Zeitgeist Zephyr

Spirit of the Westward Wind

Archive for September, 2009


Debating with Beck Impossible

Published September 30th, 2009 in Conservative Politics | No Comments »

Here’s why liberals don’t like Glenn Beck.  It’s not that he’s the most truly conservative commentator on TV, it has nothing to do with his views.  What it has to do with is his purely condescending attitude towards anyone who thinks differently than him.  His new book, Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government is a prime example that the right wing conspiracy is alive and well, doing what it does best: degrading other people and their ideas to prop up their own.  It’s been said before on this blog, but the reason I have no legitimate appreciation or respect for his views is because irregardless of how valid a point he will make, he breaks the cardinal rule of debating by following it up or even leading up to it with ad hominem attacks on a person or group of people.

The liberal mind, while grounded in its own views is open enough to consider the views of others - this is a major cornerstone of classical liberal thought, of which modern liberalism and modern conservatism have their roots.  As long as Glenn Beck continues to attack the person for what they believe rather than attacking the belief itself, it is no exaggeration that I will never agree with him.

Propaganda Machine: Obama Wants YOU to Study

Published September 7th, 2009 in President Obama | No Comments »

Today the White House posted the full text of President Obama’s Back to School Speech set for tomorrow.  I’ve read through it and I must say, this president is running a mighty fine propaganda machine.  That is, if you consider him making a speech that motivational speakers all across the country have done for decades to encourage students to study and stay in school, then yes, what President Obama is going to say amounts nothing more than unbridled political propaganda.

People have argued, and as an Obama supporter I concede that yes, President Obama will be pushing his agenda onto students.  That agenda is personal responsibility, like doing homework, respecting teachers, and staying in school so that they can make a positive and lasting contribution to society.  It’s a familiar agenda that has been supported by every single president and the last time I checked personal responsibility is a cornerstone of conservative ideology.  What baffles me is that when the President does something that everyone should agree on, pure and unbridled party-line politics get in the way.  Parents are concerned that Obama will indoctrinate their children with his “dirty” liberal political agenda. 

Staying in school and studying hard on the student’s behalf is not a political viewpoint, and I fear that if this country has reached the point where parents will pull their children out of school when the President echoes these sentiments, then all hope is lost for America’s future, which depends on bright educated minds to create the new ideas that will drive America into a better future.  Without education, America will quickly stagnate and decline.  Studying is not a political ideal, it is a cultural necessity for a society with its eyes to the future. 

Put the partisan politics away for 30 minutes and maybe the President will inspire the next Bill Gates or Albert Einstein to drop the doobie and open a text book.  You just never know…

The entire text of the president’s speech can be found here.    

Obama’s Education Speech

Published September 3rd, 2009 in President Obama | 1 Comment »

Here’s yet another futile attempt by the right to find a way to demonize President Obama in any way that they can.  For those who don’t know yet, President Obama is set to give a speech next week on the state of the education system in this country, fulfilling a  campaign promise to address the subject.  Critics are attempting to undermine his speech as nothing short of indoctrination, so much so that parents are threatening to pull their children out of school if teachers require that their students watch it.

President Obama has always had a very reliable stance on education, and it was one of the most striking things I heard during a speech he made earlier this year that, heaven forbid, parents should take some responsibility and be the ones to turn off the TV or video games when a student should be doing homework, or that maybe the student should take ownership of their education and that maybe it isn’t entirely a state problem that schools are failing.

Yep, that smells like some dirty indoctrination to me. Heck, could we be headed down the road to socialism with regards to education too?