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Indoctrination Begins! President Obama Writes Op-Ed For The Harvard Crimson

by Frances Martel | 11:05 am, September 3rd, 2010

» 38 comments

Is this what Glenn Beck was talking about when he said that “a lot of universities are just as dangerous with indoctrination of our children as these terror groups are in Iran or North Korea”? Harvard undergrads woke up today to an inspiring alumni column from President Barack Obama emphasizing the importance of an undergraduate education– and, unfortunately for Beck, “public service.”

The President’s piece, “Supporting Our Students, Strengthening Our Country,” is half a “welcome back” message and half a crash course in his administration’s policies on students and financial aid. Stating that “in a global economy, the nation that out-educates us today will out-compete us tomorrow,” he promises that, “by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.”

The policies to get us there, however, are more complex. They involve, he explains, a significant amount of federal aid to students, health care extensions through Obamacare, “and if you go into public service, and keep up with your payments, your leftover student debt will be forgiven after 10 years.” He also proposes aid to help college students with families complete their degrees, and plans on sprucing up the community college system: “Community colleges—undervalued assets in this country—are well-positioned to lead this effort. That’s why we’re upgrading these institutions by tying the skills taught in classrooms to the needs of local businesses in growing sectors of the economy.”

Perhaps in another date and time, President Obama’s column would have been accepted at face value as a positive political step to address the future leaders at his alma mater and remind them of their own privilege compared to many others, especially in this economy. But we don’t live in a world where the President can promote his public policy to college students in their school newspaper and get away without being accused of having ulterior motives. We live in a world where the day before this piece was published, political commentators were warning precisely that the President’s ideological allies were dangerous in brainwashing, just like many fundamentalist organizations in the Middle East.

Remember “Mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack Hussein Obama”? This was about ten news cycles and a year ago, so you’re forgiven if you forgot. Way before Shirley Sherrod, or the Ground Zero Mosque– we’re talking the Dark Ages even before James O’Keefe was a household name– one of the primary lines of attack on the President was that he was planning on brainwashing America’s youth into progressivism, socialism, and all the other dirty “isms” that have become the President’s inalienable baggage. “Mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack Hussein Obama” was a song in need of a catchier title that kindergarten students in New Jersey were taught to repeat verbatim about the virtues of their president. It was branded creepy, unamerican, Maoist, and unacceptable in American schools. It was the harbinger of logical evolution of video soundbite culture into full-blown, amateur YouTube video driven political warfare.

While protests about what the Obama administration was doing to the school system were eventually drowned out by a barrage of mostly legitimate foreign and domestic policy complaints seasoned with a hint of absurdist racial commentary, the underlying fear of progressive indoctrination in schools has never left. It spawned Beck U; it’s what makes people like Sarah Palin, who got four different forms of undergraduate indoctrination, more palatable to many Americans than, say, David Frum, who boasts both a Harvard and a Yale education. And now the President is flirting with having that fear resurface by actively engaging undergraduates at an institution that many fear is already in the business of pushing a progressive agenda on its students, and bringing up policy initiatives that promote things like “public service” (“community organizing”?) and “community colleges.”

But if Beck– or anyone else, for that matter– is overly worried about the President’s writing turning our best and brightest into progressive Wilsonian robots, he only need look at the first comment of the article to find how deep the social justice indoctrination has seeped (or not):

“Define ‘college’… Anyone who is breathing can enroll at the local community college. Less than 3% of all high school graduates are intellectually able and academically prepared to handle my undergrad school… How we got to this point where our society believes that most people are suited to a baccalaureate program with any rigor I do not know.”

And that, folks, is why Obama will never succeed in brainwashing Harvard students, nor will any of them ever drop out to enroll in Beck U. But the narrative is ripe for the picking, and if the President continues to use the beginning of the school year as an excuse to drop in and chat with students, even virtually, he does so at his own risk.

[Photo via KGNU]

barack obama, colleges, Community College, education, Glenn Beck, Harvard Crimson, YouTube

More Liberty

Obama said:
“and if you go into public service, and keep up with your payments, your leftover student debt will be forgiven after 10 years.”

What a fool. There is no “forgiven.” Someone has to eat that money….and once again it is the taxpayer. Why should a civil servant have their loans “forgiven”? It is precisely promises like these why we have trillions of dollars of debt and $1.5 trillion in deficits.

Just another “buying your vote” and redistribution scam.
Moderate

“Anyone who is breathing can enroll at the local community college.”

My daughter enrolled in the local community college, her biggest complaint is that half of the people were not qualified to be there and made learning difficult for everyone else.
More Liberty

if he want’s to help people with education, Obama had better get re-enacting the Bush tax cuts. If he doesn’tthe following will happen for education:

The deduction for tuition and fees will not be available.
Teachers will no longer be able to deduct classroom expenses.
Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will be cut. Employer-provided educational assistance will be limited.
The student loan interest deduction will be disallowed for hundreds of thousands of families.
http://Mediaite.com uggugg

Face it folks—-Either Capitalism is going to find work for the masses and keep them busy or the masses will be unhappy and cause everyone else to be unhappy. It is nature and natural. They did not ask to be born any more than a volcano, but they can be just a volatile. If man were as smat as they think they are, they could harness the energy in a volcano and power electricity for the entire planet earth. News stations could educate the world and make it a paradise, but to them money is more important than paradise.
Having money in the bank and not knowing it, is comparable to, not know which politicians are representing the interest of all of America. If you don’t understand that you should even vote. It is better to do nothing than to do the wrong thing.
Pablo

It’s about time he published something at Harvard.
Pablo

While protests about what the Obama administration was doing to the school system were eventually drowned out by a barrage of mostly legitimate foreign and domestic policy complaints seasoned with a hint of absurdist racial commentary, the underlying fear of progressive indoctrination in schools has never left. It spawned Beck U;

That’s a really silly thing to say.
orionantares

Trying to push people through a 4 year degree program “just because” really isn’t the best course of action. Right now there are a LOT of positions that could easily be handled by someone with a tech school certification and/or two year Associates’ degree. The 4 year degree really shouldn’t be the standard. It should instead be meant for more complex work positions and for those planning to continue on for higher degrees.
Texas John

I put myself through college. It was not easy, but I did it.
It galls me that many who “attend” college today are actually not qualified to be there.
It also galls me that I receive calls from my University asking me to donate to help “poor” students.
Where were they when I was struggling to make ends meet?
Texas passed a state lottery where the proceeds were supposed to go to schools. My property taxes increased primarily to fund schools.
Another round for the politicians who spent like crazy!
I’m against all incumbants!
http://sharethisurlaboutglennbeck.com/ GlennBeckReview

More Liberty says: “What a fool. There is no “forgiven.” Someone has to eat that money….and once again it is the taxpayer.”

Do you honestly believe that Thomas Jefferson would support the anti-poor strategy you employ in many of your remarks?

You need another picture. Try Limbaugh, he’s more your style and intellectual “depth,” or lack-thereof.
Arkansas Steve

Frances Martel:

I’ve never cursed on Mediaite.
I’ve never called anyone a name, only criticized a comment.
CONGRATULATIONS Frances! Your story above is the most DECEITFUL piece of crap I’ve ever seen on Mediaite!

It must be nice to COMMENT on your own story in the middle of the story itself.

Here’s what your headline should have read:

President Obama Writes Op-Ed For The Harvard Crimson: Now I will comment by inserting facts which are irrelevant. And while I’m at it, I’ll take some potshots at people I don’t like. Oh, I’ll also ignore any information which would contradict what I say. You see, I’ve learned by reading the WORST of those who comment on Mediaite, so I know exactly how to emulate them.

You’re lucky I seldom curse Frances. Your story deserves the worst words ever written on Mediaite.
ImJustThatDamnGood

More Liberty said:
What a fool. There is no “forgiven.” Someone has to eat that money….and once again it is the taxpayer.

Students who graduate are not taxpayers?
More Liberty

GlennBeckReview said:
Do you honestly believe that Thomas Jefferson would support the anti-poor strategy you employ in many of your remarks?

What “anti-poor” strategy? So let me get this straight. A government that has a balanced budget, and doesn’t have trillions of dollars of debt is somehow “anti-poor”? A government that allows the individual to keep more or their own money is anti-poor?

Thomas Jefferson:
“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.”

@ImJustThatDamnGood,

I didn’t say they were not, but that money that Obama is going to “forgive” comes from somewhere. A better, more responsible idea would be to let the students borrow the money interest free. That way the taxpayers get their money back in full, and don’t reap a loss.
More Liberty

GlennBeckReview said:
You need another picture. Try Limbaugh, he’s more your style and intellectual “depth,” or lack-thereof.

Why? I don’t really care for those men, nor do I care for Obama. What I care about is individual liberty, and personal freedom. i don’t want anyone elses money, or land – I just want to keep more of my own money.
greg454

“Obama said:
“and if you go into public service, and keep up with your payments, your leftover student debt will be forgiven after 10 years.””

—Typical Marxist, why should people who go into so-called “public service” be treated better than those who go into the private sector and pay taxes which pay the salaries out of those public leeches?
ImJustThatDamnGood

More Liberty said:
I didn’t say they were not, but that money that Obama is going to “forgive” comes from somewhere. A better, more responsible idea would be to let the students borrow the money interest free. That way the taxpayers get their money back in full, and don’t reap a loss.

That would be a good alternative.
ImJustThatDamnGood

Interest is a killer for all students it is slow and painful chipping away at your wallet.
Azarkhan

“Mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack Hussein Obama” It was branded creepy, unamerican, Maoist, and unacceptable in American schools.”

It is also shallow and pathetic. BTW, the more I see Barack the Idiot Child in action, the more I wonder what the hoopla was all about. This hollow husk of a man was going to be your Saviour? This tired old academic Marxist? This clown was going to part the seas? LOL.
More Liberty

ImJustThatDamnGood said:
Interest is a killer for all students it is slow and painful chipping away at your wallet.

You’re right. If the government want’s to give something away, don’t charge the interest…if it’s a government loan. But don’t just waive the remaining balance because someone has to pay for that.
Liberty_Hound

GlennBeckReview said:
More Liberty says: “What a fool. There is no “forgiven.” Someone has to eat that money….and once again it is the taxpayer.”

Do you honestly believe that Thomas Jefferson would support the anti-poor strategy you employ in many of your remarks?

You need another picture. Try Limbaugh, he’s more your style and intellectual “depth,” or lack-thereof.

GBR the only reason you commented on this blog was because Glenn Beck’s name was mentioned. If you and all you Liberals, Marxists and Socialist want higher taxes who’s stopping you all from donating some extra money of your own to our way to big nanny state Government. I mean even Obama supporter Warren Buffet (and there are many others billionaires / millionaires Barry supporters ) who thinks he / they are not taxed enough. Although willing to give extra money to charity will not as yet give extra money to the Government. They are many examples of millionaire U.S. Representatives and Senators that think the rich are not taxed enough. I don’t know of one who has voluntarily given extra money back to the government. Heck they are more likely to cheat on their taxes. Doesn’t this seem a little hypocritical as you like to call Beck?

I once had an argument with a friend / co-worker that supported a socialized one payer health care system. I asked him how much per mouth net loss we would have after not having to pay for current insurance but having to pay higher taxes. We agreed for sake of the argument that $200.00 per month net loss of income was a fair number. So I ask him why hasn’t he started a charity and start collecting this $200 from like minded folks and give it to people who needs health insurance or give it now to an existing charity that provides health care to those that can’t afford it and he thought I was out of my mind.

You see “most” socialist and liberals and especially Marxists want to ram it down your throat not do it on their
own.

By the way, the over 5 million dollars was raised leading up to and during the 8/28 rally for the Special Operations Wounded Warrior Fund that gives support to the families of Special Ops Soldiers wounded or Killed while preforming their duty. They pay 100% of college cost to their children, tuition, books and living expenses. Now that charity is one of many worthy charities that pay or help pay for people in need a college
education without asking for government help other than to tax deduction people might get for giving.

Although I believe the billionaires and millions that think they are taxed to little and won’t give some back to Uncle Sam are hypocrites I do know most give a good deal (maybe not Biden in the case) of their money to worthy charities because they know it is more efficiently spent.

Sorry of any typos.. I have dyslectic fingers.
shootfromthehip

“Although I believe the billionaires and millions that think they are taxed to little and won’t give some back to Uncle Sam are hypocrites I do know most give a good deal.”

Yes the LIBERAL biliionaires do give money away (Bill Gates). The conservatives do not (The Waltons).
http://www.facebook.com/people/Steve-Holmes/1299184145 Steve Holmes

Since Obama wrote NOTHING when head of the Harvard Review, NOTHING as a congressman and Bill Ayers is suspect for “writing” Obama’s books, maybeObama’s trying to “catch up”. But, then again, he probably didn’t write this, either and if he did, I would think his time ought better be spent on the PROBLEMS of the USA.
avoidswork

wtfrak did I just read aside from cr@p?

you want to go to school? go. school not for you? don’t go.

but “forgivable” loans re school (and employment firms) have been around for quite a while. BTW, it would still be a program you would have to apply for. There would be a contract stating its terms. And if one failed to fulfill terms, they would owe the lender (Govt) the money PLUS interest.

So, do you want Student Loans more under the Govt umbrella or Frannie/Freddie/etc. types?

I’m sorry, but an Applicant would still have to CHOOSE that kind of loan.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Alfred-J-Lemire/100000045361210 Alfred J. Lemire

I liked mostly being connected to the commentary that the President approved (I doubt he had the time to write it) for inclusion in the Crimson. His record of nonpublication at Harvard almost certainly remains unblemished. Ms. Martel’s writing was a tad too deft; it was hard to tell whether she was satirizing a position or sharing in it.

Whatever, it makes no sense to argue that students do not get indoctrinations in schools and colleges. Looking at the curricular choices and descriptions in the social “sciences” at most colleges is telling. So was the inability of Mark Moyar to get a post in the history department of a major university, despite the prestige of his degrees and the quality of his writing on the Vietnam War, or perhaps because of the last, since it rebutted leftist notions of the war.

On Tuesday night, he again demonstrated he is a graceless and meretricious man. He failed to so much as even hint at the role that George W. Bush played in approving the successful surge that he so vocally and strenuously opposed, as did his Vice President, Joe Biden.

His blind reflections on the cost of college and the solutions were the most striking part of another second-rate commentary from this second-rate man. Ponder this sentence: “Over the past 10 years, college costs have shot up faster than housing, transportation and even health care costs.” Well, that’s bad. Did so much as a word in the message so much as hint at any reasons for that cost surge or possible solutions? Hell, no. He mostly concerned himself with governmental subsidies to enable students to pay the higher fees colleges and universities demand, which government aid no doubt is a factor in the soaring costs.

I don’t know enough to balance the $60 billion in “subsidies” to banks and other financial institutions against the government’s costs after squeezing the former out of student loans. I suspect the costs with government administration will be higher and certainly so, with government favoring government jobs over private enterprise ones.

His message is worthy of much more criticism and a few more verbal blasts. However, it’s like taking apart the singing of Roseanne Barr at a baseball game: an unpleasant exercise concerning an unpleasant performer.
Liberty_Hound

shootfromthehip said:
“Although I believe the billionaires and millions that think they are taxed to little and won’t give some back to Uncle Sam are hypocrites I do know most give a good deal.”

Yes the LIBERAL biliionaires do give money away (Bill Gates). The conservatives do not (The Waltons).

By the way I’m not a big fan of the Walton’s or Wal-Mart in general but they do at least stimulate the economy far better than our own government and they are not hypocrites. But, again I’m not a defender of the Wal-Mart crowd for many reasons some we probably share.

But my point is in part that they won’t for some reason give more back to the Government but yet they say they are taxed to little. They are hypocrites! They know charity is more effective and efficient way to give and they can give selectively to the cause they choose. Something called freedom.

What’s your excuse for Biden or any other member of the Congressional Millionaires club that think they are taxed to little and won’t give back to the government.

Sarah Palin even before she became a millionaire gave more money to charity than Biden did. Not to talk up Palin it’s just that Biden is a poor excuse of a man. He plagiarized his way to a Ivy League education and thinks he is the smartest man in the room. Well, that true when he’s alone.
jk76

read it and the comment

It’s vague as usual. I had a hard time figuring out the commenter’s agreement level, at the end it looked as if she was defending people who freely choose a different path. Though, she came up with arbitrary %’s and dubiously stating they couldn’t handle it, while also using IQ numbers….this reminded me of eugenics and imbeciles/morons. She wasn’t going down that path; it was more to state that not all “colleges” are same and that not all people are fit for all of them.

Socialism is a broad term and not a slur, unless you take it as such…being offended is a choice. Yes I believe the current president is one, from his words, actions, and history. I came to this conclusion myself. Anyway what is the “we” and “we’re” in the artcle? the federal government? How far does he want it to reach, the states are goverments, and then there is local government as well, they both have responsibilities. No talk of trade or vocational schools. Public service, sounds like government, but he could just mean jobs that interact with the public like organizers…familiar, not sure how much he expects people to repay since 10years isn’t an amount.

No references for these ‘achievements’ that “we’ve” and “I” have done. It sounded more like one of his townhall speeces that he gives, or used to, all the time. It wasn’t an indoctrination letter but it felt out of place since it didn’t seem to have much to do with the readers. I just hope he and businesses realize that degrees don’t define a good worker.
CAconservative

Obimbo…he’s just so smart…don’t think so…just ask him, he’ll tell you! Of course, according to him, you may not be intelligent enough to know just how smart he says he is. He’s that smart!
Is there anyway we can impeach this dufus?!!
alamo2

Azarkhan said:
“Mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack Hussein Obama” It was branded creepy, unamerican, Maoist, and unacceptable in American schools.” It is also shallow and pathetic. BTW, the more I see Barack the Idiot Child in action, the more I wonder what the hoopla was all about. This hollow husk of a man was going to be your Saviour? This tired old academic Marxist? This clown was going to part the seas? LOL.

You are really very shallow, you know? For once I would like to see you make a deep, intelligent comment.
alamo2

CAconservative said:
Obimbo…he’s just so smart…don’t think so…just ask him, he’ll tell you! Of course, according to him, you may not be intelligent enough to know just how smart he says he is. He’s that smart!Is there anyway we can impeach this dufus?!!

Gosh, you are so… smart! Wow, what a brilliant comment! Thanks for enlightening us….
C.Moore

greg454 said:
“Obama said:
“and if you go into public service, and keep up with your payments, your leftover student debt will be forgiven after 10 years.””

—Typical Marxist, why should people who go into so-called “public service” be treated better than those who go into the private sector and pay taxes which pay the salaries out of those public leeches?

Because, you right-wing jackass, you think that some taxpayers who sit on their butts all day should be rewarded then hard working students whose already having a hard time paying for tutition? Paying your taxes is an everyday thing and our duty as Americans. But somehow to you even the lazy taxpayer who do nothing should be rewarded for paying and not students trying to earn a living? What an crock!
C.Moore

Azarkhan said:
“Mmm, mmm, mmm, Barack Hussein Obama” It was branded creepy, unamerican, Maoist, and unacceptable in American schools.”

It is also shallow and pathetic. BTW, the more I see Barack the Idiot Child in action, the more I wonder what the hoopla was all about. This hollow husk of a man was going to be your Saviour? This tired old academic Marxist? This clown was going to part the seas? LOL.

BREAKING NEWS

It’s wrong for a US president to give his take on the education system but it’s right for a right-wing pathological liar can create a University of B.S. and maybe have a quitter as a motivational speaker about not quitting! The Irony!
Pablo

C.Moore said:
Because, you right-wing jackass, you think that some taxpayers who sit on their butts all day should be rewarded then hard working students whose already having a hard time paying for tutition?

I hate to break this to you, but you don’t get to be a taxpayer by sitting on your butt all day.
alamo2

Pablo said:
I hate to break this to you, but you don’t get to be a taxpayer by sitting on your butt all day.

You have obviously never worked in an office or cubicle in the business world!
BatBoy

The only way for ANY progressive program to make work is for them to drive up the cost of everything
.
RE: Health Care Energy, Tuition, Credit, Finance, Automobiles just to name a few.

It does not matter if there is high unemployment – the government is there to help.

It doesn’t matter if tuition cost hundreds of thousands of dollars – the gov’t will be there to help.

Want t new car – here is $6,000…oh by the way, your old car must be destroyed…now the price of used cars are thru the roof.

Who does this hurt…poor people, specifically inner city poor people.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Helen-Nordo/100000884291530 Helen Nordo

If a person truly wants to learn, in this country, they can BUT..the unlucky ones will have to pay. My own daughter, who, if I may brag has the smarts..completed both her Bachelors’ & Masters’ on line, sure it was expensive, not as much as college, but, since she already had a good job, she stuck it out…and it wasn’t easy. Learning is hard..that is why some of our kids are getting a free pass..in school and that is so wrong, look, if you’re not meant to be a “reader” or a lover of “math”, already you have 2 strikes against you, so you can always go back to your games, that you are probably good at, or hate the kids in school who really sacrifice their play time to ..STUDY! so shut up Obama, it is not the schools, it is not the teachers..it is the home life of the child, if they fail in elementary school, they will never climb up that ladder and then, what is left…I’ll leave that up to you…oh, & by the way, I stopped at the “Good Will” store the other day and found a complete set of Funk & Wagnall’s books on famous authors..(I already have them, bought them when I joined a book club in my teens) I was shocked at why nobody picked them up…this is the problem..kids are not being taught at home, they couldn’t care less about Chekhov, Shakespeare, Poe, Wilde, Tolstoi, Hawthorne, I could go on & on. If we want to enrich our lives, we must enrich our MINDS!!! Educate your children…forget that big screen TV..think of their futures…..and don’t blame the schools! God Bless America!
greg454

“Because, you right-wing jackass, you think that some taxpayers who sit on their butts all day should be rewarded then hard working students whose already having a hard time paying for tutition? Paying your taxes is an everyday thing and our duty as Americans. But somehow to you even the lazy taxpayer who do nothing should be rewarded for paying and not students trying to earn a living? What an crock!”

—First of all, no taxpayer is lazy, you have to WORK to earn the money that the government later steals er, taxes. In fact, America had no federal taxes until the PROGRESSIVE Income Tax of 1913. Secondly, who says students are hardworking? I went to college, I saw plenty of students working hard on getting a tan, getting drunk and getting laid. Being a college student is a joke compared to having a real job and having to work 8 hours or more a day.

Second, nobody’s entitled to an education, nowhere in the constitution does it say that there is a right to go to Harvard. IF you can’t afford Harvard, you go to a state school, a community college, a trade school, or perhaps you don’t even go to college. The founder of Wendy’s didn’t even graduate high school, so don’t tell me you need a business degree to be a successful businessman!

Thirdly, this is the land of opportunity, it is not a welfare estate. This is not the European States of America, if you want a different system, immigrate somewhere else.
Some_Dude

orionantares said:
Trying to push people through a 4 year degree program “just because” really isn’t the best course of action. Right now there are a LOT of positions that could easily be handled by someone with a tech school certification and/or two year Associates’ degree. The 4 year degree really shouldn’t be the standard. It should instead be meant for more complex work positions and for those planning to continue on for higher degrees.

I think Germany has the best education track in the world. Students with poorer grades don’t go onto university, they’re instead placed into a technical program that matches their skills and interests and spend time interning doing real world work instead of just school.

When I was in high school my friend hosted a German exchange student. It was fascinating how much smarter and more skilled he was, and was already doing work for BMW as an engineer – at age 17. We were just getting ready to go onto college, where I wouldn’t have the skills to do any real engineering work for another four or five years.
nana09

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Sean68

How come Harvard won’t release his LSAT scores? They must be amazing.