

I lived down there through most of the '70s, the first place I really remember.
I was too young to know much about the politics of the area back then,
but I'm curious to know what it's like, and how it's changed.

[tammywammy]

166. It's kinda run down

Well most of it I would say. BUT I will say that I work in Grand Prairie in the industrial area, and the roads are super shitty, worse than East Arlington. LOL! I have such a lovely drive to work crappy roads in Arlington to crappier roads in GP, but thankfully no highway! :rofl:

[moonbatmax]

199. Wow!

That's a real shame. Can't say I'm surprised, though, after a couple of the things I saw in Google Streetview (or whatever it's called). I WAS surprised to find some things still around, like, there's a sign still up for the Robo Wash that was on SW 3rd Street, tho the car wash itself seems to be long gone, building and all. I saw the old tracks for the Lion Country Safari, too, more than thiry years after it closed down. Almost amazing how long the shadows linger, sometimes.

Shame about the Forum 303, though.

[tammywammy]

206. Oh yeah, they finally tore down Forum 303

It was really an eye sore for years. I work in the industrial area, between Marshall and 303. You know that area is the biggest source of employment in the city, you'd think they could fix the darn potholes.

[moonbatmax]

220. Yeah, I read about it

Or about it coming, anyway. I'd read they'd been having trouble getting/keeping tenants for awhile, and then the air conditioning failed, and they decided not to fix it. Must have been lovely during those Texas summers.

Speaking of those seasons, do you still get any snow in winter? Never got more than a few inches deep when I was down there back in the seventies, but I don't think I year went by we didn't get at least one snowfall. BIG fun the day we moved out of there, with Dallas/Ft. Worth in the middle of an ice storm?!

[AlbertCat]

143. Texas can be made blue yet.

Before or after it secedes? :eyes:

[tammywammy]

162. There's a plan for secession?

God, why don't I know about it, since I live here and all.

Dismissive attitudes of those that are trying to turn Texas blue isn't very helpful.

[AlbertCat]

183. God, why don't I know about it, since I live here and all.

Maybe you haven't been listening to your Governor....and those running for Governor. It's been on both KO's and Rachel's shows. One fool even screams "We hate the USA!"

[tammywammy]

187. So he's proposed secession to the state congress

He's working on legislation for it?

One buffoon talking out of his ass doesn't not mean the whole state is planning on secession. Maybe you didn't realize that Perry's in the middle of a governor's race and is trying to maintain and gain right wing support in order to win a primary? Considering I DO live here, I have to say, I have yet to hear a citizen, be it a friend, co-worker, stranger in a store, tell me that we should seceed from the union. I don't drive down the streets to secession protests. So, no, secession isn't in the plans or works or anything. It's a dumbass governor talking out of his ass.

[Mythbuster]

188. One dumbass governor

and a handful of extremists are the one's touting secession. They even had a rally at the State Capital a few weeks ago. A solid group of idiots.

[tammywammy]

192. And it's a vast minority of people too! n/t

[Mythbuster]

190. I think the only way Texas will ever go blue

is if all the rural areas of the State disappear. If it weren't for our metro areas, Texas wouldn't even have a prayer of being even a shade of purple. The majority of the Texas, outside of the major cities, is still about as redneck as redneck gets. But that's not to say change isn't completely gone from the air here, after all, Lubbock finally went wet this year, and I thought I'd never live to see that happen.

[TankLV]

72. It isn't now called texASS for nothin - they've EARNED that name!!!

[mistertrickster]

81. These are the same people who love their country so much that they want to secede from it. nt.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. That's the way to indoctrinate kids...

Get them OUT of school, take them some place fun like a stadium, then tell them about jeebus, guns, and evile libruls. :eyes:

[tammywammy]

12. Rev Dwight McKissic is an anti-gay preacher

While I applaud him opening up Cornerstone to broadcast Obama's speech, that's the only thing I could applaud him for. He was against my former high school from starting a Gay/Straight Alliance club, this was after I graduated and I do not remember if it was ever formed. While I was in high school he lead the charge against the journalism teacher/newspaper adviser because the paper dare to write about the Teen Project which did counseling for gay students, which contradicted his views that homosexuality is something that you can work your way out faith. She was forced to resign or be fired from the school district.

[Toasterlad]

60. Oppressing Gays Is the One Thing Republicans and Democrats Alike Can Agree Upon

Bi-partisan hatred, bringing America together.

[Cha]

94. Yeah, but they're are a lot of Dems

who are for equal rights for all and are working on it.

I don't see any fucking republicons or dinos doing that.

[tammywammy]

115. Rev McKissic isn't one of those

He's a known republican as is his wife, until Obama came along. He's said that the anti-Christ will be gay.

[AlbertCat]

144. Bi-partisan hatred, bringing America together.

Don't forget atheists!

[SpankMe]

13. Infuriating.

The Republican mother fuckers are suffering from a virulent strain of hypocrisy.

[newtothegame]

14. Wow, misleading headline. Maybe you'll still get your wish and make the Greatest. N/t

[mystieus]

15. How is it misleading? Did you even bother to read the article title, clown

[Techn0Girl]

19. I'll tell you how it's misleading...

It's misleading because the students are being bussed to see "a Cowboys Stadium field trip that the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee invited 28 fifth-grade classes to attend several months ago" according to the article. Bush just happens to be speaking there.


Like poster you so ungraciously called a "clown" I am tired of DUers making all sorts of reactionary and inflammatory articles just to get on the front page for a few minutes.

The children are being bussed to a sports related field trip. Bush just happens to be speaking there.

I don't like Bush - never did never will. And Sister , that's an UNDERSTATEMENT - but this has no relation to not showing Obama's speech. It's not even happening in the school itself and only one fifth grade class out of the whole school is going. Apples and oranges.

And can call me a Bozo too but it is what it is

[mystieus]

24. I posted the article title. If you have a problem take it up with the source

I could care less about some greatest hits thread .. or whatever the hell you call it. I came across this article and posted it.

[Techn0Girl]

26. That's not quite correct is it....

First of all here is the actual source of the article which you did not actually point to:

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-beat/Kids-Didnt-Hear-Obama-But-Will-Be-Bussed-for-Bush-57827022.html

(citing the entire website for NBC Dallas doesn't count - you should cite the actual news article as I did above. This gives proper credit to the actual author as well as allows people to check for inaccuracies)

Secondly , your title of the post and the actual title of the post do differ significantly. So you did NOT actually quote the article's title - the fault is your own. Your article title says "School refused to air Obama's speech...". The actual article says "Kid's didn't hear Obama..."

In point of fact the school did NOT refuse to air Obama's speech. The school district actually posted it in its entirety on the district's web site - as the actual article points out - for the children to hear.

I can go on but there is no need.
You were sloppy in your retelling of this event. Rather then get snippy to the people pointing this out , you should just acknowledge it and try to do better in the future.

I know this is the web and you are no journalist (nor am I).
But I have taken a few journalism courses in college and I was editor of an Ivy League newspaper for a time so perhaps these things jump out at me more.

[muriel_volestrangler]

38. First of all, you give the identical link that was in the OP

so you're wrong there.

Secondly, the difference deos not look significant; in reply #19, your complaint was

"It's misleading because the students are being bussed to see "a Cowboys Stadium field trip that the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee invited 28 fifth-grade classes to attend several months ago" according to the article. Bush just happens to be speaking there."

Current title of the web page: "Kids Didn't Hear Obama, But Will be Bussed for Bush"
Title of the OP: "Schools refused to air Obama's speech but will bus kids to hear Bush speak live"

So on the point you were complaining about, "will bus kids to hear Bush speak live" and "Will be Bussed for Bush" come out pretty much the same.

"In point of fact the school did NOT refuse to air Obama's speech"

Well, yes, they did. Sticking a copy of something on a website is not the same as 'airing it'. I thought someone who took some journalism courses would have understood that. The verb 'to air' is associated with broadcasting, and, as the article says, "The Arlington school district, like many in North Texas, decided not to broadcast the president's speech live ". Newspapers, Ivy League or not, do not 'air' speeches by putting them on a web page.

You were sloppy in your criticism of that post. You should just acknowledge it and try to do better in the future.

[Aragorn]

50. and

I actually interviewed an AISD teacher (my old district 30 years ago) and they did not allow any live info on the speech. Sadly this is one case where rural East Texas beats the university city of Arlington!

[Name removed]

67. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cha]

101. Good lesson, teach..

Made me want to go back and read everything again.

[Jakes Progress]

109. Gutted her real good, but who's going to clean up that mess. nt

[Name removed]

61. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

69. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

74. Deleted message

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[caseymoz]

194. Posting it is different from airing it.

Notably by the results: in one, not every student hears or sees it.

[Divine Discontent]

30. how dare you post this! don't you know this is inflammatory!!!

:rofl:

oh the humanity. she thinks she's the shit apparently.

[DainBramaged]

39. Speaking of the thread title police, I guess they are everywhere on DU.

:eyes:


Don't worry, even though you didn't write the title or article, the thread monitors will be along to try and shut the thread down.

[bread_and_roses]

27. A president, or even former fraudulent WH occupant like * never "just happens" to be on the roster

It is you who's central premise is disingenuous, and you are making a mountain out of a molehill with your objections to the OP. The OP did "break the rules" for LBN by not using the exact title on the article, but that is not your beef: you are claiming some essential distinction based on a faulty premise - ie, that the appearance of a former "President" (in quotes for Commander Codpiece) is a mere asterik on the program - a sort of happenstance, which is patently ridiculous.

[dsc]

33. It isn't just a happenstnace but it did happen after the school agreed to send the class

that is a pretty big difference.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ian David]

36. You lost. Get over it. n/t

[caseymoz]

43. A recently ex-President just doesn't "happen" to be speak anywhere.

I realize in Texas that football is supreme, but are we really obligated to assume that Bush isn't going to put a political message into a "fun" event? Wouldn't that just turn it into "infotainment" in the same way Limbaugh is supposedly such, until something like health care comes along?

To apply some Conservative-style paranoia for fairness here, how do we know that Republicans aren't funding this behind the scenes to indoctrinate children to their political agenda using athletes? I mean, it isn't like athletic endorsements are ever used to sell, anything, you know. Who better needs the selling and the PR than Dubya, who was the biggest failure in presidential history, and needs terribly for the coming generation of Republicans to disbelieve it. A new generation of Republicans needs some misleading. No possible "indoctrination" there.

In other words, there's a pretty strong argument that the "apples and oranges" are just apples, and you just haven't opened the crate to look. I certainly think it's too similar not to make you want to look closer.

As for the headline-- try to communicate what you considered to be the subject in six words, and then apologize to the headline writer. Not that you got the point to begin with.

[Cha]

102. We'll have to monitor that

bush speech and see if he slips any politics out of his little fooking puppet head.

[Aragorn]

48. do you really think

it's just a coincidence that gwb is speaking there?

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Canuckistanian]

92. That doesn't negate the argument

Remember the wingnut's MAIN complaint was that kids shouldn't be "politicized" by having to listen to a politician.

If that was REALLY the case, then ALL of those same wingnuts would have REFUSED to let their kids hear Bush.

[Cha]

103. Yeah right.

Scaredwingers aren't called fooking hypocrites for nothin'.

[Name removed]

125. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AlbertCat]

145. Bush just happens to be speaking there.

Y'see....ol' Dubya and the wife were out for a stroll and came upon the stadium full of students, and said "gee...that's nice" and they all said "Y'all c'mon in and give a speech!" and so he did.

[Quantess]

161. You apparently have strong feelings about this topic.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6486451#6487101

[Dramarama]

169. I <3 you

eom

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[fascisthunter]

104. lol...

I just recommended the article.

[Joanne98]

18. Do parents have the right to opt out?

[Techn0Girl]

20. It's not a school-wide event

It's just a field trip to a sports complex that some fifth graders in the school are going to and Bush happens to be speaking at it.

I'm not saying that everything's fine and dandy in Arlington Public schools because if they nixed Obama (and I'll bet they showed the Bush address to schools some years back) then something's clearly wrong. But this particular event is like comparing Apples and Oranges - it's just a field trip to a sports complex where Bush happens to be a speaker as well.

[Raschel]

77. Well that's even worse. Parents should demand that the kids stay in school, not have their learning

disrupted, (like they claimed the President's speech would do) and demand that Bush be removed from the roster or demand a prior copy of his speech and be able to opt out if they wish.

[tammywammy]

37. Yes, it's a field trip and parents have to give permission to go n/t

[BR_Parkway]

21. Black & White Rev McKissic, no shades of grey here to try to sort out

[polmaven]

179. Literally...

Black and White........That, in a nutshell, is the difference.

[Anakin Skywalker]

23. Wow! Can They Get Any More Fair & Balanced?

Scumbags! Well, if there's any consolation, the dumb sumbitch will make more verbal blunders for the archives.

[caseymoz]

44. It's okay, he has athletes there to "sell" the Bush brand just in case.

Could they be there to "sell" Dubya, possibly, because he was the worst President ever, and badly needs the PR to smooth that over for the next generation of Repubs who might otherwise have doubts? No possible political indoctrination there.

The George W. Bush Legacy rehab project is well underway now. By 2021, people will be convinced he was the best since Lincoln. I'm afraid Texas might be totally convinced by 2011, and might make him the first dictator in the Independent Texas Nation. They'll be growing bananas down there before long.

:woohoo:

[liberal N proud]

35. Come to think of it, I recall the same thing happening

here in the community in which I work.

In 2004, they bused all the kids to hear bu$h speak when he was in town. Yet I recall yesterday seeing the schools here would not show the speech.

The school district is Westlake Ohio.

[Doremus]

75. Understandable given the gentrification that's occurred since I graduated in 1973.

It's one of the few zipcodes in deep blue Cuyahoga County that's home to CEOs, entrepreneurs, sports stars and other wealthy bastions of conservatism.

City planners did a fine job of making my rural hometown of green space and grape vineyards into a place I don't even care to visit anymore. A pox on them.

[liberal N proud]

91. You know this place very well

[Doremus]

112. I know where all the bodies are buried and can name names. ;-)

Thank goodness I was gone before they trashed the joint. I kept up with the goings-on through a boss who happened to be on city council there.

Good luck! :hi:

[AlbertCat]

147. The school district is Westlake Ohio.

Another one of those damned Southern states!

[Soylent Brice]

40. i applaud The Arlington Independent School District on their

utterly amazing audacity and brazeness.

simply amazing, indeed.

oh, and this is for them too...

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[TheCowsCameHome]

41. Why? Isn't there a zoo closer?

[Deep13]

42. Reading? Trying hard in school? Hand washing?

Obama, you tyrant!

:eyes:

[orbitalman]

45. This just shows the DEEP polarity....

Ahhhh! Texas & secession. I don't see any hope to prevent the eventual start of another civil war, but of sorts. Already my family is not speaking to each other for some time.

[NOLALady]

107. I truly hope there isn't a war.

If they want to leave, they should be allowed leave without a fight. They just can't take the state with them.

[Doctor_J]

46. Now THAT'S Naziism

and fascism. Let's please call it what it is.

[The Backlash Cometh]

47. We are all going to have to work together to change this.

This is sedition.

[Wetzelbill]

49. I'd like to say I am surprised

But I am not. Some people are just awful, it's true, not much can be done for most of them.

[SlingBlade]

51. Well that also explains why Pickles was

so magnanimous about President Obama's school speech.
These right wing thugs have no conscious.

And why isn't the press all over this shit ???, Fuckers


Laura Bush defends Obama school speech
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4049358

[Bluzmann57]

52. Hypocrisy rears it's ugly head. Again.

But I bet the kids will pay more attention to the football players than the ex-pres. And the players will probably be able to string together more than two sentences at a time.

[Wizard777]

56. They want to play politics with the children. Welcome to Politics!

Your federal budget has been slashed to 0.

[derby378]

57. I've already started calling the school district

One helpful and pleasant lady at the AISD offices suggested that it would be best to call the AISD Superintendent's office as well as the Communications Department, so if you want to give the school district a ring, there's a helpful tidbit for you.

[Ranting_Wacko]

87. 682-867-7344 For The Super. Can't find a Comm. Dept. on their website.

Again, that's 682-867-7344 for the Superintendent's Office.

[Cha]

105. Yes, a number is helpful!

Thank yuu, Ranting!

[scentopine]

58. Notice something missing through all this?

Texas Gov. Rick Perry - dumber than Bush, but better hair and we have a Gov. and Texas State Board of Education who believes the earth was created 6000 years ago and they don't believe in dinosaurs even though there is an exhibit of dinosaur tracks within short walk of capitol. Jesus rewarded our dedication to Christianity by giving us football.

Rick Perry is Sarah Palin without breasts. They will run together on a national ticket one day. Perry for sure. If not Palin, he'll have to work hard to find someone dumber than he is. Palin is a good fit.

But what's missing? Democratic Party outrage and media blitz and organized protest. I think our leadership is checking in with their corporate sponsors on how to spin this properly.

Have we demanded to see a preview of the speech and demanded that Bush edit remarks to our liking?

Texas State Board of Education cannot be trusted with children. I'm starting to wonder about democratic leadership and children as well. The main lesson from democrats is how to be cowards.

[JonQ]

64. So the school made obamas speech available, but not mandatory

and now they're sending a few kids to the cowboy stadium to hear many speeches (with their parents written consent) one of which happens to be a former president in an event organized months before yesterdays speech, and well before the brouhaha surrounding it.

OMG THEY ARE TEH FASCISTQSS!!!1!!!one!!!!!!

[Name removed]

78. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JonQ]

99. Yes, how dare I be from a different state and gender than you

diversity will not be tolerated here!

Also, had you read the article (I know, you probably have an issue with people who read as well) you would have seen that it was being made available on the schools website.


You really didn't read it did you? This is faux outrage at it's finest. And thinly veiled bigotry against 24 million americans at that.

[Cha]

106. Made available on the school's website?

Not the same..not good enough.

And Fuck the stupid idiot, bush.

[JonQ]

108. Right, not good enough

it should be mandatory, in fact they should watch it every morning before starting classes and every evening before going to bed.

Seriously, have you seen/read the speech? They aren't missing much. As speeches go it was the same old bland platitudes kids hear every day. Stay in school, work hard, etc. Hearing it, or not, one more time isn't going to make much of a difference.

I predict grades and graduation rates will stay about the same, or continue their downward trend.

Your response that this speech is some ground shaking, deep truth revealing prophecy is just the flip side of the "OMG Socialism" people. Complete overreaction not based on facts.

[Cha]

120. The kids liked the speech and I

don't give a rat's ass if you did or not.

[JonQ]

124. Some kids did, some didn't

I'm guessing more were bored, or happy because they were missing algebra class.

You could have had a national pizza party day, kids would probably have liked that even more, but would it have accomplished anything?

Seriously, what do you really think this accomplished besides distracting public attention away from more important debates?

Do you think this will reverse the downward trend we've seen in education quality? Will kids that had already decided to do drugs and drop out suddenly change their lives?

I've got a feeling that nothing will happen. They won't become socialists, they also won't become overachieving students.

[Name removed]

127. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

136. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AlbertCat]

148. what do you really think this accomplished besides distracting public attention

Well, it made the Repugs look like the racist fools they are for one.

[JonQ]

173. Again, baseless accuasations of racism

when faced with any criticism/opposition don't damage their image as much as they damage yours.

[AlbertCat]

186. baseless accuasations of racism

Hardly. Kenyan born Muslim is not usually falsely applied to whites. And when the majority of the accusers are white males over 30 from a party that is literally going south....well, you have a base.

Really, I live in the South and my well educated doctor father was a racist as well as his well educated pillar of society lawyer brother. I've heard and seen the code words and attitudes before. They may only say "nigger" when they're alone, but everyone gets it when they use the codes in public.... except you of course.

[JonQ]

213. Few whites

have a kenyan father, false analogy.

And I suppose you're in the camp that believes only whites (and all whites) can be racist? That's what the "white males" bit was about right?

And I love the claims of "codewords", they're fun. Mostly because they can't be denied, it's all a conspiracy, lack of proof is proof of that.

"Socialist" means "I hate black people in the whitehouse". Except when it was used the exact same way to rip apart white democrats, in which case it means something else.

[JerseygirlCT]

157. That's not at all the same thing

not in the least.

Available on the website means about nothing. It's also undoubtedly available on a number of other sites.

Not the same as having it shown in school. Just how many kids will be taking advantage of the website, do you think?

This was a stupid and cowardly move by the school district. Put it together with the willingness to ship kids off to listen to the Bushes, and the hypocrisy is glaring.

[JonQ]

175. Do you really think making it mandatory would make that much of a difference?

Seriously, this whole thing is disgusting. The cries of socialism from one side, and racism from the other. It was a simple speech repeating the same things we hear every year. Whoop de friggin do. The opposition to it was stupid, as is this mindless cheerleading that something in his speech is magical and will turn everyones life around, so they are really missing out by not seeing it at school.

[JerseygirlCT]

202. I think for many it was a very important moment

Like for a co-worker, for whom it was very important that her African American child see the first African American president talk about responsibility and the importance of hard work and education.

(and I don't think I've heard of anywhere it was mandatory - children whose parents didn't want them to see it were usually provided with another space in which to read quietly).

[JonQ]

212. The complaint I was responding to

was that it wasn't shown in class and forced on students, merely made available for them to watch (for free) at their own leisure.

And in general, no I don't think the speech was all that important. Did your co-works child not realize until this week that we have a black president?

[JerseygirlCT]

214. Really, what an assinine response

There's a big difference between sitting in front of your computer and watching something after it's happened, and watching it live, knowing that a whole country of kids are sharing the experience.

[JonQ]

215. Not really

No, there isn't. Nope.

Tell you what, let's look at the kids who watched the speech live and those who watched the tape over the next 10 years.

IF those who watched it live end up as successful professionals with their lives together (controlling for all the variables) and those who watched the tapes turn in to STD riddled crack-whores then I will concede the point. If they turn out pretty much the same however, then you will have to acknowledge that it doesn't really make a difference.

Do we have a deal?

[wordpix]

66. one word: outrageous (but I'm not surprised by the TX clowns)

[scarface2004]

68. don t let them go....he ll turn them into war criminals!!!

and pet goats!

[ScottLand]

70. I think the message is clear enough here.

[boomerbust]

71. Hank Hill

Is also scheduled to speak.

[Raschel]

73. They took high school kids out of school to blow up balloons for the Repub. Nat. Conven.

The kids thought they were in for an interesting volunteer experience and the Republicans just used them for blowing up balloons. Too cheap to hire somebody. How could they justify taking kids out of school to blow up balloons?

YouTube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB5Ckj7CAH8

Welcome to the 2008 Republican National Convention and our behind the scenes videos on GOPConvention2008.com. Today, in our sneak peek we take a look at what goes up and will certainly come down with great enthusiasm and excitement. It's a Convention tradition that watchers and attendees look forward to every four years: The thousands of red, white and blue balloons that will drop Thursday night at the conclusion of Senator's McCain's acceptance speech. Dozens of lucky students from Johnson Senior High School in St. Paul got to play a little hooky today as they helped inflate more than 200,000 balloons. Once inflated, the balloons were corralled into long nets and dropped gently to the Convention floor at the Xcel Energy Center. The nets were carried into position then hoisted to the ceiling where they will remain until Thursday evening. The entire process began Friday morning around 9AM and wasn't completed until late into the evening. This is a just one of the many finishing touches that will provide the perfect setting as we put Country First on Monday, September 1st.

[Patchuli]

80. HYPOCRITES!!!!!!

I'm so sick of their double-standards. Reich Wingers SUCK! :puke:

[samsingh]

82. and our soldiers are forced to hear rush on radio

[Ranting_Wacko]

84. I'm not surprised.

I grew up in Arlington, worked for the city for over a year during the time the Cowboys Stadium deal was approved. The city is a good place to live but the local government is corrupt as all get out and conservative dominated. But I repeat myself.

Sadly, I can see the AISD going along with this, if only because the city itself has so much invested in the Cowboys Stadium and keeping the public happy about being taxed to let Jerry Jones build a giant steel vagina as a monument to himself.

When I went through a new employee orientation (some six months after I was hired), all of the Power Point presentations were done in silver and blue and "Our friendship with the Dallas Cowboys organization" was listed among the reasons Arlington was a good place to work. This at a time when there was some talk of there being discounted tickets or free tickets to city employees. All that was missing was a loyalty oath to Jerry Jones.

[Cha]

110. I really feel sorry for all their brainwashed

indoctrination..there's so much more to life than a$$holery.

But, their lead assholes, bush+cheney, had 8 years and they tried to fuck my country up beyond all recall so in all their stupidity they are dangerous enemies of the USA.

[asdjrocky]

85. Poor Texas.

I mean, do we need another reason to hate Texas?

[derby378]

93. I'd rather you didn't...

Dallas schools showed the speech in their classrooms, although they did give some principals the ability to opt out. Ours is the only school district in the area to at least make the speech available in real time. We just elected a whole slew of Democratic civil and criminal judges (as well as a kickass DA) in 2006, and they're working hard to hold on to Democratic gains in 2010.

It's just going to take us a while to spread the big win from Dallas to Fort Worth and Arlington. But we're working on it.

[Cha]

113. Wow! Thanks for telling us the good

news! I was wondering about Austin Schools, yesterday..didn't they show the Pres' speech live there?

[sonias]

149. Yes they had a choice to watch it and many did

AAS 9/09/09
Many students listen to Obama speech
Many Central Texas students watch it live, but others, by choice or by force, opt out.

By Laura Heinauer, Melissa B. Taboada
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, September 09, 2009

After days of controversy surrounding President Barack Obama's speech to U.S. schoolchildren, many Central Texas students watched it live Tuesday in gymnasiums or classrooms, while others — some at the direction of their school leaders — opted out.

(snip)
At Austin's Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, all but one student gathered in an assembly to watch, Principal Jeanne Goka said.

Officials in the Georgetown and Leander districts did not allow campuses to show the speech live. Lake Travis, which had planned to allow teachers to show the speech live, changed its position late last week and did not allow it to be shown live.

Other districts left the decision up to individual schools or teachers and told parents that they could request that their child participate in an alternative activity.

We also have a bunch of education institution cowards as well. They couldn't show any spine and defend their decision to listen to the POTUS encourage their kids to stay in school. If I were a kid who didn't get to watch the speech live I would remember that day for quite a different reason that those who got to watch it.

Feels like segregation again. Thanks wingers!

Sonia

[raccoon]

86. Could somebody sue the effing school district? nt

[Infinite Hope]

98. Here's the district's contact info...everyone should call and complain.

Let them know they're an embarrassment nationwide. The phone number is at the very bottom of the following page:
http://www.aisd.net/

[Cha]

114. Yeah, it was a stupid

decision not to show the President's speech on education in the first place.

[Jakes Progress]

111. I called the Arlington Chamber of Commerce

this morning. I live next to Arlington. I told them I wouldn't be going to any more Arlington stores or eating in Arlington restaurants.

They made their choice. I made mine.

[Cha]

116. What can I say?

Thank you!

[tammywammy]

117. Um, the Chamber of Commerce isn't the School Board n/t

[Jakes Progress]

123. Um. Naive.

School boards are more afraid of and listen to the business community much more than they do parents or tax payers.

Maybe not where you live, but around here the quickest way to a new school board is for a member to draw the ire of business.

So you go ahead and vent aimlessly at a school board member. One call to the CofC is worth many to an school district public affairs office. That public affairs office already has their prepared statement ready. You call, they read the message, they check you off as handled. If you live in the district, you can call your board member, but he or she is probably a tea-bagger if they voted to ban the speech, so what good does that do.

If thirty people call the Chamber and vow to boycott the city's business community, the superintendent will get a visit. This is how it works. I spent many years in that milieu and I know this is the case. If you want to influence a republican, threaten his pocketbook. They don't care about anything nearly as much.

[L0oniX]

119. Racists ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[JonQ]

126. Really? Are people still going that route?

I thought we were over this.

Republicans hate a democratic president, just as they've hated all democratic presidents for as long as both have existed.

But this one's black, so it must be racism. No other possible reason.

[stubtoe]

137. What other reason can there be underlying Teabagger lunacy?

They call Obama "socialist", but I believe that's code for "the black guy in the White House".

Sure, they hated Clinton, and Carter, and Kennedy. But all this organized angst about made-up controversies (I mean really, a speech to schoolkids?) is so irrational - something more primitive must be underlying it.

[JonQ]

171. socialist = black guy in the whitehouse

Type in bill clinton and socialist in to a google search engine. You find quite a few complaints that he was a socialist.

He was black?

[MUAD_DIB]

155. Would Bill Clinton have had to defend his birth certificate...over and over and over?

:shrug:

[JonQ]

177. Change of subject, but I'll bite

Clintons parents were both american citizens who lived in the US their entire lives. Apples to oranges.

And the same complaints were raised with McCains birth certificate, it just didn't go as far because he lost the election. Had things gone otherwise no doubt people on here would be demanding to "know the truth".

Politics as usual != racism.

[noiretextatique]

182. keep your head in the sand

the birthers, deathers and teabaggers are pretty up front about their racism. some admit they just don't like having a black man in the white house. keep making excuses for them...i am sure they appreciate the help.

[JonQ]

211. Sure thing buddy

if by "keep your head in the sand" you mean avoid making unproven claims against millions of people I will definitely continue to do that.

[noiretextatique]

180. there are other possible reasons

and racism happens to be at the top of the list.

[JonQ]

181. Based on your opinion

not polls.

Believe it or not there are reasons to disagree, even dislike the current president. There always are.

When democrats criticize him, are they racist too?

BTW, screaming racism every time anyone does something obama doesn't like proves exactly what the right was predicting before the election: that obama and democrats would try to use his race and accusations of racism to deflect justified criticism.

[noiretextatique]

184. what fucking polls?

the polls that show idiots don't believe obama wasn't born in this country? or the one that show idiots believe he is a socialist...or that he plans to have death panels? guess what: racists often LIE about being racists. as for "screaming racism": you have to be one of more dense people in the world if you can't see the racism that has been on display since the campaign. even the MSM is covering the racism on display at town halls, etc.

[JonQ]

209. Ah, a perfect set up then

if anyone disagrees with obama: racist.

If they deny it: racists lie.

I have to ask, have you stopped beating your wife yet?

[Kablooie]

122. It's just more "Hey you! Get to the back of the bus." people exercising freedom of ugly speech.

[Raschel]

131. It's just more "Go back to where you came from!" That's why they want to prove he was born in Africa

[cascadiance]

134. I guess the bad guys usually win on "Arlington Road"...

There doesn't seem to be an exception here... SCUM! Still want to support the REAL terrorists of our country!

[Can of Whoop-ass]

135. WHAAA......?

Schools refused to air Obama's speech but will bus kids to hear incoherent drunken warmongering crook and anti-American George Bush speak live about non-existant WMD's.

FIXED IT!

[ellenfl]

140. good for the pastor! eom

[Old Studentka]

146. Was this a private school?

'cause, if not, I want my money back!

[Imalittleteapot]

150. Just another embarrassing stain on Texas.

Let me out of here!!!!

[RedCloud]

153. Off with their heads! Enough of this racist bs.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

158. Bow to your Monkey God of Death and Destruction Republicans!

Walk across broken glass on your knees to worship the Patron Saint of Fuck Ups.

[shagsak]

163. The Stadium, Texas, and y'all.

My two cents.

Jimmy Jones has been whoring out this stadium since it's completion. It's not surprising they planned this open stadium field trip months back (right about the time they started having concerts there). They have had NUMEROUS opportunities for people to visit and push it like crack. They host high school football games, they have college football games scheduled, they have shown scrimmage games open to the public (so long as you live in arlington). The list literally goes on and on.

I understand the kneejerk reaction to insult all of Texans when you hear about something some idiots are doing here. But keep in mind that Gee Dub was actually GOVERNER in Texas before he was president. That doesnt make him any less of a douchebag, but he still has more respect than Rick "look at me I'm pretty" Perry, so sure, he was invited to the stadium. But then again so were the Jonas brothers. It's really not that big a deal. You may be surprised to know that most of these kids are more interested in seeing the Cowboys and the Stadium than Gee Dub. Kids putting sports before politics, hard to imagine.

I'm so sick of the "fuck Texas" rants and baseless stereotyping. Most people are not aware that THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS DOES NOT WALK IN LOCKSTEP. We don't all want to secede, we don't all wear cowboy boots and ride horses, and we sure as hell don't all listen to country fucking music. However most of us do consider Y'all to be an actual word usable in professional emails. Go figure.

To those of you who shower support to us Dems trapped in this politically volitile zone, thanks. It makes me proud to be a Democrat. To all those who continue to put me in with the rest of the (minority) of Texans that you can't stand, Fuck Y'all.

[tammywammy]

168. Well, there's also

the fact that Bush was also part owner of the Texas Rangers, who are also located in Arlington.

Plus, a field trip for any school requires a parents permission for a student to go on it. So any parent that doesn't want their child to see former President Bush can opt their child out.

[JonQ]

178. Are you saying the actions of a tiny minority

can't be used to judge the entire population?

Pop quiz, one of these stereotypes is perfectly acceptable, the other three will get you banned immediately, can you guess which one?


A) use the actions of a few blacks to label all as violent criminals.
B) use the actions of a few texans to label all as righting ignorant hicks.
C) use the actions of a few muslims to label all as suicidal terrorists.
D) use the actions of a few environmentalists to label all as domestic terrorists.

[AlbertCat]

195. Stereotypes

Recent studies in how the brain functions and organizes data have shown that some stereotypes reflect truths. This notion is unpleasant to us because of the 20th century pushing of the "blank slate".... that our minds are blank slates and we learn everything from our environment. This is not true however (how could we learn things if the wiring for learning wasn't there to begin with? We know now that language is an instinct we do without thinking) Some stereotypes are self fulfilling loops. Like the notion that women or blacks are no good in executive positions. This idea makes it hard for women and blacks to study and do executive tasks and therefore they WERE not as good in such tasks. Only by breaking out of such ideas and with education and opportunities, you destroy the stereotype.

Anyway, the gist of these studies is that some stereotypes are true....of a group. But not of an individual. Stereotypes should never be used on an individual.

The group I'm discussing here is not all conservatives. The group here are those who believe and espouse outrageous notions about Obama....not American, born in Kenya, a muslim, an evil socialist who want to indoctrinate our children. In that group, the stereotype of racism is not outrageous. With education it can be broken.

I know...too subtle for you...

Don't get mad at me. Read the book "The Blank Slate", by Steven Pinker

[JonQ]

210. Yay for stereotypes

always true, so long as you are careful on who you apply them too (ie, politically correct groups to hate).

Like it would be wrong to say an individual black man is a criminal, but it's ok to say all black men as a collective are criminals.

Yep, nothing wrong with that.

[shagsak]

216. None are "perfectly" acceptable

I am saying that the actions of a tiny minority SHOULDN'T be used to judge the entire population. To me that's common sense. Are you argueing towards justification of such stereotyping? If so I disagree with you completely.

My problem is that everytime anything politically negative happens in Texas, the response from a few (not the majority) is typically dismissal of the entire state. As if the small block of people involved represent all of us.

[JonQ]

217. I know you weren't arguing that

I was addressing that to the general crowd who views any stereotyping of texans as acceptable, when they wouldn't accept it for most other groups.

I should have been more clear.

[scentopine]

204. share that energy with the schools who censored Obama

I (a Texan as well) hate to say it but Texas does it to itself.

But... and I am not trying to be contradictory, and I'm definitely not scolding..... unfortunately, most of Texas walks in lock step.

Tom Delay, Bush I and Bush II, Neil Bush and Silverado, Karl Rove - some first class nut sacks with Texas linkage. And even though Bush is from Connecticut,, not Texas, he brought it on himself with his bullshit cowboy schtick. And who can forget Phil Gramm. Its possible to list 50 well known political and corporate skunks that are household names (Enron?) and they all have texas running in their veins. And then there is Rick Perry - them male version of Sarah Palin casually tossing around succession like a great big dickhead

(man I must be pissed at these scum when I start using words like dickhead).

So, lets just say we have a shortage of Texas role models. Texas State Board of Education is run by Christian zealots who believe the earth was created 6000 years ago. They are working hard to get text books to treat dinosaurs as mythical beasts. They did, in fact, censor Obama. There was no "opt out" notes telling parents that Bush would be attending and they could opt out if they wanted. That is significant. There were "opt out" notes that mentioned Obama would be speaking and their child may be excused. Think about how bad that really is - it is fucking diabolical.

Anyway, dems in Texas get almost nothing. It is criminal. We don't exist.

We are on the front lines. The rest of the nation is in danger of becoming what Texas has become politically. It can and will happen if dems don't get off their asses and start making phone calls and writing letters.

Or, maybe if we just stopped voting for democrats and stopped sending money....

That's been my decision along with working against corporate influence in public governance - also a losing battle. We are fighting against DLC and Republicans. Both almost indistinguishable in terms of their corporate influences.

[GMC]

164. Embarrassing

What in the heck is wrong with school children hearing a message about the importance of getting an education from the President of the United States???? Oh I understand, we are talking about Texas and the current President is a black democrat. The double hate whammy is making all the republicans in Texas insane with rage. So much so that they are willing to teach hate and disrespect to their children. All I can say is WOW. I am a white male Texan who voted for Obama and if Bush who I disagree with was going to make this same speech I would NOT pull my kids from school. I would praise him for the speech even though I disagree with his policies. There is a dangerous presence in Texas it is called talk radio that is dominated by Rush, Beck, Hannity, Savage and others that are spreading fear and hate pretty much 24/7 on the radio. The bloodly massacre in Rwanda that left millions brutally murdered was fueled by talk radio personalities spouting hate and fear, the same could happen here I fear.

[onethatcares]

193. well put. Welcome to DU

keep thinking.:toast:

[rucky]

167. This is the best arguement for homeschooling I've ever heard.

[ObamaKerryDem]

170. Hypocrisy!

Unbelievable. :grr:

[zinnisking]

176. I am not surprised

Republicans aren't American. They're fascists.

[Ikkru]

189. Typical

Jesus! Freaks!

[progressivebydesign]

196. it's because they're a bunch of racist hypocrite paranoids. Next question? n/t

[Geek_Girl]

197. This is such bullshit. These people are nothing a but a bunch of racist.

I wish they'd just be honest about it and put on a bunch of sheets and quit pretending this is about partisan politics.

[saigon68]

218. LIKE THIS?

[saigon68]

219. And This?

[AntiFascist]

200. No doubt, a part of the state of Texas that wants to secede n/t

[wroberts189]

201. As a white male I will say it: RACISM knr/nt

[pam4water]

203. Can't really say anything more that WTF! & Is that tax payer funded?

[and-justice-for-all]

207. That is why every last puke needs removed from ANY public office

be it federal or local.

I am so sick of those fuckers!