Sure, it is about racism. But also this - the FEAR of a well educated populace.

[NRaleighLiberal]

Obama speaking to school children and reinforcing the value of education runs completely counter to the life blood of the right wing - lock step discipline, adherance to the belief system, disengagement of rational thought.

The right wing NEED an undereducated populace on which to play their fear-tinged, cultish brand of fascism. Hence Bush* and Ronny as such effective poster-idiots.

And, in just thinking, I need to add this - that the MSM is no friend to education either. In fact, it is about getting eyeballs and selling product. They are very happy for people to not critically evaluate the garbage that is spewed on the news (hell, on most of TV).

[MountainLaurel]

1. Absolutely

And I think it goes beyond the right wing -- straight to their corporate masters. Look at the history of "company towns" in the U.S.: Education was deliberately devalued and underfunded, to create a populace of folks with few other options besides going down in the mines, into the factory, etc.

[Bobbieo]

3. I lived in a company town - mining community - in the 50s with that agenda in mind,

I was told that very thing when I complained about the condition of the public school set aside for Hispanics. "Keep them ignorant so they don't complain."

[gravity]

2. I disagree, the right is just full of idiots

Who associate anything with Obama as being evil, not matter how ridiculous it is. There is no need to read further into it

[Greenpeach]

4. I lived in Arlington for a brief time

in the 50s, when it was a hellhole for people of color, and that's the way the right wing would like it to be now. Seeing the diversity in the formerly segregated schools and hearing the President's message today was a truly welcome sign of the times.

[Soylent Brice]

5. BINGO - DING DING DING - SPOT ON, etc etc etc

THIS is exactly what it is about.

an educated population is the most threatening force to those controlling the herd.

wish you could multi-rec threads.

[question everything]

6. Right. Imagine this: asking questions

not swallowing as an absolute truth what parents and pastors and teachers say...

[windoe]

7. Fear of kids becoming smarter than their parents,

asking questions they cannot answer, and them being embarrassed. Besides the racism, a fear of losing their own kids respect.

[HopeOverFear]

8. Agreed.

[dtotire]

9. How About Well-Educated Congressmen and Senators?

I mean REALLY well-educated, with superior academic credentials.

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. Are there any of those on the right side of the aisle?

Not from what I've heard in their various speeches seen on CSpan or elsewhere....maybe they are educated, but they've lost it somewhere in the past in their new authoritarian approach. Or maybe it is that there is something in right wing leaders that make them lack empathy, or it is the religion....good question, though! I've heard that the vast majority of college professors are liberal/Dem/left wing - up to 80%. That says something.

[Thothmes]

13. instead of lawyers?

[Cha]

10. Oh yeah, and all those kids inspired by

President Obama today could be a generation of Democratic Voters.

[Arugula Latte]

12. Yep. Their ideal populace is people who believe that the Earth is 4,000 years old

and that Noah really did bring two of every animal on Earth onto that ark.