Quote:
Originally Posted by SSJup81
I still find nothing wrong with it. I had to do assignments for Reagan and Bush Sr. I don't recall the adults around me getting upset over it. The Reagan thing, I had to write a letter for that. I don't remember the contents, just know I had to do it. What is the big deal to having a homework assignment to write letters to YOURSELF about how you can help the President? I interpreted this to mean how can you help by doing the things mentioned (how can you do well in school; how can you improve your grades, etc.). You're helping the President by becoming better students.
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The problem is, SSJup81, there was no culture of paranoia...not only culture, but industry of paranoia surrounding Bush, Sr. and Reagan. So what's the difference? Is it his age, level of experience, color, non-traditional background? Any of these things? All of these things? I don't know. But I just read a partial transcript of Rush Limbaugh's show from yesterday, and it is nothing short of fear-mongering. Here are a couple quotes:
LIMBAUGH: He is lying, President Obama is, from the moment he opens his mouth until he ends the speech. I was shouting "You're lying!" throughout the speech at the television. "You're lying! It's a lie!" Joe Wilson simply articulated what millions of Americans were saying.
LIMBAUGH: If you want to talk about demeaning the chamber, the president of the United States demeaned the chamber last night. He showed up and lied through his teeth. He was petulant, he was mean-spirited, he was angry, he was arrogant, conceited, condescending, but more than anything else, he lied through his teeth. And everybody knows it.
LIMBAUGH (as Obama): I'm in the process of destroying your country. I don't like it at all. I don't like this Constitution. It wasn't written for me. I never had a chance to vote for it. I've been saddled with it, and my people have been saddled with it, and my party has been saddled with it, and we hate this Constitution....The first thing I can do if I had a chance is rip the Constitution to shreds. I know we're not to the point I can do that yet in front of you, so I'm going to do it while you can't see me doing it, all the while telling you I support what you support.
This guy talks like this for three or four hours a day, then turn off the mic, light up a cigar and watch Beck and Hannity and all the other cable pundits do it all night.
My point is, there is an industry of people that get paid a lot of good money to tear the president apart for several hours a day. They don't have to fact check or show any responsibility, because they are not "journalists". The problem is there are people that 1) trust them and 2) hang on their every word. Rush Limbaugh cannot possibly believe all the lies that come out of his mouth, but the problem is there are people that do.
What it does is slowly create a culture where elected and respected officials will yell things at the president while he is speaking. One person I was talking to recently said she has lost respect for the office of the president, she hated Obama so much. It's one thing to not like the man, but to go so far as to no longer respect the office of president is a fantastic leap in common sense. I think another example is the topic of this thread.