Just to let you know, I read this on my phone when I was away, unable to respond. I actually wrote down the url so that I could respond when I returned.
You wrote: This boy wearing the Obama hat was clearly too young to have any sense of self beyond his parents and therefore wore the hat because of what his parents believed, not what he believed. In my opinion, these adults were abusing their parental influence to forward their own support of a political candidate.
The child on your blog was wearing an Obama hat. Should we avoid putting religious clothes on our children, too? Mine wore them long before they had any sense of self, which is your criteria.
Nothing is more influencing than one's religious beliefs. Religious beliefs play into political views. Is that wrong, too?
What about educational beliefs and methods? Medical care? Fancy clothes? Plain clothes? Music? Books?
Should parents avoid influencing their children when it comes to education? How about homeschooling? Those parents are influencing their children's education in the most direct way, and they'll almost certainly have a major effect on their children's political views. Is that wrong?
Or is it "just" politics? And if it is "just" politics, why is it "just" politics? We don't reach our political views in a vacuum. They are the result of our life experiences, our religion, our economic status, our education, and much more.
I look forward to your response.
I don't think Addicted To LAW have any intention of responding to you or anyone else. They just post and run. I use the plural, because it appears to be an account set up for a group of people to use, to push their communal blog. They even suggest as much on their FR profile page.
Mountainbunny, I am glad to hear that one of our posts engaged you to take action. While I am not going to speak for the author of the post, Autumn Orton is a away, I would like to respond to your well minded points.
Under normal conditions, I would have to agree with you. But with Obama, the Obama Presidency and the Chicago Administration, this has proven to be a completely different presidential cycle that any of us are really used to. Or can even recognize.
Obama is not a president. While he is the President of the United States, he looks as if he is acting to remove the structure of the Presidency and replace it with Obama. Obama, not President Obama, is a cult-of-personality. If you remember, back in 2004, the left tried to give Kerry a quasi-rock-star status, but that failed. With Obama, it looks as if he is drunk with all the popularity. And with that, his followers are mesmerized by his popularity. Can we say the Moonies. A blind following where the members do not question The One or his ways.
So knowing this, a child with an Obama hat, is not the same as a child with a Kerry hat or a Clinton hat. This, like the public schools, is an indoctrination into a cult following. Look at the actions taken by the administration. Have you seen the BarackObama.com website. Look at all the logos they have. They basically cover each type of mainstream lifestyle. Whatever you want, whatever you believe in, Obama is for you. Not President Obama, but Obama
Knowing what Obama, not President Obama, has been “preaching” what do you think this young child with the Obama hat is being fed instead of taught. What values is Obama espousing. President Obama is not espousing anything because he is to busy apologizing to everyone for America’s evilness. Once again, how is this the same from what Religion teaches. Religion, at least, has a fundamental basic value system it teaches. Even the mainstream Democrats have a fundamental value system they go by. It is just a shame the fridge took over their party, but this was bound to happen with the path they were on.
I believe your argument would have standing if The One wasn’t in office. But Obama is in Office. I do not see this as normal politics. This is politics taken to a different level. Not to be mistaken as being taken the “next” level. This is just a level where we have not seen or experienced in this nation.
Parents should be able to teach their children as they see fit. In today’s world, that is not the case. The public school system and mass media have taken over that job. The courts are working to provide children with indepence from the Parents when it comes to parental guideance. So for those who do not wish to think for themselves, what will they feed their children about Obama instead of teaching them about politics and what President Obama is doing.
Carlos Rafael Cruz
Addicted to LAW.com Editor
Comment Line: (408) 904-7611
It takes a village indeed. No, sorry. Influence over one's own kids is a sort of PROPERTY of the parents, be it religious, political, or otherwise. Others from outside that family may not like it but the parents OWN that prerogative and NOBODY has the right to take it away just (and perhaps especially) because the kids happen to be attending a government school.
I remember in 5th. grade doing a lot of rooting for Nixon (and I think even then I understood a bit of the cynical tone, that it had a lot to do with NOT letting Humphrey in). I learned early, vote for a Democrat and be damned, and in 51 years I haven't strayed from that good advice.