...that I remember having to listen to all of Reagan and Bush Sr.'s crap throughout Elementary and Junior High. And guess what? I learned to think for myself! I think I saw someone else somewhere say, "What a great lesson to teach kids - don't ever listen to someone else whose opinions differ from your own." Talk about indoctrination....

I read the planned speech on whitehouse.gov - it's really just about staying in school, working hard, etc. I guess some people don't like the idea of the President telling kids what they "should" do. But isn't that sort of an indirect role of a nation's figurehead? There are both practical and ceremonial purposes for any nation's leader (which is why some nations have more than one - to fulfill separate functions). In this particular case, the leader of this nation addressing children in school and encouraging them to work hard and remember their responsibilities as future American citizens is in itself a lesson in government, citizenship, and becoming a functioning contributor to a society that was at one time built on work ethic and independence.

The more this country widens the divide in politics - makes government a love it/hate it hot-button topic - the greater the harm to the nation as a whole. Like it or not, we are not islands in any sense - not individually, not in our municipalities, states or globally as one nation independent of any actions of others. There is a great service to be found in government for the people and by the people, and the more people follow the advice of the Glenn Becks or the Keith Olbermanns, the less that can be accomplished for the good of the nation.

For the past 220 years, this country has had a President as both ceremonial and political leader. Whether you agree with his ideas or not, there is nothing wrong with saying to a child, "This is our nation's leader. He has some ideas about how our country should work. Some day you will learn enough to decide for yourself how you think the country should work. But for today, he wants to talk about how you, even as a child, can make a difference in your life and in the life of your country. What do you think about that?" And anyone who thinks that any child in a public school is not capable of understanding, or shouldn't be exposed to such topics, severely underestimates the ability of that child to comprehend and to grasp in their own mind what the wonderful gift of being an American means to them.