Letter to Obama from 4th Grade Teacher

[eggs4sale]

Yes, wonderful.

A year ago, I spent time showing my oldest son photos of the cemeteries of American soldiers that are all over Europe.

That means something to me.

 

[lupinfarm]

Me too and I'm not even American! Hah!

You guys should see the reception of Obama here. I went to school with a girl who was all - Canadian, she wore a Vote Obama tshirt to school every single day during the presidential race, she had a Barack The Vote hoodie... KIDS, Teens got really into it, really admire Obama and that is a good sign!

 

[lupinfarm]

I don't think I agree with her...

And anyway, Great Britain (was not always Great Britain) and was/is not one of the USA's oldest allies, has she forgotten her basic early American history? Or am I the only one who read about the early days of America as a country on it's own, fighting against, speaking out against, and doing everything they could to harm the English in order to be free of their rule?

Yeah--I think she had some basic history a bit mixed up also or perhaps just misinterpreted.

IDK -- I love you guys, but for the most part, the world has a view of Americans as arrogant and selfish, and IMO Obama openly admitting this will eventually lead to a changed perception of Americans in that sure, they were arrogant, but they have admitted it, and said sorry, and maybe they're not so bad after all. I think a big part of the American image that a lot of Europeans see is that the USA is a big bully in the world. I know this is a view my parents had when they moved from England to Canada (and really still do, my uncle immigrated from England to California and my mum still doesn't agree with it).

I thought it was strange that she refused to admit American arrogance but then was outraged that Obama bowed, BOWED to a foreign leader as "American presidents don't bow to anyone!" Oops. Looks a bit like hypocrisy to me.

I have frankly been too busy with summer life to follow politics much, but I doubt anyone can claim that "Obama is abdicating his responsibilities to his own country" by trying for better relations with foreign countries. Yikes! In the world post 911, I am seriously thrilled to have a president who is working for better relations.

Just my 2 cents.

You know it's really funny, I know and enjoyed American history despite that it is not taught in school here for the most part. We get small snippets if they relate to Canadian or English history, but for the most part we get nothing. You can often take American History in later high school years, but it almost always has a large Canadian/English component. I took world history in my last year of high school and we did a lot on early American history with a very competant history teacher.

 

[me&thegals]

I would LOVE to take American and world history again!! I either was not interested or had bad teachers in school, and I remember exactly nothing from that time.

These days, I try to read historical books to get some of it back again, but it's very focused and not a general overview. I would really like to find some excellent textbooks on history that could give that broad, timeline view of history.

I would really admire any politician who truly understands his or her history and that of the world. It would really seem to tie into how countries relate to each other and current politics.

I would also very much admire a politician with a strong understanding of our constitution. While it does have many phrases referring to God and a higher power, it also clearly separates church and state. It is written by men who seemed to understand that ANY concentration of power was dangerous, whether by the president, religious powers, industry...

 

[lupinfarm]

I would also very much admire a politician with a strong understanding of our constitution. While it does have many phrases referring to God and a higher power, it also clearly separates church and state. It is written by men who seemed to understand that ANY concentration of power was dangerous, whether by the president, religious powers, industry...

That is exactly it, a big part of the USA becoming the USA was the seperation of church and state, something that the English had a horrible time doing and it caused many-a-war and issue in Great Britain.

 

[me&thegals]

I would be considered a religious person, but I don't want to see politics and religion mixing. Maybe sometimes I would agree with the combination, but certainly other times I would not. So, how about we leave them apart as much as possible? I just absolutely want the freedom to practice religion the way I want to. Of course, being a reasonable person, that means I fully expect others in America to have that right also, be they Muslim, Christian, Jewish...

I am much more comfortable seeing Obama shake hands with a Muslim (why not?) than seeing George Bush declaring war on Iraq based on what God told him. Hmmm.... What if he didn't hear right?

 

[davaroo]

This letter is wrongly attributed. The quoted teacher disclaims responsibility for it.

But, I'm still wondering who paid for his election. His off shore campaign contributions still remain undisclosed, last I heard. I mean, does anyone actually believe that a no-name, first-term district senator and "neighborhood organizer" rose to the highest office in the land on his own recognizance? There are some serious strings being pulled here - whose pullin' em is what worries me.

Ill never forge the images of the democrats in Congress when he was announced the victor. Their faces livid and flushed with victory, they pumped their fists and shouted, "We'll show 'em now. They're gonna get it..."
No concern for those they represent, they were out or prove an agenda. The images quickly faded from the media.
Troubling things all around, folks.

I don't think he is out to run us into the ground; he seems like a decent enough fellow. I also don't think that he is anything new under the sun... just another nice-guy social reformist with his head in the clouds.

Been there, done that.

 

[Big Daddy]

Yes, wonderful.

A year ago, I spent time showing my oldest son photos of the cemeteries of American soldiers that are all over Europe.

That means something to me.

What it means to me is that we should be real thankful that the USA is located where we can easily defend against invaders. Those soldiers died all over Europe helping the countries drive Hitler and Mousollini back. They were very grateful to us for the help. We did it for our own self interest though. As George would say fight them there so we don't have to fight them here. If we would have gotten in a couple years sooner then Hiter would not have gotten as far as he did and there would be a lot less dead Jews and whoever else Hitler felt needed exterminating.

Obama and Hillary are doing a great job of improving the image of the USA around the world. Believe it or not we are a part of the world community. After 8 years of Bush and Cheney we were in dire need of a face lift. We can't be an isolationist nation. It's time to get rid of the ugly American image.

 

[Big Daddy]

I would also very much admire a politician with a strong understanding of our constitution. While it does have many phrases referring to God and a higher power, it also clearly separates church and state. It is written by men who seemed to understand that ANY concentration of power was dangerous, whether by the president, religious powers, industry...

That is exactly it, a big part of the USA becoming the USA was the seperation of church and state, something that the English had a horrible time doing and it caused many-a-war and issue in Great Britain.

It's something a lot of Americans have a hard time understanding. Somehow they just know there is a cross on our flag somewhere. The creators of our constitution were very much in to the separation of church and state. After all they were very well acquainted with the problems caused in Europe by mingling the two. A lot of Americans don't realize that the words "Under God" were not always in the pledge of allegiance. They were actually added in the late 50's when during the height of McCarthyism when there was a communist hiding in every closet and secular was considered to be synonymous with communist.

 

[davaroo]

. We did it for our own self interest though. As George would say fight them there so we don't have to fight them here....

Obama and Hillary are doing a great job of improving the image of the USA around the world.

Personally it isnt image I care to see improved, it is substance. The "ugly American" matters little. There is little doubt that we and all the other nations of the world are intertwined.

What we need to do is make it clear that we could care less about image; that's for Hollywood types and vacuous celebs. What we need to do if we are to survive is make it our driven goal to be the best. The global community should look at us and say, "Man, they are the best - we should try to be like them."

Instead, we minimise our own esteem and attempt to be just another aface among the nameless Rabble of Nations is of little use.