I read the president's speech today and there was nothing in it that seemed to justify pulling kids out of school. Indeed, I saw much to appreciate in it. Students may very well benefit from the president's encouragement and his advice to work hard. They might well take heart in his message that sometimes people who have failed succeed later on. Those from poorer families might be inspired by Obama's "rags to riches" story. The only problem with that one is that isn't entirely true – or rather – it isn't the whole truth.
During part of his speech, Obama divulges to his audience that his father deserted his mother when he was two-years-old. He also asserts that he was raised by a single mother who couldn't afford to give him the things other kids had or to send him to school where the American kids went. Therefore, he says, she taught him at home.
That is partially true. Obama's father did leave when he was two, and his mother did give him school lessons at home. But, Obama's parents divorced in 1964 and by 1967, his mother had married Lolo Soetoro. Soetoro worked for the Indonesian government and later for a U.S. oil company. According to the Sun Times, Dunham and Soetoro divorced in the late 1970s. But by 1970, Obama's mother had already sent Obama to live with his grandparents, who enrolled him in the prestigious Punahou School. He attended Punahou until his graduation in 1979. Furthermore, even while Obama's mother was single, she did not care for him alone. Indeed, she had assistance from her parents, particularly her mother Madelyn. It was Madelyn who paid for most of his tuition. Obama's mother may very well have struggled, but most people do. And it didn't keep her from pursuing her own educational goals. She graduated from Harvard. In truth, most kids do not have the kinds of privileges Obama has had. Indeed, many South Dakotan students have had a harder time than he. Most do not have two Harvard graduates for parents. Most do not attend prestigious, private college prep schools. Some do not have wealthy grandparents who can pay for that kind of tuition.
What is sadder is that the real story is more inspiring than the story Obama chose to tell. According to The Washington Post, Madelyn Dunham, who had no college degree, took a job at a bank to help pay for the costs of Obama's birth. She made her way from teller to vice president, and used the money she earned to further Obama's education. Obama himself mentioned that Madelyn Dunham was a little bit afraid of blacks and sometimes made him cringe with her racial stereotyping, but in spite of that, she did everything she could to help him succeed. That is an inspiring story. I wish the kids had been able to hear it.
Obama school speech: worst fears realized. Brainwashing, Bolshevism and blasphemy. Protect your children!
See:
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/obama-brainwashing-obama-brainwashing/
Posted by: Mike Licht | Tuesday, September 08, 2009 at 06:58 AM
The objections were not about the speech itself but about the original study
guide that was to be distributed to the students. This was objectionable because of its "Cult of the Personality" type goals. The Obama people have suddenly developed sensitivity to the winds that can blow against them and backpedaled
rapidly on the study guide and quite likely the speech as well.
Posted by: George Mason | Wednesday, September 09, 2009 at 08:25 AM
You partially true here yourself.
Barack Obama attended Punahou Academy on scholarship and he took out student loan for his undergrad degree as well as Harvard Law School. Madelyn and Stanley Dunham were hardly "wealthy" and she worked hard to get her high position at the Bank of Hawaii. If she assisted her only grandson during his time at university or just afterwards living as a community organizer in Chicago, that's hardly a crime nor does it ruin the inspiration quality of his life story. They lived in a small two-bedroom high-rise apt. Most of the family income went into travel so either Barack Obama's mother could fly back to Honolulu frequently or Barack Obama could fly to Jakarta to see his mother.
Of course there always going to somebody with a harder luck story then Barack Obama or you or me or anybody else. That's natural.
Posted by: Corey | Monday, September 14, 2009 at 02:23 PM