Monday, September 7, 2009

Grits Are For Eating, Not Thinking

Is it just me, or has stupidity become fashionable among a lot of Americans? Have so many of us always been incapable of thinking our way out of a paper bag or is this something new? The persistence of people choosing to believe in misinformation and out right lies regarding the proposed health care reforms is bewildering enough, but WTF is it with the folks who have gone into hyper drive complaining about President Obama's plan to address schoolchildren about the importance of education?

The speech and some follow up classroom activities are scheduled for today (Tuesday) at noon. The President will make his speech at Wakefield High School in Northern Virginia. The speech will be broadcast to other schools via C-SPAN and the Internet, should they choose to participate. Some schools have elected not to participate and others have informed parents that they may have their children opt out of hearing the President's speech.

I don't know why I'm surprised, but the outcry against the president's proposed presentation to America's students left me momentarily speechless. Ronald Reagan and George H. Bush (GWB's dad) addressed the nation's school children without having to get prior parental clearance for the content of their speeches. However, it seems that the same grits-for-brains people, aka grits-brain, went into conniption fits because: "I don't think that government should be meddling in our children's lives;" "I don't think that socialism has any place in our schools;" and "Obama is trying to shove his socialist propaganda down our throats through our children;" (all comments read on the Internet). That last one gives me all sorts of interesting visual images.

The ever reliable YouTube has collected news broadcasts from around the nation in which parents express their concern that President Obama is attempting to brainwash their children. My favorite is a brief video in which one woman becomes tearful at the thought of her babies being exposed to the evil power of Obama. The video is at the end of this post.

The White House released the transcript of the speech yesterday (Monday). Let's see, the president plans to tell the students, there is "no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That's no excuse for not trying. Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future."

He also mentions the importance of regular attendance, doing your homework, working hard, and washing your hands to avoid the flu. Radical stuff that may lead to more children staying in school and getting an education. Of course, a well educated populace might decrease the ranks of the grits-brain contingency, which explains their opposition to their children hearing the president's speech.

What I keep hearing from these folks goes something like this, "I have a right to my opinion. This is a free country. Mumble, mumble...First Amendment...Second Amendment...right to bare arms... (they tend to use the wrong term, substituting "bare" for "bear"). I concede that anyone is entitled to hold an opinion, no matter how stupid that opinion is. However, the rest of us are also entitled to express our opinion that your opinion is stupid.

All of these expressions of stupidity have led me to one conclusion, there are people in this country who have serious issues with having a black president. I've gone through all other possible explanations, and even serious grits-brain stupidity doesn't explain the utter idiocy that falls out of the mouths of these people. This actually gives me some comfort. President Obama won the election with solid support from a cross section of Americans, so I'm counting on that the "I am not a racist" grits-brain folks are a numerical minority who just happen to be very loud.

I suspect that these folks are motivated by fear. For generations they've believed that they were superior based on their status as white people. Then along comes this man that they label black, even though in reality he is just as much white as black. However, as they've pigeonholed him as black, then their superiority is a given. Except, this is one very intelligent man and that really throws a monkey wrench into everything that they've always believed about themselves. Unable to deal with this challenge to their reality, they have descended into a state of cognitive dissonance that has turned their brains to mush and voila, grits-brain.

The woman in this video is a perfect specimen of the grits-brain group.

19 comments:

Beth said...

Have I mentioned lately that I love you? Mwah! :)

We're channeling each other, because I wrote about this today, too. I had someone (you might be able to guess who) write on her blog that since I don't have children of my own, I'm not really qualified or capable of commenting on this.

Sorry, but you don't have to bear children to know idiocy when you see it.

Love ya,
Beth

mrs.missalaineus said...

oh the irony of the schoolteacher pointing out that if it hadn't been for massive social reforms in the early 20th century (socialism) we would not have a public school system in the first place.

*shakes head*

now i got to go see who is hating on beth seeing as i dont see how having kids qualifies anyone as an expert on education either.

xxalainaxx

Unknown said...

sometimes i get a crying jag as the realities in my life set in. i hope it's not too much to worry about. and i wonder how prevalent (truly) this fear is. anyway, it's an opportunity for obama to do what he does with ease.... reach across the aisle.

Miss Ginger Grant said...

Such a sad state in the world today...
our nation's moment of joy at electing a leader who is anything other than a white man is now overshouted by all the white men (and the women they've brainwashed) doing everything in their power to discredit him and undermine his efforts.

And I have to wonder what kind of white trash is concerned about being able to send their kids to school in tank tops? Personally, I wouldn't want my children distracted by their bare arms and armpit hair!

Unfortunately, the ignorant are still allowed to bear children, while the rest of us have to fight tooth and nail to share our homes with children who need our love!

Thanks for a thought provoking post!

Sage Ravenwood said...

I wouldn't say it's exactly new, remember the fear of communist? I think with todays technology these people have found a way to put their fear out there and broadcast it to the world.

Hysterical? Yeah it is. I'm almost betting these same people are also opposed to sex education, health care and just about anything that makes life fair in every aspect. Next they'll be questioning why we need education at all.

Who would of ever thought town meetings would resemble a Jerry Springer episode...(Hugs)Indigo

Alan said...

I think you hit it with the "loud minority" idea. UTube, the internet, the fact that all "News" outlets all Twitter, etc. gives an instant national voice to the idiots who used to only get published in the letters to the editor or on some tiny talk radio show in the middle of no where. There is no requirement that what they have to say is accurate, or represents any portion of the public. All they have to be is loud, sensational, and publish in enough places and they get the spotlight. Most of the thinking, rational, moderate people don't have the time or inclination to rant in public. And publishing moderate, logical prose will not get the attention of the Twittering masses or the "News" media who give them a voice.

Sarcastic Bastard said...

I agree with your take, Sheria. I gave up on most of my fellow Americans when Bush was elected for the second time. Sadly, I think the majority of our countrymen/women are morons.

Sending love,

SB

Lisa :-] said...

I choose to lay 85% of the blame for this bullshit at the feet of the media. Do I think that there are a huge number of grits-brained parents out there up in arms about the President of the United States addressing their children in school? No, I do not. But the media, knowing the story would be sensational and generate viewership, sniffed some out and splattered their sorry faces all over the place.

Our intrepid media have turned this non-story into a scoop. Aren't politics in this country contentious enough without the media waving red capes in front of bulls?

jack-of-all-thumbs said...

You know, I'll admit that six months ago I would have disagreed with your premise of mass cognitive dissonance due to the election of a black man. Now, however, I am in total agreement - their pointy little heads are exploding, for no more reason than the fact that their President is black. I wrote about this a week ago, but the school speech issue is probably a better illustration than I used. Simply unbelievable. And terrifying.

And I'm stealing that video.

kelly said...

I agree with you.. well said Sheria. I couldn't believe the responses to them airing this as well.. with them saying they don't think the Government should intervene with our children.. how about when they're looking for funding for some schools.. hello?? I say let the children form their own opinion on what's being said.. sad but true.. in all for most of them it will go through one ear and out the other anyway.. again, well said..
Kelly~

jerry bates said...

Very inspirational speech I loved how he aimed for our kids of today to plan for tomorrow, its not giving them political empowerment or guiding them in the wrong direction as the media portrayed but its giving them hope that through all the struggles and storms you may cross you will come out the hero In the end way to go Mr. President.

Dannelle said...

My friend and sometimes Mentor: I have read your post and all the comments- Now I want to say WTF is wrong with people! I strongly agree with your thoughts and sentiments- Kids need to stay in school and be respectful- that is not black, white or gray- it is the honest truth-
Tis last election I finally switched partys and happy, happy, joy, joy I finally feel free. I love and admire our President- now there is already "trash" on the checkout stands- I refuse to go there. It is beneath me and anyone with common sense. Rally! Support!I am a mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother(and you know I'm white, but color blind). I would have all of them in front of the TV. I am only angry because two of my greatgrands are in a "conservative Christian" school which will never allow them the freedom of choice.
Now I have had my say (for now) Go get 'em!

Dannelle said...

My friend and sometimes Mentor: I have read your post and all the comments- Now I want to say WTF is wrong with people! I strongly agree with your thoughts and sentiments- Kids need to stay in school and be respectful- that is not black, white or gray- it is the honest truth-
Tis last election I finally switched partys and happy, happy, joy, joy I finally feel free. I love and admire our President- now there is already "trash" on the checkout stands- I refuse to go there. It is beneath me and anyone with common sense. Rally! Support!I am a mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother(and you know I'm white, but color blind). I would have all of them in front of the TV. I am only angry because two of my greatgrands are in a "conservative Christian" school which will never allow them the freedom of choice.
Now I have had my say (for now) Go get 'em!

Ken Riches said...

The vocal minority has always held somewhat more sway than normal, but it has become an embarrasement for America. The partisanship is outrageous, with politicians looking to discredit our president, instead of coming up with solutions to help the country in this difficult time. A shame.

jack-of-all-thumbs said...

I'm curious if the kids who were denied the right to see him will catch the 'forbidden' speech on U Tube, and may actually be even more intrigued. Perhaps Gingrich and others belatedly figured this out and were backpedaling at the end. let's hope.

Mark said...

No, it's not stupidity, it is indeed racism.
With Clinton, the hysteria was really misogyny centered around Hillary.
Let's hope that the far-right wing has finally steeped a fringe too far. This was just ridiculous straining.

Leslie Parsley said...

I don'think you can blame the media alone for all this anger, hate and racism. Their fault lies in giving tacit approval to this ugliness by covering it extensively
while never questioning or analyzing it.

I know these people - not by choice. They have been whipped up by the Boehners and Palins and funded by very rich right-wingers. These folks are angry because they lost the election to a, horrors, black man. They are bitter, irrational and flat-out mean. They are not unlike the mobs and thugs Hitler attracted.

The Texas (I'm in TN) State Bd of Educ., is considering a text book that would rewrite history - no mention of liberal causes and leaders but lot's of Christianity.

Joy said...

It's a combination of things. The powers in the Republican Party go after any Democrat with smear campaigns and will do anything to discredit them. Then they manipulate the evangelicals and racists which isn't difficult to do since they've been indoctrinated by their churches not to think for themselves ... well, not to think at all but to react. They use one or two issues to get them to follow them and of course do nothing to repeal Roe v Wade because it's too good a campaign issue.

Those people vote against their own best interests while the greedy become richer and more powerful. It's no surprise that one of their own yelled out, "You lie!" in the joint session to our first black president showing complete lack of respect while smugly surrounded by all those other like-minded white men so afraid of losing their position.

I don't know what we can do about this. Reason doesn't work. Appealing to their emotions doesn't, either. They're a lost cause. Some people are capable of change and others stay ignorant forever. They also have too many children, and the cycle continues!

What do we do?

jack-of-all-thumbs said...

Two weeks is a long time to go without hearing from you. There's a lot going on out there for you to weigh in on......