|
Featured Sections Headlines Opinion Obituaries Sports Crime Blotter Happenings Country Cooking Wandering Minds Classifieds Birthdays Off The Wall On The Record Archives Church Listings Live WebCam
Edgefield
Square Featured Columns Pastor Williams Tech Tips Carl Langley Editor's Column Dr. Skip Myers Registered Sex Offenders for Edgefield County 2005 Crime Stats Video & Audio Updates Audio Archive (Testing) Video Archive Contact us Contact Info or E-mail the Editor Phone: 803-634-0964 day 803-279-5041 eve 803-279-8943 fax Mail to EdgefieldDaily.com PO Box 972 Edgefield SC 29824 School System EC District Office School Board Strom Thurmond Charter Schools Fox Creek Private Schools Wardlaw Academy Public Offices Edgefield County Edgefield Johnston Trenton Political State and Federal Legislative Contacts Local Political Parties Republican Party Democrat Party Chamber of Commerce Edgefield County Chamber Historical Edgefield Genealogical Society News links The Citizen News Aiken Standard North Augusta Star The State Augusta Chronicle Atlanta Journal United Press Associated Press FOX News Reuters CNS News WorldNet Daily Newsmax Drudge Report GoogleNews Yahoo!News New York Times New York Post Los Angeles Times Washington Times Washington Post |
  Letter
to the Editor
Presidential address to students accepted as standard practice web posted September 4, 2009 Dear Editor, For well over 50 years now politicians have been using public schools for photo opportunities, both Republican and Democrat. In addition, in the last 20 years those opportunities have moved from still photographs to video or taped sessions that we've been able to see on the news. Let's not forget that on the fateful morning of September 11, President Bush was sitting in a Florida classroom reading to school children. I sincerely doubt he was speaking to them about health care or the political climate of the day. As a teenager, I often remember seeing President Reagen speaking to school children. President Clinton also took advantage of the publicity on several occasions during his 8 years in office. Make no mistake, with each passing administration the bar is set higher in terms of what is acceptable when it comes to a sitting President speaking at a public school. Now we read where President Obama will be addressing all public schools via video transmission on September 8th. As a card carrying Republican my initial feelings on this were negative. And while I don't consider myself to be a "fear monger" I don't agree with much of what President Obama plans for our country in the coming years. Still, for the life of me, I can't understand why some parents would prevent their children from attending school next Tuesday. Just as his predecessors before him, I'm sure that this President doesn't plan on speaking of health care or the present political climate. Our American political process requires participation in order to work. By withdrawing, we as Conservative Republicans lose every opportunity to voice our opinions. Recently we've seen just how powerful participation in the process can be when our rights are exercised. Over the last 30 days, in town hall meetings across the country, voters have turned out in mass to speak their minds. And judging by the Presidents polling numbers at this time, it appears that fighting back has worked. Keep in mind that this President is in a free fall in terms of his popularity. This public school address is nothing more than a way to create positive spin for his administration, take the focus off of his failed health care bill, and allow him to do what he does best........... talk. I would encourage parents to not only allow their children to attend school next Tuesday but speak with them about asking questions after the address concludes. While agree that the classroom is no place for politicians, this is the bed that we've made. However, as we've recently seen, standing up and fighting is the best way to get our "message out." Finally, I would like to say that while I'm happy to see parents worried about what little Johnny will be hearing next Tuesday, I promise you that for the most part the TV or DVD player in his room is delivering much worse than what he will hear during this Presidents PR stunt next week. John L. Brown Jr. Edgefield, South Carolina © Copyright 2009
EdgefieldDaily.com All
original material is property of
EdgefieldDaily.com and cannot be reproduced, rewritten or redistributed
without the expressed written permission of Edgefield Daily.com
|
NOTICE:
We still need recipes for Cooking Section WEBNEWS – Send in your favorite or favorites. There is no limit to the number of recipes you can send in. With the Editor’s wife being the driving force behind her own personal section, help her create an exchange of local favorites, home cooking, grilling, sauces, and deserts! Send in your submissions here. |
