A buddy in the blogosphere just nudged me and asked why I hadn't posted anything about the newest proverbial twist in America's knickers - Obama's planned live address to students on Sept. 8.

In truth, it has a lot to do with the fact that I've been trying to adequately put the many opinions I have on this into succinct, mostly G-rated language. I'm a little irritated at the Obama camp, and I'm a lot irritated by the knee-jerkedness that passes for civil discourse lately.

So I'll just number this stuff. I can't possibly put it in an order of importance, so I'll just start from the top of my head, and go from there.

1. Massive fail on the White House for not realizing and factoring in the political temperature before posting up those lesson plans. While I doubt seriously indoctrination (more on that in a sec) was the intent, those who are still convinced he's some loony African Muslin Hitler Socialist Bogeyman were rewarded with wording that sounded like it. So oy. Fail. Way to check and see if that was a puddle of water or a puddle of gasoline you were standing in before throwing the lit match on the ground.
2. There are a few - I know one, for certain - that wouldn't be happy with any president addressing a roomful of school children - even if it were, in his words, "zombie Milton Friedman." But the rest of you? Step back, and honestly ask yourself, "Would I be riled up about the wording on that stuff if it was President Bush?" Chances are, the answers - if people are honest with themselves - would be, "no." And as many have pointed out - George W. Bush was in a classroom when two planes guided themselves into the World Trade Center towers. Presidents have been addressing students either remotely or in person for years. This is nothing new.
3. Nobody should indoctrinate a child - President or parent.  They are small humans, and aside from a primer on respecting other people and their property, our jobs are to make sure they becoming thinking individuals capable of making decisions on their own. Are you afraid of your child being indoctrinated in a 30-minute live speech from the President, or are you afraid that your own indoctrination didn't "take?" How on earth can you be proud of your child's decision or decision-making process if the child is shielded all the time? Is it really a point of pride if he or she parrots whatever you say? Why not let your child watch it, you watch it, and then after school, discuss it? What exactly are you afraid of?  If anything, you get to find out how your kid thinks. At best, it's a smorgasbord of parent-child discussion potential, up to and including the point that in America, people can voice the fact that they disagree with the President, and nothing bad happens to them - and then compare and contrast with other countries.