I think that the church needs a major overhaul before it loses America. the old "immoralities" of the past are no longer looked on as "immoral" I am not saying this is a good thing, but the church doesn't seem to be ready to adapt for the 21st century. The church is still living in 1325.

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"Call a cop he robbed Delmore blind!!!"
Rick Jeanerette after Marty Biron's diving save back in 2000.

"I'm going to go to the spa and have a hot tub and massage and relax," Miller said. "That's it, and it's back to work tomorrow." Ryan Miller after clinching the North East division.

This could be the start of a very heated, VERY ugly discussion. I don't think it's a good idea, but that's just me.

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mechaphil

Um...To which of the hundreds of churches are you referring?

Unitarian Universalists seem pretty 21st century to me.
Lots of christian sects didn't even exist until the 20th century.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

See, there goes Stuuu'uu's' trying to drag the Jews into this now....

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Hold my beer and watch this...

I'm not gonna do it.....I swear I'm not gonna do it...........................

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I try to think, but nuttin happens.......Curley Howard
There is no past as it exists merely as a slippery bond tying the memories of the past to the dreams of the future.............Me
If we started life as an old person and lived until we were young, we would eventually finish off fucked as an orgasm.......George Carlin

Don't do it, man. I'm holding strong, you gotta, too!

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mechaphil

I will leave it at that.[/quote]
What about Moses?[/quote]

I'm not gonna do it.....I swear I'm not gonna do it...........................[/quote]
Don't do it, man. I'm holding strong, you gotta, too![/quote]

Its hard, but I just cant...I get a whoopin infin I do it........

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I try to think, but nuttin happens.......Curley Howard
There is no past as it exists merely as a slippery bond tying the memories of the past to the dreams of the future.............Me
If we started life as an old person and lived until we were young, we would eventually finish off fucked as an orgasm.......George Carlin

Back to the bar...theres women herebouts..and drink...best for me to stay away from yon conversation'......

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I try to think, but nuttin happens.......Curley Howard
There is no past as it exists merely as a slippery bond tying the memories of the past to the dreams of the future.............Me
If we started life as an old person and lived until we were young, we would eventually finish off fucked as an orgasm.......George Carlin

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/25/flashback-students-sang-b_n_300372.html

I'll just leave this right here :-p

I'm so over this anyways. All of our financial problems would be gone if we just invaded Mars. If there was life then there is probably oil. Lets get on this NASA. NASA has a militant branch right?

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All the things we wanted each other to be we'll never be.

Zilla mentioned that earlier but I don't see the comparison aside from it being an asinine thing to make kids do.



Replace that with "Bush our historic leader" and we'd be in the same ballpark.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

I'm not really on the far left or right so I look at the FEMA thing and the Obama thing as being equally non-threatening. There are people on each side of the political spectrum who can take each and come up with arguments as to why the one they disagree with is brainwashing. To me though the context, content, and the sitting President for each song wasn't anything damaging for children to hear.

Just to play devils advocate though: it's not a big deal. The content of the songs aren't egregiously offensive. In each they promote strengthening our country. The Presidents, equally bad or good depending on who you ask. The context: the song was done during Black History Month, Obama is the first Black President which is historic, and to many Americans across all races/ethnicies he is an example of achieving the American dream.

No matter what you say, no matter what you're doing, when you're the first, you go down in history for being the first. I'd be willing to bet you that 99% of Americans can name George Washington as the first president but half wouldn't be able to name the 2nd president (especially my generation). So yes, during black history month for people to point out he's historic is fair.

The teacher had not contacted the White House and acted alone. The teacher's intentions weren't to indoctrinate but to shine the light on arguably the most famous black man in the world today during a month that is designated for celebrating all of the contributions black people have contributed to America.

Now why should it matter that it was black history month? Yes. It should matter because framing it in that context gives some insight as to why this was done. Was it right? That one is less clear. Some parents didn't care. Others do. There is no real gauge for figuring out what the teacher's real intent was. So you can either take her at her word or choose to believe otherwise.

Personally I don't feel like it's something that should be done but I was the kid growing up who thought winners should celebrate a win with a smile and a handshake. I get why this song was made and I don't feel like the teacher was trying to indoctrinate the children anymore than public schools already do. So I don't feel the umbrage that others get when they see/hear this.

One of the greatest examples of indoctrination in America is US history. During WWII we did no wrong. Vietnam wasn't that bad... We fought in Korea? During the start founding of this great country we traded Native Americans for their land... I'm not sure if this is still the norm nowadays but it was back when I went school (both private and public).

Until I went to college most of the US history I studied glossed over or barely mentioned any missteps this country has made. In high school we spent 1 week covering Civil Rights, half a class on Vietnam, zero time about the missteps in WWII, and like 2 or 3 classes on our history with Native Americans. Oh and we spent zero time covering the atrocities that early immigrants to this country faced. So the Irish, Germans, and Italians apparently just showed up and had a blast. Coffee was served and then they all had a rousing game of baseball in the street.

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All the things we wanted each other to be we'll never be.

Sorry you had shitty history teachers...mine were awesome and we learned about all the things you say you didn't.
I had one teacher bring in horrifyingly graphic pictures of the aftermath of the firebombings of Dresden. We didn't get it sugar-coated.

As for drawing a the equivalency between that FEMA song and the Obama song...sorry I can't go there with you.



nope, sorry....totally different animal than that stupid Katrina song.
Please tell when the phrase "In his sight" ever gets muttered outside of a church.


This has 0 to do with black history month.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

i had to sing crappy songs about presidents and shit when i was a kid. i dont recall this kind of backlash. or any, for that matter.

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Really?
Living, sitting presidents?

That's extremely strange you know.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

A song about the first black president, during black history month, crazy!. According to the school the parents were notified before hand of the lyrics and no one had a problem with any of it until the media went ape shit over it. ( Fox News go fig) The sensationalism around this is sad at best and fucking down right stupid at worst. Correction: Hate mongering and dangerous at worst. Typical right wing flame fanning, portraying the mundane as THE END OF DEMOCRACY AS WE KNOW IT!!! TO ARMS!!!!!

What this is: One class in one school in New Jersey. No connection to Obama. A teacher using the technique of song to teach the children of a racially diverse school the significance of our country electing it's first black president and emphasizing equality over prejudice.

What this is not: The "indoctrination" of our youth by a sneaky evil political party with diabolical ideas of brain washing the young generations so it can fulfill a Nazi like scheme sometime in the future. There is no Manchurian candidate with a master plan to turn all of our children into thought police like some dystopian novel.

The Republicans pulled this crap throughout the election with inflammatory stories like "He's a terrorist!"; "Obama is a Muslim who was schooled in a radical anti-American madrassa"; "Barrack Hussein Obama is a racist mad man who plans on destroying America!!". This shit is old and pathetic.

So I take it you didn't read the words to the song.

Black history month or not, they were doing it because Ms. Carney-Nunes was at the school to teach the children the song and about her book, “I am Barack Obama”.

And where do you see that the parents were notified before hand?

I see a lot of this:

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Hold my beer and watch this...

DF, I thought you said you were done with political arguing because nobody is going to change their mind anyway. I am better at following your advice than you are! Go have a drink at the pub...just don't sing any fucking Obama songs of praise or Tommy's cutting you off!

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Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror, 'cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man. Oh lord, it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

The red texted stuff just seems silly to me. In my eyes all people are equal. We are all equal to the same basic human rights. I don't feel like that is a red flag. Nor do I feel like it should define me or anyone else. Perhaps if it said black people are better in his sight one could draw outrage from it. As it reads, I see it as saying judge a person based on his or her character and not the color of the skin.

As for his accomplishments, most people would say their child has accomplished something by becoming a Senator and then President. You can question what he has accomplished in his presidency but that is totally separate from actually accomplishing something 99.99% of the people in this country will never do, become president.

As for black history month I still think it has something to do with it. I don't think it was a coincidence that the song was made during black history month.

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All the things we wanted each other to be we'll never be.

If I sing Tommy songs of praise, will I get free suds?

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mechaphil

The news reported that the parents were notified and not until the video surfaced on youtube and the media offered to put people on the boob tube did anyone come forth complaining. My basic point is that this is one school, not a trend. The degree to which this has been blown up is not a reflection of the seriousness of the incident but rather an indication of the tenaciousness of right wing slanted news networks to grab at any possible event as a means to paint the current administration and president in a negative light.

ETC, I'm not singing Obama praises and I haven't drank any Koolaid (I'll stick top vodka at the pub). I'm critical of his policies and have no ideological ideas as to him being our savior...etc etc. I'm a gun owning, military veteran, father of 2 1/2 (lol) who loves this country and grew up in a blue collar steel working family in Western NY. I would also like to think that I am too smart to be considered a "dumb zombie-like Obama cult follower" and take offense when I hear people call anyone who disagrees with the sensational right media blitz a bleeding heart liberal Obama lover.

I would consider myself an Independent over anything else but aside from that noise when I smell shit I will call it shit. And smear tactic after smear tactic with little to no bases in reality or taking an isolated incident and painting it out to be a trend is shit. Sorry....it is. Did the teacher step over a line? I really don't think so but then again those aren't my kids. Is this as serious as it has been made out? Not even close. I fear things like A Brave New World and 1984 just as much as the next person but I do know the difference between a smoke screen and real signs of trouble.

Ok fuck...can I have a god damned drink now shit. I have enjoyed this discussion though and I'm happy no one has resorted to name calling and shenanigans...OOOHH.