Be afraid of Obama, be very afraid

I don't know if Barry Noreen was intentionally trying to be provocative in his opinion column on Friday, but it is clear that he does not grasp the difference between this week's upcoming Presidential address to impressionable school children and those of previous presidents.

When the previous presidents addressed schoolchildren, their topics were clear and appropriate for underage audiences. Bush I spoke on the importance of resisting peer pressure to use illegal drugs. Bush II spoke to a single school group on the importance of being able to read and do math. Neither dictated that their message be broadcast into every school in the US. That forcible reach is indeed reminiscent of Hitler's manipulations of innocent children. It is right for adults to feel uneasy about this. And actually, Mr. Noreen, there is a huge difference between kids watching this kind of TV message in the classroom or at home with their parents.

As we all now know, President Obama's original set of "lessons" for our children included such topics as "what can you do to help President Obama." If that is not an intent to indoctrinate, I don't know what is. And even though Obama's handlers have backed off that extreme lesson plan, it sent a clear signal to parents that cannot be dismissed. This president's intentions with his speech are not as innocent as his predecessors. Parents should be concerned about what is being "taught" to their children when they themselves are not present. Until they are old enough to make their own reasoned choices, our children should reflect beliefs and attitudes learned at home, not from their teacher and definitely not from any celebrity, however much power he has.

Obama has shown his propensity to meddle in industries outside of Washington politics. He has his fingers in the control of banking, auto-making and, if we let him, healthcare. But he crosses another line altogether when he reaches--without prior consent--past the parents to our children. This breaks the sanctity of parents as the teachers of moral values to their own children. It is an inappropriate intrusion by government.

Furthermore, unlike virtually every other politician in American history, Obama has never left 'campaign mode.' His insistence on constantly putting his face and his opinions in front of everyone is not appropriate behavior for an elected official. It is certainly not appropriate to target young children with his "I'm smart, I'm cool, don't you want to be like me?" message. It apparently works on the liberals in our society, who have lifted  him (inapproriately) to celebrity status. It is not ok to influence school children with this kind of marketing pressure.

So, Mr. Noreen, yes it is easy to see who's afraid: it is every reasonable, thinking adult in American society.