President Obama's Speech to School Children (and other things)

Oooooh, what a hot topic! Since last week, I've heard some parents weren't going to let their kids go to school today because they didin't want them to hear President Obama's speech. I've heard that he was going to use his speech to promote socialism, get kids to take the census, and other things.

I told my kids to go, listen closely, and report back. I wanted to know what he had to say to the children of this country in these turbulent times.

Then I heard the speech would be posted online. I read the speech (you can read it here) this morning. Here are my thoughts.

First, I thought the speech was well written and completely appropriate. He said things that I have said to my own kids myself: hard work is just that--hard! but it's worth it. Education is vital. Don't let failure hold you back. Keep trying! I'm grateful for that message from the leader of our country. What's sad is that it needs to be said at all. Our country is in desperate shape. I see many kids around me who do feel discouraged by the economy and lack of jobs, who sit in front of video games all day long and never pick up a book. I worry about them and their futures.

What I find interesting is the reaction people have had to Mr. Obama's speech (before even reading it). I'm not a fan of President Obama. I didn't vote for him, didn't agree with his national security ideas, or many of his other policies. What does this reaction to his speech from a large part of the public say? That there's a general mistrust of our President? Seemingly so.

I stood outside and listened as my elderly neighbor, with tears in her eyes, expressed her fear of socilized medicine. Her husband, a cancer survivor, isn't doing so well at the moment and she fears losing their private insurance, then being cast aside by socialist health care and left to die. There is a lot of fear in this country right now. I don't like it.