I didn't think the behavior of the unhinged right could ever really surprise me, but this does.
This is beyond con/lib, dem/rep.
It's a pure, deep seated hatred for the President, and beyond that for democrats/liberals.

This is the result of the right wing takeover of the media.

Someone is going to get killed before this is all said and done.

Every single thing Obama does will be held up like this by the wingnuts. Every single thing. They will do exactly the same thing if he wishes the country a Merry Christmas.

This address makes the wingers crazy not because of what the president will say, but because they cannot control/filter/refute the message. It would reinforce that Obama is, in fact, the president. And they are afraid -- with good reason -- that President Obama may come off to their kids as level-headed, rational and maybe even likeable.

And they cannot effing stand that.

It's really, truly a scorched-earth strategy for them. They are willing to damage the nation, just to oppose a Democrat in the White House.

On the surface, it appears that the hatred is personally directed at Obama, but in fact, that's just the manifestation. ANY Democrat in the White House would get it, it would just be customized to be personally hateful about that person. If it were Hillary, there would be a distinct misogynist slant to it.

The terrible thing is - the sane ones among them, the "strategists" - don't believe a whit of it, yet they are perfectly happy to stoke it.

You said it Steve. These people are nuts. They'd freak out if he came out in favor of puppies and rainbows.

dk wrote:

They will do exactly the same thing if he wishes the country a Merry Christmas.

Exactly. Told you he was anti-Israel.

"It's a civilian fascist army!"

This message may be lost on many people (except those who will never forget the Holocaust), thanks to 20 years and more of conservative Republicans cutting local education budgets American's probably have trouble understanding what "a civilian fascist" means.

Meanwhile, I would suggest that the Republicans take to heart the message of En Vogue: "Free your mind and the rest will follow."

It's always interesting to think about the Obama/Hillary contest in early 2008 for this reason. Andrew Sullivan bloviated about how this country needed to transcend what he called Boomer narcissism, which expressed itself in the pathology of mindless partisanship. Obama would change all that.

Well, guess what. It exists independent of the Clintons or the latest exercise in high-mindedness that our well-meaning pundits offer as a cure. It is insanity. And it's not going away short of civil war. Some think these sociopaths might simply die off, that changing demographics will take care of this problem for us. Don't bet on it.

The Republicans should be offered a rebuttal opportunity so they can promote irresponsible behavior in schools and blowing off serving your community. "Remember, if you change three letters, you get "commune!"

The primary difference is that the Republicans don't give a shit when they are called out on this type of stuff. They forge ahead. The Democrats change the materials to appease the protests.

Remember. Obama is not only a Democrat, he's Black also.

For the wingers, that's a two-fer...

Make no mistake, this is an ongoing effort to de-legitimize Obama as the POTUS. In addition to the "not born here" and socialist rants, you can be sure that more vile spew can be expected. Count on it.

Isn't it illegal to keep children home from school if they are able to attend? Where is law enforcement when we need it? Aren't there laws against truancy? The disease of the Publican party is becoming an epidemic and needs to be subject to immediate innoculation for the Slime Flu.

The wider context is that the GOP are making a systematic effort to delegitimize Obama's presidency, as I recall they did with Clinton. First they insinuate that his election was invalid, and then they challenge every initiative he produces (never mind that they were part of his election platform) as extremist and unAmerican. By rousing suspicions in the heartland that Obama's presidency is tantamount to a sinister foreign takeover (Nazi, Communist, whatever), they are encouraging their wilder followers to use violence. This is only going to get worse, I'm afraid.

I have rarely found myself a man of gutteral swearing, but our not so esteemed brethren on the Right are sooooo Fucking crazy! If President Barack Obama offered them something like say, "Never put salt in your eyes," those anal cavities like Beck and Bachmann would tell their "people" to begin to put salt in their eyes to avoid indoctrination!

What no-holds-barred fucking crazy will they put on us tomorrow? "Always put salt in your eyes!" -Kevo

Remember large parts of the right don't support public education. Why do you want your kid going to some government school where they tell him about Darwin's Theory of Evolution or Keynsian economics, or tell them the Left Behind series is not great literature.

My sister has a blog. She unfortunately has crossed to the dark side. The following rant is tame compared to some of the nuttier stuff she publishes:

My children will not be attending if our district is participating in this indoctrination experiment. I have already contacted the school board and the principals and they are trying to find out if our schools will be showing this hot air next week. If they are, the principal has assured me they will have an alternate for my kids - however, I wonder what that will be? Sitting in a hallway? Perhaps being beaten out back because they don’t support the Otard? If it ’s anything like what happened pre-election, that wouldn’t surprise me.

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/09/01/obamas-sept-8-speech-to-schoolchildren/

Think it’s a joke? Look at the official paperwork sent to the teachers. Moms and dads, you MUST protect your children at all costs!!

Anyone remember reading about Hitler in your history classes? Yeah. This makes my stomach churn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She's deadly earnest. Emphasis on deadly. I've tried getting the Secret Service to look at some of her "eliminationist" writings to no avail. I'm told unless you're literally scaling the White House walls or fessing up to a detailed plot there is so much vitrol going around there isn't time to look into it all. Watching the deranged on TV is disheartening. When you share DNA with one of the mentally disturbed it's magnified tenfold.

Unfortunately, I don't think the right wing leadership is crazy. I think they are using this strategy because they know that it works with their base. They are evil and don't give a damn about the future of their country, but they sure know how to seize and hold on to power.

Many of the right wingers spouting this nonsense are very well to do secular elitists, draft dodgers, drug addicts, serial adulterers, etc. In other words they are the very thing their followers despise.

I used to try to be charitable to the red state masses. Now I find it hard to feel anything but contempt for them. I just can't find anything I have in common with these racist, poorly educated, Jesus morons.

I keep waiting for someone in the media, anyone in the media, to point out that these are the same people who reached the same level of hysteria when Obama ordered a cheeseburger AND ASKED FOR DIJON MUSTARD INSTEAD OF GOOD, HONEST AMERICAN KETCHUP!!!!!

They're the same people who became apoplectic when he appeared in public WITHOUT A GOOD HONEST AMERICAN NECKTIE!!! And who said not a word when patriotic Dick Cheney and Chris Wallace sported the same look on FoxNews this last weekend.

In other words, yes, this crowd hates absolutely anything Obama does. Therefore, they have no credibility and deserve no attention.

The school where I teach is now sending out permission slips, and we are required to explain whether we plan to show the address, what we plan to do with kids whose parents object to them watching the address (soundproof room? earplugs?), and generally treating this as if it were a real controversy.

I sent a long, emotional email to my principal about how absurd this is.

The complainers are probably the same people who sent their kids to the Jesus Camp where they learned that groveling around on the floor clutching the feet of a cardboard standup of George Bush was appropriate behavior:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxdt_f0hwUg

Maybe he should just read "My Pet Goat" to the kids.

Here in Arizona, they are allowing student to "opt out" with a note from home.

"Dear teacher, please don't make my child listen to this scary black man."

NOW there is a surprise! Schools are doing their usual "grab your ankles" pose and seeking PERMISSION for children to listen to THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!!! My God, this is INSANE!!!

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Romans 13:1-2

This is all about branding Obama negatively and de-legitimizing him as a leader. Classic tactics popularized by Newt Gingrich.

Creating a fake controversy about like this - eek, the President might say something on TV to my kids! - also enables the GOP to take over the news cycle and stir up their base with yet another conspiracy.

And the fact that schools are now handing out permission slips to schoolkids, and allowing their parents to opt them out? It just shows that the GOP's strategy worked. And now the President is now some extreme, dangerous, scary, partisan personage rather than our elected leader.

Once again the progressive bloggers like Steve Benen fail to understand the difference between education and indoctrination.

Every reasonable person understands that we republicans say it, it is education. When a democrat says it, it is propaganda. And so we can accurately proclaim the ugliness and devisiveness of The Chosen One's efforts to indoctrinate our children.

Indoctrination need not be false to still be indoctrination. Education need not be true to still be education. The defining difference is when an educating republican speaks or when an indoctrinating democrat speaks.

We intelligent, educated republicans do not hesitate to acknowledge that we lie. Lies are how we educate our base and confuse most of the rest of the voters. With our corporately owned media consistently performing their assigned roles of echo chamber and message amplifier, we are confident that there will be no real penalties for lying. And this is why we will continue to educate the masses through lies.

As for The Chosen One, it is imperative that any words he speaks, whether to children or adults, be labeled as propaganda and indoctrination. Again, it is of no importance if he speaks 100% truth or if his words are totally without political substance. As he is our enemy, anything he says or does must be attacked. We are at war against the greatest enemy of our country - the democrats. How we win does not matter and there are no Atwater or Rovian tactics too low for usage against the enemy.

I agree, Steve, that "these people are crazy."

But I disagree with Walt above, who says, "it's not going away short of civil war."

You begin your post by noting that "President Obama wants to encourage kids to do well in school (and) The right is throwing a fit." I think Obama and liberals will benefit in the long run by, as in this example, continuing to take the high road. It bothers me that so many liberals are impatient with Obama, although I do understand the frustration. To me, however, this is clearly the man we elected. We knew he was going to try to be bi-partisan. We knew he was calm and deliberate. We knew that he takes a long view of things. These are all good qualities, and he is showing all of them in his approach to passage of health care reform, repeal of DADT, and investigation of torture -- just to mention three issues.

I am struck by three recent columns. On the right, Patrick Buchanan has written a piece based on the premise that Hitler was a man of peace pushed into war by those intransigent Poles and aggressive Brits. A new level of idiocy and crazy. On the left, Gene Lyons writes that Obama is a weakling who brought a cake knife to a gun fight. Another panic attack. In the middle, a guy like Joe Klein writes a column branding the Repubs as "nihilists." The reaction: he gets absolutely blasted by ... wait for it, liberals!

You see where I'm going with this. Obama, because of who he is and how he operates, is driving the Repubs insane. But too many Democratic activists, instead of figuring out how to take advantage of this to build a record of achievement over the next several years, are attacking their own President for not accomplishing everything he talked about in the campaign in the first 6 months of what should be an 8-year presidency. Instead of making it easier for moderate Dems to get on board, for example, they are attacking them. Instead of welcoming evaluations such as Klein's, they are looking to settle old scores.

In fact, there are several liberal blogs that seem to be positively reveling in the opportunity to join the crazies in attacking Barack Obama. It's like this is their own version of a Sister Souljah moment.

By the way, I just now got a phone call (from, it turned out, a distant state) urging me to contact my Senator (one of the moderates -- who campaigned throughout my state with Barack, Michelle, and Joe -- and helped them win a surprise victory here). We had a great discussion.

We have many weeks ahead in which there will be key committee votes, floor votes, and more floor votes. So, let the Repub crazy blossom -- then use it against them. Meanwhile, let's get this done, looking for ways to make it easy for each other and welcoming all who join us, no matter how they arrived at this place. And take the long view.

Speaking of political photo-ops for schoolkids, never mind Bush and the pet goat, remember Ronald Reagan's plan to put a teacher in space so she could give lessons from orbit, and then of course come back to a very political hero's welcome and photo ops with the Prez? Well, alas we know how that plan ended for Christa McAuliffe and six other people. As we know, NASA launched the shuttle despite the fact that the weather was bitter cold, because the President's State of the Union Speech was scheduled for the same evening, and they must have been under huge pressure to make sure that Reagan could say something about the teacher "who is now orbiting the earth, and she is an American hero!"

This, of course, is the proper way for conservative children to relate to their President:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-y2QghS2gU

No Messianism or idolatry there, is there?

This national Republican circle jerk where they sit around bumping peter heads and slapping nut sacks, talking about how Great and Patriotic they are while simultaneously questioning everyone else's patriotism even that of our current president must come to an end. This whole thing is as sadistically wrong as anything has ever been in America.

President Obama is not a socialist. He was not born in Kenya. He is not planning a government takeover of health care. He is not building concentration camps to intern conservatives and Christians. He is not attempting to indoctrinate our youth to gain support for a socialist agenda. I'll tell y'all right now, you can kiss my ass. There's no reason people should sit by and let this continue. Enough is enough!

When the USA Freedom Corps goes around posting fliers illustrating the difference between a "superior" Aryan skull and an "inferior" Jew skull, then I'll call it Fascist.

Until then, if Republicans don't like public service then stop running for office.

So, at what point in the speech is he going to blast us for supporting a public option instead of seeking compromise?

There are only two things you can count on: Republicans Opposing Obama and Obama kicking his base so he can go right on trying to get those Republicans on his side.

The Republican Party = the salt in our eyes gang! -Kevo

p.s. next FAUXNEWS talking points: "Always put salt in your eyes!"

Anyone else remember "Jesus Camp" where the little girl worshipped a cardboard cutout of GWB?

They have no shame, of course, and their theology is "once saved, always saved" with the unspoken addition: no matter what you say or do. Therefore, lying has no consequence for their moral self-portrait.

W used to do political speeches all the time at schools and (in one year) on Veteran's Day instead of going to Arlington or Walter Reed. So, it very much means there's a partisan filter to the concerns. Again, not at all surprising.

And who can forget the O'Lielly follies about the Wars on Christmas and Easter by the PC crown (and probably ACORN).

Is anyone else a little squeeked by the idea that the president is going to give an education speech on the second Tuesday in the Sept. of his first year in office? Hope the Fates aren't paying attention.

Otherwise, the idiocy, it buuuurrrrns. I wish they'd just listen to themselves. Or put George W. Bush's name in place of Obama's. or St. Ronald's. And see how it sounds.

But, oh, that's right. IOKIYAR.

citizen_pain: Someone is going to get killed before this is all said and done.

perhaps...

but the nutjobs are just as likely to be the victim...

i mean...

there are bound to be armed protestors attending beck's 9/12 event...

and the paranoia is so high...

wouldn't it be likely that obama would have armed agents infiltrate the gathering...

and wouldn't he order those attending to be arrested and taken to a FEMA re-education camp...

where they would be injected with "swine flu" vaccine that in reality turns your skin black..

and then brainwash those people into speaking kenyan...

before finally starting their new jobs at the "pull the plug on grandma" plant?

you think one or two of those will surrender without a fight?

During Bush's two terms, Laura Bush advocated reading, especially for children. If these wingnuts had no problem with that, this just proves how crazy and hypocritical they are. It's just a plain depressing situation that anyone would froth at the mouth from a positive discussion about education.

By the way - I've just heard that my son's elementary school won't be viewing the President's address. The school administrators cancelled it because of the controversy (fake as it is).

There's a great civics lesson for the kids. When a bunch of shrieking partisan loons threatens to disrupt a civic occasion ... give in! Give in immediately! Fold like a house of cards. In fact, you should not only give them what the bullies what they want, but you should go further and cancel the whole event! Because if you don't placate them, they might be unhappy or something.

That's some bold leadership all right.

By the way - I've just heard that my son's elementary school won't be viewing the President's address. The school administrators cancelled it because of the controversy (fake as it is).

Why not inform the school that you and like-minded parents are keeping your kids out of school that day so they can all watch Obama together at your house?

To the teachers that have posted here: Fail any student that does not attend your class and watch the President's speech (or, if you can't work that into your required class-agenda, give a quiz or require a paper on his speech).

Fail these kids. You have the right as a teacher. You are the only source we have to stand up to this mindset of the right to teach our kids to be afraid of the President of the United States.

Tell the parents that try to pull their students that day they must have a doctor's note- and verify with the doctor that it is a necessity. Do not let them use doctor visits as an excuse, either.

This is unacceptable- the right has always been dirty, but now they're crossing the line.

It's only a matter of time before some of us in this nation are going to start taking their attack on our nation to heart and taking it out in their blood- in self defense.

"...scorched earth strategy."
In other words, further Democratic gains in 2010 as the "independents" move even further away from their former party.

One of the largest school districts in San Antonio is not going to allow any students to view the President. The largest district will allow only students with written parental permission to hear him.

Once more, so very, very proud to be from Texas......and my apologies to the rest of the nation.

I just love the way these school districts reflexively reward and appease the people who are stirring up trouble by banning the event. For everyone.

There's a civics lesson for you. And a great demonstration about how aggression triumphs unless you are willing to push back.

What will the schools do to please all the parents calling objecting the objection! Will the press cover these parents as well?

What an insane place this country is in that entire school systems cave into racist fox viewers.

The parents have the right to expect that the school districts will not treat this any differently than they have for every other president.

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