Guest editorial misses the mark

Reading Brittne Lunniss’ letter, I was both amused and saddened. Amused that she

and reportedly a significant number of other self-described “conservatives” around the U.S. took umbrage at the announcement that President Obama would make a televised address to the school children of the nation, a periodically routine Presidential event. Sadly, Ms. Lunniss took it upon herself to scathingly denounce the scheduled address.

School officials and individual teachers in various areas defiantly announced their refusal to show President O’s address. An unknown number of parents kept their children home Sept. 8, the day of the broadcast.

“It is appalling that our tax dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology,” Ms. Lunniss indignantly declared.

Obama had originally planned to ask the pupils to “write a letter, proposing their suggested improvements toward the U.S. educational system … “

Ms. Lunniss stated, “After an uproarious outrage brought on by mostly the conservative party…” (Hmm … what would the name of that party be, Brittne?)

Ms. Lunniss, in 1991, President George H.W. Bush asked children to write him letters with ideas for improving their schools. Tuesday, after Obama’s address had been made, it was glaringly obvious that all the rants of the “uproarious outrage” by the righties, the charges of “socialist indoctrination”, etc., were for naught. It was as announced and as intended – inspirational and motivational and praised by no less such Republican politicians as Sen. Lamar Alexander of my birth state, Tennessee.

Ms. Lunniss, what did you and those other “uproariously outraged conservatives” think Barack was going to do – read excerpts from Das Kapital?

“… a health care system that doesn’t need immediate fixing.” Young lady, there’s not-a-few million people in this country who would take issue with you on that statement.

“Ninety percent of Americans who identify with the president’s party approve of him, but 85 percent of those who belong to the opposition party disapprove,” according to CNN Polling Director K. Holland. (WOW! Amazing conclusion!)

“In an environment like that, almost nothing Obama does is immune from controversy.”

The understatement of the year! The “conservative” party, aka GOP, has NO solutions, only falsehoods and fear-mongering. If they knew which shoe President Obama puts on first when he dresses each morning, an issue would be made of it.

Perhaps the statement most revealing of Ms. Lunniss’ mindset: “NOT to say that supporting Obama makes you uneducated, but it’s not a coincidence that the majority of uneducated America, underprivileged citizens and foreign residents find satisfaction within the empty promises of our president.”

That’s the part that saddens me.

– John P. Brown