Quick – check your children when they come home from school today to make sure they do not show any ill signs from President Obama’s “back to school” speech, delivered earlier today. The rightwing punditocracy warned that the speech amounted to indoctrination although the text was an anodyne series of encouragements to students to sick with their schooling.
There was a time when conservatives were all about patriotism. The President is the only office, along with the Vice-Presidency, that is elected by a vote of the entire nation. As well, in our constitutional system, the President is both head of state and head of government. He is the natural focus of national, as well as political, spirit. But, all that came crashing to a halt when Barack Hussein Obama won last November. Now, when the President does something that previous presidents have done, give a speech to schoolchildren, we are warned that the republic is under attack.
As reported in this morning’s briefing below, the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced its intention to have their students listen to the President. Archbishop O’Brien can expect the hate mail to start any moment. He can compare notes with cardinal O’Malley who dared to thank the President for his fine words eulogizing Senator Ted. Kennedy.
There is no attack and the Republic is doing just fine. It is the rightwing that is unhinged, not the Republic.
