Reason Must Prevail (part 2)

So the President's speech to America's schoolchildren is over,and I have had time to take my kids back to school (they stayed home and watched Yo Gabba Gabba instead of listening to a speech about staying in school and doing your very best for your country).

Okay, I didn't really keep my kids home from school today...and I am so glad that they had the opportunity to see the speech. I know that many of you have differing opinions on this and chose to keep your kids home or do an alternative activity in school. Great! That's what America is all about, and I support your decision.

In this installment of my "Reason Must Prevail" series, however, I want to address a dangerous trend I am seeing: the abandonment of the high-road and the disappearance of true conservative values.

[B]ad hominem

I've heard just about every argument for not allowing our children to view the President's speech today. Almost all of them come down to not wanting children to hear from President Obama - the man. Please allow me to address each one in turn.

Kids don't need to hear from the President, that is beyond his scope of responsibility

The President of the United States holds the highest political office in our country. The office that has been held by men like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, JFK, and Ronald Reagan has many responsibilities, not the least of which is to inspire the nation. Whether you agree with his policies or not, President Obama has inspired many Americans to pursue their dreams.

Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush also addressed our nation's children. I don't think they were overstepping their bounds, either. I'm sure no one pulled their kids out of school citing that nowhere in the Constitution does it say that the President is supposed to address school kids.

This is a political stunt to "harvest" a generation of Obama supporters

First of all, my school-aged kids won't be voting until 2019 and 2022. If my understanding of the Constitution is correct, President Obama will not be eligible for re-election in those years (unless of course he decides not to run in 2012, which is a strategy that I am willing to let him pursue).

Secondly, even if my kids were seniors in high school, I wouldn't be worried about them taking a sudden turn toward liberal principles. Unless there is some brainwashing taking place (and despite some activists' opinions I don't think there is), they will revert to the ideas they have learned at home. If I have left my children vulnerable to changing their beliefs during a single, 20 minute speech, then I have failed as a parent.

Lastly, even if my children did become a lib..libe..liberal (that is hard to write), that would be their choice. A great man named Joseph Smith once said, in referring to his religious congregation, that "I teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves." I pray that my children will make good choices.

I want them to be prepared to defend their beliefs, too. Shutting them off to the world will not prepare them for the debates that will define their generation. I'd like them to know what they are up against. So I would let them watch a highly political "State of the Union" speech, too (although I would discourage behaviors like the obnoxious clapping of Nancy Pelosi - that's one area where I draw the line as a parent).

We don't need our kids to hear about Obama's views on policy

Hindsight is 20/20, but I have been saying this since last week: President Obama is not going to speak about healthcare, gay marriage, or stimulus plans. He is going to speak about getting an education and setting goals. Isn't that something we believe in, too?

Having seen the broadcast, he went further than I expected him to. He actually spoke about many "conservative" principles, such as taking personal responsibility for your future. I don't think Ronald Reagan would have said it much differently.

Obama is pure evil

Many of the arguments I have heard boiled down to this. These aggressive, ad-hominem attacks on the President will get us nowhere....fast.

As to the evil part, I don't buy it. This is a man who loves his family, tries to be a good Christian, and generally tries to do what is right. He just happens to believe in a different set of political ideals than I do. I wouldn't hesitate to have him over for dinner, however, based on his political opinions. (If you're reading this, Mr. President, you are welcome anytime. My wife makes a killer roast, and we'd love to discuss this healthcare plan with you).

It seems more and more that he is viewed as some sort of villain that parades down the street. The popular thinking is that if we are good parents, we will cover our kids' eyes and shield them from the monster. I don't see it that way.

It reminds me of the way George W. Bush was treated...he was for all intents and purposes labeled as the evil man only interested in oil and wars. Do we want to be associated with this classy ad campaign?

Disappearing Conservative Values

We used to stand for values. Values like civility and fairness. It seems like we are adopting the tactics and viewpoints that have defined the left for so many years. Tactics, by the way, that have infuriated me since I was a sophomore in high school...but I never thought that so-called conservatives would choose that road.

The Rachel Maddows, Bill Mahers, a Michael Moores of the world have lost all credibility because of their visible disdain for George W. Bush, Clarence Thomas, small business owners, and every middle-America homemaker. They attack the person, but have no answer for policy questions.

We should be different. We have the policy answers, and they will speak for themselves. We have been so consumed with attacking President Obama that we have forgotten to debate the issues. I'm afraid that calling Obama evil and not letting our children near him will make us lose credibility on what really matters.

The knee-jerk reaction of the left may be spreading dangerously towards the right. Here's an example: When John Mackey, the CEO of Whole Foods, had the audacity to say he didn't agree with the healthcare proposal, left-wingers immediately called for his removal. They also initiated a boycott of the chain of grocery stores. Typical left-wing activism. It is so predictable, if maddening.

But here's the scary part...I have heard people saying that they are no longer watching movies and TV shows that include actors who participated in the "support Obama" video. That video was atrocious, but boycotting TV shows? Really? Is that the best we can do? What's next: a Suns player refusing to catch a pass from Steve Nash because Nash doesn't agree with the war? Let's take the high road and re-draw the line between us and the left-wing fanatics.

In the end, we are all on the same team. President Obama is our president. Remember this popular sign after the Florida recount?

Let's not take that approach. I'm grown up enough to say that President Obama is my president, too. I pray that he will make good choices. I want him to succeed in making America better; I don't want him to fail simply because he is a liberal. I don't want him to be in office forever, and in fact I will go out and knock on doors for Mitt Romney in a year or two (which I did last time...maybe that's what did him in...). Until then, I will fight the battles where I can make a difference.

Let's debate the points where we differ and embrace the areas in which we agree. But let's be reasonable. I hope we can all agree that education, goals, and confidence are American values that we can all embrace. That's all this speech was.

Like Whitney Houston sang..."I believe the children are our future." Let's start by teaching them to get along with each other, no matter their political view.

Maybe...just maybe...we can leave them a world worth living in.