Educate thyself

Who knew that an inspirational speech urging schoolchildren to stay in school, get an education and make a difference in the world would be so scary?

Only in America.

President Obama's planned speech to the nation's youths on Tuesday has unleashed another round of hysteria. With the radio talk show hosts fanning the flames for the GOP, parents are threatening to keep their children home from school to avoid having them hear the president's message.

Who knew that this speech was a socialist conspiracy to brainwash our children? Who knew that the left-wing notion of getting a good education was such a bad thing? Who knew that being civic-minded was so evil?

Did these same protesters object to Republican presidents George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan speaking to our schoolchildren? Or do they simply object to a Democratic president speaking to our schoolchildren. Even worse, do they object to a black president speaking to our schoolchildren?

Is it the American way to censor teachers and school districts, demand that they not broadcast the president's speech in classrooms? Why can't the children listen to the speech and then debate its merits? Isn't that what education is all about? Teaching children to think for themselves.