Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Children’s Chant Against Obama: Never Again
New West ^ | 11/18/08 | Jeff Pansy Brady

Posted on 11/18/2008 2:01:20 PM PST by pissant

When second- and third-graders chanted “Assassinate Obama” on a Madison School District bus recently, district spokeswoman Janet Goodliffe explained that most of the children didn’t understand what the words mean. According to The Associated Press, she attributed the chant to the community’s being “highly conservative” and overwhelmingly for John McCain.

I admire Janet Goodliffe as a preschool education leader. But as a teacher, she offered tortured excuses instead of capitalizing on a great teaching opportunity.

This is not an isolated incident. As a former teacher and Idaho Falls school volunteer, Luella Hendrickson, wrote on this page Thursday, after the election, children in her daughter’s elementary class condemned Obama for being a Muslim, not being a U.S. citizen, selling out to the Arabs, taking away our guns, etc.

Anyone with ears to hear know these children were parroting their parents. Children get the drift from home: The new president is radical, dangerous and not to be trusted.

How terribly sad.

Elsewhere, Obama’s election loosened a joy and celebration unknown for decades, including unprecedented acclaim from abroad. It was the greatest imaginable affirmation of America’s capacity to renew itself. It could only have happened in the U.S.A. Whether you voted for him or not, you could be proud of your country in this hour.

Predisposed by their parents, many Idaho children will miss the marvelous message that, with character and ability, anyone can succeed here. They may go on muttering, complaining and passing on adult myths instead of joining in the renewal we so badly need.

Goodliffe did say School Superintendent Geoffrey Thomas, another admirable educator, had reminded district employees that words like “assassinate” are taken seriously by law enforcement and stressed tolerance of different political viewpoints.

All well and good but he, too, misses what’s been going on.

Rumors about Obama’s religion and loyalty—which have persisted for a year in the face of contrary evidence—are not “political views” to be “tolerated.” They are lies. They should be denounced explicitly. They should be used to teach not mere tolerance but the difference between truth and falsehood.

Chanting “Assassinate Obama” is not some kids’ cutup but signals a serious underlying malady.

Lies, innuendos and slurs have become commonplace in close Idaho elections in the form of ugly last minute “robo calls” and leaflets. Yet the next day they’re dismissed by most Idahoans with a wink and a sigh, as if politics is a realm divorced from honesty and accountability. All’s fair if it’s done by my side.

That’s what kids are learning and from this comes the chant.

But forget politics and consider their education alone.

We live in a world so interconnected our food is harvested mostly by black and brown hands, without which we’d starve. When today’s elementary children reach 40, the majority of Americans will be people of color. Will our children understand this new world?

Ignorance and prejudice cripple education, stunt economies and corrode culture. Success comes not just to the nimble of mind but to the open of heart.

People who professed to be Christian have been maligning an honorable man continually. Were Christ to return, how would he judge liars and rumormongers? Are we not one people of God, striving for justice, mercy and truth?

A principled, intelligent, and deserving man is our new president. John McCain said it best: In a time of terrible challenge, let us unite and move forward together.

Adults may wallow in resentment and delusion if they wish but not, I pray, the children. From altars and pulpits, from classrooms and dinner tables, let children learn that the days of racial hatred are passing and that truth is sacrosanct. Grab those words from the school bus and teach our children well: Never again.

Jerry Brady is president of the Post Co. and co-chairman of Idaho for Obama. This column appeared first on Nov. 16. Reprinted with permission from the Post Co.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: bho2008; dnctalkingpoints; fubo; goebbelswouldbeproud; larrysinclairslover; must; mustnotlaugh; notlaugh; nottobetrusted; obama; obamatransitionfile; obamunist; pansy; radicalanddangerous; shill; smartkids; whininglibtard
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-57 last
To: weegee

Close enough for a government contract.


41 posted on 11/18/2008 2:47:41 PM PST by Dr.Zoidberg (There are 1524 days until marxist occupation ends. What are you doing to shorten the war?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: pissant
The new president is radical, dangerous and not to be trusted.

How terribly sad.

Yes, it is terribly sad. But, we're stuck with him for 4 years.

42 posted on 11/18/2008 2:48:25 PM PST by brytlea (You can fool enough of the people enough of the time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

Rumors about Obama’s religion and loyalty—which have persisted for a year in the face of contrary evidence—are not “political views” to be “tolerated.” They are lies.

Seems the author was channeling a “baddie” from a Harry Potter novel.


43 posted on 11/18/2008 2:50:47 PM PST by Cailleach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: brytlea
But, we're stuck with him for 4 years.

You hope. The Russians got stuck with FDR's favourite Uncle Joe for 25 years, and the Cubans have been stuck with Obambi's favourite revolutionary for nearly 50 years.

44 posted on 11/18/2008 2:51:28 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Everytime they open their mouth they shoot themselves in the foot.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Revolting cat!

At the moment I am going to assume (yeah, I know the danger there) that we will get to have a real election in 4 years...


45 posted on 11/18/2008 2:53:48 PM PST by brytlea (You can fool enough of the people enough of the time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: LongsforReagan

This is just so damn sad. Obama, like it or not, is gonna be the Prez for the next four years. Why are they turning him into some scarey, horrible Boogey-man, for their kids no less?


46 posted on 11/18/2008 2:55:57 PM PST by rumraisin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: brytlea

We will get a election in 4 years. In a changed country. You can bet on that.


47 posted on 11/18/2008 2:57:29 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Everytime they open their mouth they shoot themselves in the foot.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: pissant
You know when I was in 2nd and 3rd grade adults completely ignored what we said if not only to say “keep it down back there”.

Now the adults are seeking to find some sort meaning in the rants of a rabble of Halflings some of which can’t even tie their shoes. Good Grief

48 posted on 11/18/2008 3:00:34 PM PST by usurper (Spelling or grammatical errors in this post can be attributed to the LA City School System)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rumraisin

Well, we have elected a Kenyan, an Indonesian, a Muslim, a Goddamn America black liberationist, an admirer of Chavez and Castro, so what do you want, to stuck our heads in the sand? “La, La, La, I can’t hear you” for the next 4, 8 years?


49 posted on 11/18/2008 3:00:47 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Everytime they open their mouth they shoot themselves in the foot.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: word_warrior_bob
This is exactly how all the left-wing psycho nuts have been getting their agendas pushed through in America: pro-gay/lesbian teachings, anti-alcohol/smoking programs, America is creating it's own hatred overseas BS, vegetarian agenda, anti-gun rhetoric, etc... < We are losing this war, because we are not fighting the battles in the right place. We are trying to fight adults in congress/media and they are attacking our children and subverting the entire battle! Read Sun Tzu's Art of War and you will see exactly how this war is being waged! The problem is parents of today are so busy with everything else that they put their children on the back burner (not all of them, but a very LARGE portion) and never explain to them where these traditions, beliefs and TRUTH comes from! I know my parents didn't in the late seventies and early eighties - and I used to think that Democrats were right. But ten years in the Marine Corps got me up-close and personal with how the US Government works (or DON'T work)! It subjects the best and brightest to higher and higher standards (which makes it harder to be promoted). All while still rewarding slack-offs with pay raises, promotions and less and less standards. This is how Democrats work!
50 posted on 11/18/2008 3:11:19 PM PST by ExTxMarine (For whatsoe'ver their sufferings were before; that change they covet makes them suffer more. -Dryden)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: pissant

the children didn’t understand what the words mean

LOL - the Children are smarter than Janet Goodliffe.


51 posted on 11/18/2008 3:32:50 PM PST by chainsaw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: brytlea
At the moment I am going to assume (yeah, I know the danger there) that we will get to have a real election in 4 years...

ACORN is probably already working on the states that McCain carried.

52 posted on 11/18/2008 3:35:43 PM PST by Kent C
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: pissant
......Obama’s election loosened a joy and celebration unknown for decades......

Wait three years and see what side of their faces the smirk is on then for most of the fooks that voted for him.

53 posted on 11/18/2008 3:40:19 PM PST by sport
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

I pray every day for Obama’s safety. Although, I wouldn’t mind another holiday.
Seriously, Kennedy was a womanizing, drug addicted liberal but for years you wouldn’t dare say that out loud. Can you imagine what it would be like if something happened to the second black President?


54 posted on 11/18/2008 7:06:42 PM PST by ODDITHER
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant
"It {Obama's election} was the greatest imaginable affirmation of America’s capacity to renew itself."

No, IT was the 'greatest imaginable affirmation' of America’s capacity to commit hari kari because of white guilt, political correctness, general stupidity, and a whole lot of 'help' from the MSM.

STE=Q

55 posted on 11/18/2008 7:15:35 PM PST by STE=Q ("These are the times that try men's souls." -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

Funny, we remember a lot of similar things being said about George Bush and Republicans generally. Did this guy protest?


56 posted on 11/18/2008 7:23:46 PM PST by AmericanVictory
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: pissant

“let children learn that the days of racial hatred are passing and that truth is sacrosanct.”

Maybe they could learn it by attending the same church Obama’s family attended for 20 years, where — listening to the sermons of his avowed mentor, reverend Wright — Obama, his wife, and his CHILDREN, imbibed the racist and genocidal teachings of ‘black liberation theology.’

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1990117/posts

STE=Q


57 posted on 11/18/2008 8:06:46 PM PST by STE=Q ("These are the times that try men's souls." -- Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-57 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson