This week, in a nationally televised event, President Barack Obama addressed children on the brink of adulthood, urging them to work hard, set goals, stay at it when things get tough, and assured them that one day they would be able to help solve the nation's challenges.
On the previous day, he gave a speech at Wakefield High School in suburban Virginia, which was televised to the nation's students.
Wakefield students were far more polite, respectful, and civilized in their treatment of the President of the United States than were many of the Republicans in his address to a Joint Session of Congress.
No student yelled at him, calling him a liar. Students didn't hold up signs and papers objecting to the points he was making. And none of the students booed him.
The same cannot be said of the Republicans posing as adults in the nation's capital.
Those Republicans chose to follow the lead of the sputtering ruffians who disrupted last month's town halls with angry threats and behavior that makes European soccer fans seem mild mannered. In the august setting of the United States Capitol, they showed the whole world their childishness (my apologies to actual children), their lack of ideas, and their refusal to work for solutions. They just don't know how to play nice.
The dwindling number of adults in the Republican Party can only hope that some day their colleagues will learn from the high school students, grow up, and at least act like they're civilized.
Maybe it's time for remedial kindergarten lessons for Republicans. Or take away their hall passes and send them to detention.
David Kronke: How Right-Wing Pundits Would Spin News That Obama Had Rescued A Child From Drowning
Michelle Malkin: Why didn't Obama save every child from drowning? Why just one? This myopia stems from his old, outdated liberal-elitist sensibility.
First lesson: stop wagging your finger at the people you're talking to and speaking to them as if they are unintelligent students derserving of the condescending tone used by the President.
Second lesson: stop calling all your detractors liars, mobs and political terrorists. This may in fact result in fewer people calling you a liar.
Third lesson: stop talking in platitudes that provide no real substance and avoid the details that would require taking personal responsibility. This will in fact reduce the number of rude people calling you out as a liar.
Yep, we could all use some civility lessons from high school teachers. I never once had a high school teacher treat me like Obama has. I did have multiple college professors act exactly the way Obama does and it always resulted in the same thing--a total and utter lack of respect.
Yes, that is the lesson in civility we all ought to learn and practice.
" Joe Wilson, wipe that silly smirk off your face, and donate all those hundreds of thousands of dollars campaign contributions you received to charity." Your ex-English teacher.
Keep up the reality checks, Mr. Parker!
Sedition is a term of law which refers to overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority as tending toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent (or resistance) to lawful authority. Sedition may include any commotion, though not aimed at direct and open violence against the laws. Seditious words in writing are seditious libel. A seditionist is one who engages in or promotes the interests of sedition.
Sedition is the stirring up of rebellion against the government in power. Treason is the violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or state, giving aid to enemies, or levying war against one's state. Sedition is encouraging one's fellow citizens to rebel against their state, whereas treason is actually betraying one's country by aiding and abetting another state. Sedition laws somewhat equate to terrorism and public order laws.
When they want to and it suits their purpose.
They just don't know how to BE nice.
And the Prez seems to BE a very nice man.
He's not just playing at it because he needs to.
THAT is what they really can't stand about him.