Obama Inauguration in the Classroom

I shuddered when I heard that the nutcakes were making a fuss over Obama's Swearing-in. Psychiatrists would be kept busy for years with these people.

No, I am not talking about the people that began singing, "Na na na na, na na na na, na na na, good-bye," to George W. Bush as his term approached its end at the beginning of the ceremony. Yes, that was extremely disrespectful and foolish, but we have come to expect such idiocy from the heartless beings that populate the liberal left.

And no, I am not referring to the racist remarks that come out of the mouths of people who suddenly find themselves in front of a camera, or call into talk shows, that claim any white person that did not vote for Obama made that decision because of the color of his skin (like callers on 97.1 FM Los Angeles) - although I do believe a significant number of people "did" vote for him for that very reason.

And no, I am not referring to Lowery's benediction that proclaimed "when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right," as if being white means you don't do what' right, and we are somehow still in the 1960's when blacks rode the back of the bus.

I am referring to the moronic right-wing parents that kept their kids out of school, or were upset, because the public schools were showing the inauguration on television, and didn't even send home a parent's notification slip.

Yes, I am a conservative angry at members of The Right.

The argument regarding the schools showing Obama's Inauguration in the classroom erupted on local Los Angeles Radio stations, like John and Ken on KFI. Most of the argument stemmed around not wanting their children exposed to the "Obamagasm" going on, or the leftist activities in the audience.

I do agree that the media is biased, the schools are more or less liberal indoctrination centers, and Obama is a frightening far-left prospect for President of the United States. I also believe that the Public Schools have become nearly worthless, a large part because of the teacher's unions, and a large part because of the experimental methods of teaching and curriculum used. My children did much better during their years in private school, than during their years in the public school system.

Shielding children from the world, however, is not always the right answer when it comes to teaching them values and principles. Though I believe children are better off in principled environments, I also believe that when children are exposed to "other" opinions, it is necessary to allow such exposure with a glad heart, and then as a parent to be responsible enough to be involved in their lives, and be there to explain what it is they experienced.

I am sure the rhetoric in the classroom by the teachers was intolerable, and I know that the media coverage was ridiculously on the verge of becoming worship services of Obama. But regardless of all of that, an inaugeration is still a historic event, and as a student of history I believe that children must be exposed to historic events as they happen - and then have the event discussed with them by the parent later.

Those parents upset about the inauguration being shown in the classroom are well intentioned, I am sure, but well informed children (and adults) become well informed by observing the other side as well.