On giving up the Crunchy Con
I’ve been reading Rod Dreher, the Crunchy Conservative, for a few years now. While I’ve enjoyed most of his writing I’ve been taken aback, in the near past, with his increasing propensity to drift into some other-world region neither Right nor Left nor Libertarian nor… Crunchy. While such a position is not, in and of itself, reason to pull ranks, and while I can put up with most of his doom and gloom prognoses on issues such as the economy, a recent post of his, regarding the uproar pertaining to President Obama’s planned speech to schoolchildren nationwide is the last straw.
From Dreher,
A teacher in a Dallas suburban district just phoned the colleague of mine who works in the office next to mine. She’s a personal friend of his. He says she phoned from the break room at school, close to tears. She told him, “This is getting out of control. Parents are calling up the school and yelling at the principals. The principals are freaking out.”
All because the president of the United States is going to give an address on education to students.
Meanwhile, it took no time for a commenter on the Dallas Morning News editorial board blog to compare the president to Charles Manson. Which was followed by this:
This all sounds very familiar. Oh yea, Hitler was well liked by children. He could speak to them very well, and won them over. Hitler organized the youth as an army, complete with regiments. A boy could rise from the simple rank of just a boy to lead a squad, platoon, company, even a battalion. A girl could rise to become a leader. Even lead them into community organizers. Don’t drink any more of Obama’s Kool Aid. Wake up people.
Obama would be smart to release the text of his planned address to defuse the crazybomb on the Right. I doubt that will be enough. A Texas Republican friend this morning told me two things: a) not all conservatives agree with these people; and b) that said, this is the last straw for him, that he doesn’t want to be associated in any way with the GOP, which in his view has lost its collective mind.
No, Mr. Dreher, the furor is not because the President of the United States is going to give an address on education to students. It’s because people were sold a bill of goods when they naively thought hope and change was coming to our land (albeit, the globe) via the White House. Instead, we’ve seen a concerted effort to “spread the wealth around” with a decidedly socialist agenda. Citizens of the United States do not want government intruding into their lives and they especially do not want to let THEIR children become a captive audience to such culturally socialist mantras.
Consider this video that was shown to school children at an elementary school in Utah.
Our children should be taught about patriotism, responsibility, human rights, civic duty, and our rich history. They should not be expected to “pledge service to Barack Obama” (3:17 into the video above), or any other human, be they Democrat or Republican. Granted, the video above was not shown nationwide and is not part of the President’s planned presentation, yet one has to wonder why such a blatantly political video would be considered as acceptable to broadcast to public school children in the first place?
Parents are concerned because time has shown that increased government intrusion in the lives of its citizens results in less freedoms for said citizens. This is a president that has clearly demonstrated his desire to increase the federal government’s role in the private sector. That alone should be cause for concern when this administration expresses a desire to speak to the nation’s children – correction – the parent’s children.
Unfortunately, Dreher fails in his attempt to illustrate the utter craziness of the crazybomb Right with a blatantly disengenous comparison of his friend’s tearfully compassionate teacher with that of an anonymous foul-mouthed internet troll who compares Obama to Hitler.
So, adios Crunchy.
Filed under: Conservative • Culture • Democrats • Education • Republicans • Rusty
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Instead, we’ve seen a concerted effort to “spread the wealth around” with a decidedly socialist agenda.
I suspect Dreher is right. There is a “crazybomb” feeling coming from some of those on the Right and I suspect that this kneejerk commiephobic portion of the Right is going to undo support for conservatism, further. Or perhaps increase the death threats and gun-toting wild west feel and soon the calls for Revolution and secession will start rising up, further isolating them.
I recognize that there is concern amongst some on all sides that gov’t is spending too much money, I share that concern. But there is also concern amongst many in the middle and on the left that some on the right are just going nutso and there is no room for intelligent disagreement on topics. For this paranoid and fearmongering segment of the Right, if you don’t agree with them, you’re a commie, a socialist, you hate America and families and God.
I don’t believe our fellow citizens will give much more credence to these types. They’ll just relegate them to the dustbin of history, along with those who deny that we landed on the moon.
We’re just hoping that they don’t take this decision to ignore their more crazed allegations as an excuse to engage in violence.
Dan,
And how many of the parents who have expressed concern, and disagreement, with Obama’s planned speech to all schoolchildren appear to be ready to engage in violence?
The plain truth is that, despite all the high-minded rhetoric of hope and change, we’re simply seeing an overtly leftist administration attempt to follow through with what it always had in mind. Those on the Left who self-righteously proclaim themselves to be the party of tolerance have suddenly found themselves accusing healthcare protesters to be nothing more than swastika bearing terrorists. A peaceful black man legally carries a firearm in public, exercising his 2nd amendment right*, and the media goes ballistic, not only attempting to inject racism into the equation, but completely ignoring past incidents of Black Panthers showing up at political events with firearms.
Yes, there are certainly nuts on the Right who will compare Obama to Hitler. But, as far as nuts go, it would be interesting to compare the number of posters, held up in public, that advocate evil against Obama with the number held up that advocated evil against Bush. Hating Bush was in vogue, while hating Obama brands you a Nazi racist nutso crazybomb. Regardless, I am hardly concerned about the “death threat” nuts on either side of the spectrum. What concerns me are the nuts who, in all seriousness, “pledge to serve Barack Obama”.
Now THAT is scary.
* while I believe that open carry of firearms, where legal, is certainly permissible, I do not think it to be an effective method to educate a gun-phobic public about 2nd amendment rights.
In fairness, sometimes during the Bush administration some of the more leftish of us (perhaps myself at times) went pretty far in denouncing Bush. In our defense, Bush was engaging in what we feared to be War Crimes and people were dying. It was a far more serious set of circumstances than merely disagreeing about which approach to complex health care problems is best.
Beyond that, you didn’t see the extreme rhetoric against Bush until he began the march towards what we feared were war crimes. The nuts on the Right came out right off the bat calling Obama a socialist, which he’s not, as well as making other crazy-sounding accusations such as suggesting he’s supporting terrorists or that he wants to see our nation destroyed.
If you talk like a nut, people will perceive you to be a nut. Left or Right.
And how many of the parents who have expressed concern, and disagreement, with Obama’s planned speech to all schoolchildren appear to be ready to engage in violence?
This is a good example. While I have not listened too much to those bemoaning Obama’s speech to children (I suspect it’s mostly a Limbaugh and extremist politician-driven phenomena than any real world problem – I don’t know of any parents personally who are concerned about this), the one thing I HAVE heard is a GOP representative writing THIS letter…
As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology. The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other President, is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans…
To which reasonable citizens say, What?? “Socialist ideology”? Obama is supposed to give a speech about working hard in school and striving to be a success. How does this become “socialism”?
It’s this sort of knee jerk response that cause many of us to begin to write off the Right.
If you have legitimate concerns about a policy, raise those concerns reasonably and people might listen to you.
But as soon as you start crap like this, I will tend to write you off and side with those you are maligned, EVEN IF I’m not sure that I agree with his position. In other words, people like Jim Greer of Florida (who wrote that screed) are doing more harm to their cause than good with that paranoia and demonization. My opinion – as soon as I hear that sort of language – is, “Well, I’m not sure I agree with Obama, but if THAT is the tone of ‘the other side,’ then I definitely will pick Obama over that sort of behavior…”
It’s obvious Dan Trabue hasn’t read the study guides that were to be used after Obama’s speech. For all of his ranting at those dastardly right-wingers he seems painfully… unschooled…on the subject.
Here are some of the questions:
*What is the President trying to tell me?
*What is the President asking me to do?
*What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about?
• Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
After the speech, teachers will ask students:
*What do you think the President wants us to do?
*Does the speech make you want to do anything?
*Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us?
But wait, it gets worse
Jake Tapper of ABC caught the Obama Education department whitewashing the original study guides:
In an acknowledgment that the Department of Education provided lesson plans written somewhat inartfully, surrounding the President Obama’s speech to students next Tuesday, the White House today announced that it had rewritten one of the sections in question.
President Obama will talk to students from Pre K thru 12th grade about personal responsibility and the importance of staying in school, White House aides said.
As one of the preparatory materials for teachers provided by the Department of Education, students had been asked to, “Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. “
Today, after Republicans accused the White House of trying to indoctrinate school children with liberal propaganda the White House and the Department of Education changed the section to now read, “Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short?term and long?term education goals.”
“We changed it to clarify the language so the intent is clear,” said White House Spokesman Tommy Vietor.
Bullcrap. The changed it only because they got caught.
If you can’t see that this is political indoctrination you’re blind.
Run for the hills! The commies are coming! The commies are coming!
You fellas are marginalizing yourselves to irrelevancy.
I wonder if you were similarly opposed to Bush talking to school children?
Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
Ummm, he’s asking us to stay in school, he’s asking us to work hard, to listen to our teachers and parents, be responsible? Things like that?
Crazy working hard, be responsible commies.
Hmm, just trying to find the study guide for “helping President Bush” and the YouTube video extolling the pledging of service to President Bush from the Hollywood elite. Can’t seem to locate them on the Internet, Dan.
And that’s the concern you’re hearing. You’re responding like Rusty and Tom are solely talking about the President merely speaking to school kids, but that’s not what they’re saying, so that’s straw man. I have no problem with my kids watching the President of the United States talk to them. But the administration got caught trying to add a bit of subliminal message behind it that Democrats would have similarly objected to.
Again, to an average person like me, y’all sound paranoid and a bit creepy.
Take that for what it’s worth.
What Rusty said…
Parents are concerned because time has shown that increased government intrusion in the lives of its citizens results in less freedoms for said citizens. This is a president that has clearly demonstrated his desire to increase the federal government’s role in the private sector.
The notion is not unwarranted. People SHOULD be concerned about unwarranted gov’t intrusion in our lives and vast overexpenditures on questionable budget items.
However, if you had shown EQUAL concern with Bush’s gov’t intrusions into our lives (hello, Homeland Security, hello, gov’t investigations into Peacemaking Groups, hello bedroom politics…) and vast gov’t overexpenditures on questionable items, your complaints now would carry more weight. As it is, it merely sounds like paranoid sniping at a president from the Other Party, based on partisanship, not on real concerns.
Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.
I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.
I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.
I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.
But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.
~excerpted from Obama’s “Schoolchildren’s Manifesto”
AAAAHHH!! Work hard?? Pay attention??? The fiend!!
[hope you all don’t mind my having some fun at your expense, I think this whole episode has been pretty humorous… Feel free to delete, if you wish.]
Reaction from Democrats to Bush’s school speech:
The controversy over President Obama’s speech to the nation’s schoolchildren will likely be over shortly after Obama speaks today at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. But when President George H.W. Bush delivered a similar speech on October 1, 1991, from Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington DC, the controversy was just beginning. Democrats, then the majority party in Congress, not only denounced Bush’s speech — they also ordered the General Accounting Office to investigate its production and later summoned top Bush administration officials to Capitol Hill for an extensive hearing on the issue.
Again, Dan, you’re barking up your chosen tree, while the three of us are arguing different grounds. In the meantime, I’m going to predict that Congressional hearings on Capitol Hill on this speech are not forthcoming. As the article says, both speeches are entirely unremarkable. It’s the post-speech message that’s the big issue, and when the White House indeed scrubs part of its plan after the uproar, sounds to me like the uproar was warranted.
Congressional testimony and financial auditing after a speech to schoolkids? To an average person like me, that sounds paranoid and a bit creepy.
I’ve never claimed to be bipartisan (a condition I think the Founding Fathers would have found laughable) and, given the choice between a conservative gov’t intruding in our lives and a liberal gov’t intruding in our lives, would pick the conservative. However I rather that neither intrude (indeed, to be truly conservative, the gov’t would not intrude – another indication how un-conservative Dubya was).
However, you are, I think, missing the point of my post. I’m not so concerned about the content of the speeches (the initial or the final versions) as much as I am concerned about the latent hero-worship given to O. Hence, my inclusion of the “I pledge to serve Barack Obama” video. That entire video is nauseating nonsense and the mere fact that some school admins couldn’t see through it (and probably completely agree with it) underscores the different nature of the impact of this president. If power causes one to burn with corruption, hero-worship fans the flames.
Go ahead and laugh it off, but let’s see how these pushbacks impact Obama’s approach in the coming months.