Brainwashing Propaganda, or Morality Lesson?

[Delc]

Click any of them. The Bush administration made a formal declaration of a "War on Terror", then later acknowledged it was a war against radical Islam. You could argue Islam radicals are not the same as worshipers of Islam I suppose, but I find that nut hard to swallow. True that when generalizing any Islamic with a "radical" or "extremist" label, this person would is considered more than likely to ready to strap themselves with C4 and blow up innocent lives, but that seems more like a cult to me than a religion. If they [the government administrations] continue to acknowledge labels of radical and extremist with Islam, then by its very nature Islam is associated with these types of individuals.

Are you trying to say all Muslims are radicals, and all radicals who would blow things up are Muslim?

[--Pete]

Hi,

American politics is hilarious.

Well, yes. But at least Louisiana isn't trying to split off as a separate, French speaking nation. :P

--Pete

[Taem]

He's delivering a speech telling the kids to work hard, don't do drugs, and stay in school. What is he trying to accomplish? Well, golly gosh, maybe to get kids to work hard, not do drugs, and stay in school? It's not like presidents have been shy about saying this kind of thing before.

But, I guess, if you listen to an outlet that regularly implies that Obama is building a paramilitary force composed of ACORN and Americorps who will take the guns of patriots away so they can't resist his Nazi-Commie-Islamofascist coup d'etat, then I suppose this all makes sense and seems very ominous.

Me, I think it's trivial, innocuous, and of basically zero consequence.

I enjoy reading their [Fox] news articles because they are entertaining and do have stories no other station will touch, but when you bring it all together like that, it does make the sensationalism of what they are saying about Obama to seem quite ridiculous, if not biased merely to generate news.

Also, as someone with a foot in the door of the history world, let me tell you that if you're trying to use history to teach morality, you're in for a wild ride.

The "padded" version of history they [public school] taught us was dry, skewed facts to make them less grisly, and was easily forgotten after a few months. I have a personal interest in American historical incidents, and enjoy learning about both perspectives of each incident. Through this, I believe that there is much to be taught by asking a lot of simple questions that need to be asked such as, "why did they do this?", "what were they trying to accomplish?", "who did they hurt along the way?", "did the ends justify the means?", "how would you of done it differently, and why?” I think the atrocities of our history are a fantastic learning place.

I don't believe you learn to be good from watching the Care Bears but quite the opposite by observing the terrible things people do to one another and coming to the realization that you don't to raise your family (or be raised) in a world like that. You don’t want to teach excessive violence, just ask the deep, moral questions that get young minds thinking about how they want to live their lives. It’s by talking about these terrible things and understanding them that you figure out how they affect you, if not personally then emotionally. Case-in-point is if we give everyone the silver-spoon in school, what are we expecting our kids to learn in school?

Although, I cannot discount that the school system where I went to school in was - and still is - academically behind in almost every area, so perhaps high-schoolers are actually taught stuff I wasn't and in a far better way than I was. If so them perhaps my realizations are nothing more than catching up. Who knows.

[Jester]

Well, yes. But at least Louisiana isn't trying to split off as a separate, French speaking nation. :P

Neither is Quebec... this week. :lol:

-Jester

[Chesspiece_face]

Hi,
Well, yes. But at least Louisiana isn't trying to split off as a separate, French speaking nation. :P

--Pete

Although recently many in Texas seem to want to split off as a seperate, Hyperbole speaking nation.

[Nystul]

Most of those links are either about Obama or reflect on this same article by this Pipes guy. So we know this Pipes probably would like a war against Islam. But that is not what President Bush ever actually said. Nor should a U.S. President ever cross that line.

In the Middle East, politics and religion are more closely tied together than elsewhere, and it is difficult perhaps to distinguish political from religious issues. So if an extremist cleric comes to have great power, is that because of the nature of the religion or the nature of the nations political (or for that matter, economical) structure? Where these terrorist cells operate outside of our ability to get cooperation on investigating and stopping them, is that for religious or political reasons? In any case, there are a lot of peaceful Muslims living all over the world, including U.S. citizens, and I'd rather not declare war on any of them.

[Ashock]

My son just turned 11 years old. I do not want him to listen and go through the same #$%& that I was forced to go through when I was his age. This is not why my parents packed up and left everything they had to come to the US, 30 years ago.

This smacks of plain and simple totalitarianism.

I still remember "What would Lenin do?" sessions. I still remember "The truth according to our leader" lessons. Of course, with his cult of personality issues, Obama fits the mold of a typical 2 bit Marxist leader.

Why am I even surprised?

[Jester]

This smacks of plain and simple totalitarianism.

Right. Because the democratically elected president recording a message telling kids to work hard at school is really just like Leninism.

-Jester

[Swiss Mercenary]

Right. Because the democratically elected president recording a message telling kids to work hard at school is really just like Leninism.

-Jester

Lenin wore pants... Obama wears pants...

Not going to lie, the whole notion of those school assignments disturbs me, but I guess it's to be expected with the God-King status that Mr. President (not any specific president, mind you) holds in American culture (until you start getting partisan, then the gloves are off). I personally cannot understand the reverence that American culture holds for the man holding that office - I certainly do not feel that way about our prime minister. Any of our prime ministers, actually. Hell, I don't even recall our prime minister being mentioned by name when I was in elementary school.

Not at all surprised that this isn't the first time it's been done, and not at all surprised that Ashock ignored GnollGuy's heart-gripping tale of elementary school letters to The Great Totalitarian, Ronald Ray-gun.

[kandrathe]

Right. Because the democratically elected president recording a message telling kids to work hard at school is really just like Leninism.

For every Obama speech, I want lesson plans for the adults, and homework. If you don't turn it in to the IRS, you have to serve detention in the Americorps with a GPS tracking ankle bracelet.

Oh, and we should also be required to each make an Pres. Obama poster, or flag to hang outside our house. And, maybe a HOPE arm band would be nice.

[Swiss Mercenary]

For every Obama speech, I want lesson plans for the adults, and homework. If you don't turn it in to the IRS, you have to serve detention in the Americorps with a GPS tracking ankle bracelet.

In those FEMA detention camps, no doubt.

[kandrathe]

Do you even read the things you link?

YES I FRICKING READ! STOP ASKING!

The Bush administration didn't even *ask* them to carry it. And Fox and MSNBC *did* run it. The networks aren't obligated to shuffle everything out of the way every last time the president gets up on a podium. Surely reporting the content and giving clips on the news is sufficient for those too lazy to track down a video or transcript?

Right, but all day coverage was appropriate for a dead Kennedy. Props are due, yet...

Who hasn't gone to a funeral, and what was earth shattering about this latest one which required 10 stations to show it live and comment on it all day?

[kandrathe]

In those FEMA detention camps, no doubt.

It sounds like a shovel ready project to me.

[Jester]

It sounds like a shovel ready project to me.

Something certainly needs shovelling. Maybe we should ask the mayor of Cidra, Puerto Rico for a cost estimate.

-Jester

[kandrathe]

Did you turn into a shrinking violet when I wasn't looking? If "asshole" gives you the vapours, I don't know how you'd even function. (It's even meant, in this context, to mean a stubborn political scrapper rather than a compromiser - he refers to himself in the next paragraph as an asshole.) Political operatives call each other far worse, every day, and always have.

It's coarse and reveals a lack of character. But, this is what is lacking in the US anyway, we don't require character, we just pass laws limiting conduct. If someone has character they choose not to litter even when there is no law forbidding it.

As for boycotting Glenn Beck, it can't come a moment too soon. That man has been completely off the handle, calling his opponents Nazis, Communists, Racists, and even not-so-subtly advocating treasonous insurrection for *absolutely no fracking reason* except that the president is a black guy he disagrees with. Should his opponents not try to organize a boycott? It's perfectly within their rights.

Within a private organization's rights. But if it's orchestrated by parts of the government, or an organization funded by the government then it's an attack on free speech by the man.

And just a nit, you perennially misspell "Barack".

Which is why I try to use the title, President instead. Or, I could just call him Barry. I also have to look up lots of other president names, such as Imadinnerjacket all the time as well.

Regardless, not that this thread really has a lot of focus to begin with, but could we keep it from becoming the kitchen sink thread of random political stuff?

Will do... Speaking of sinks, I like Kohler faucets. :)

[Jester]

YES I FRICKING READ! STOP ASKING!

I'm sure you read *stuff*. But when what you're linking tells a totally different tale than the one you're telling, I'm never quite sure what your intent is. This is not the first time your links flatly contradict the point you're apparently going for. Are you just trying to make sure I'm awake?

Right, but all day coverage was appropriate for a dead Kennedy. Props are due, yet...

One of the longest serving, most influential, highest profile senators the US has ever had died, the last major member of one of the most powerful and famous American political families. You're comparing this to yet another speech by Bush? Was he really saying something that interesting, that couldn't possibly wait for the evening news? It's not like most presidential speeches get the drop-everything-and-listen treatment, unless the White House has actually *asked* for it.

Who hasn't gone to a funeral, and what was earth shattering about this latest one which required 10 stations to show it live and comment on it all day?

Right. Because the news is that *a funeral is happening*. People need to know what goes on at funerals generally!

-Jester

[kandrathe]

Something certainly needs shovelling. Maybe we should ask the mayor of Cidra, Puerto Rico for a cost estimate.

Cool. Do they have a training camp? I want to be a S.T.O.R.M. (Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement) Trooper!

[Jester]

It's coarse and reveals a lack of character.

Wow. Those kind of criteria were looking a little passe in the time of Charles Dickens. Do you expect them to hold doors for ladies as well, and say "heck" instead of "hell"?

Within a private organization's rights. But if it's orchestrated by parts of the government, or an organization funded by the government then it's an attack on free speech by the man.

And that would be fine, except that it isn't orchestrated by the government. A quick glance at their website shows Van Jones is a former, not current member. This is an advocacy group speaking up for their beliefs. It is not an arm of the government.

-Jester

[kandrathe]

Although recently many in Texas seem to want to split off as a seperate, Hyperbole speaking nation.

Don't forget about Alaska. The separatists were/are even in power.

[Ashock]

Right. Because the democratically elected president recording a message telling kids to work hard at school is really just like Leninism.

-Jester

If this would be the only thing in there, it'd be ok. It's not.

The reason I am replying to you and not SM, is b/c you are not a total idiot.