# Some parents throwing fits over "hoopla" in schools regarding Obama inaguration **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 16, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650 "2009-01-16T19:54:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/21 "2009-01-17T06:49:57Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > Aw, let the kids have their hoopla. > > HOOPLA! Hicka-doo-la is… Obeying all the rules! Wait, wrong word. Sorry. 😃 (Where’s Glenn Quagmire when you need him?) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/22 "2009-01-17T10:13:39Z")
In a local town near here, the Municipal Utility scheduled a maintenance electrical outage for 10am-3pm on Inaugural day, thus preventing residents from watching on TV. They took an incredible amount of heat from customers, calling the Mayor (a former Democratic Legislator), the City Manager, Council Members, etc. It’s now been rescheduled for Thursday. P.S. What kind of electric utility schedules an outage for the middle of the day, when nearly everyone is using electricity, rather than the middle of the night, when most people are asleep, and wouldn’t even notice it? And scheduling it in winter, so that furnaces are off for 5 hours – when the temp hasn’t been above 0º for nearly a week now? ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/23 "2009-01-17T11:00:24Z")
In 1981 my school rescheduled lunch so we could all watch the Presidential inauguration on TV. It was at the time an overwhelmingly Republican area, but it never occured to me that we were being “indoctrinated” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/24 "2009-01-17T11:59:30Z")
Gee, when they let us off school in November of 1963 for Kennedy’s funeral, I wonder what we were being indoctrinated into?? I guess I missed whatever it was due to my sadness over the death of the President. I was 9 and I still believed that you got elected because you were the smartest and the best one for the job. So the thought that someone would kill the smartest and best man in the country was sad… While we’re not getting the day off work, our biggest conference room will be set up to show the ceremony on the big Power Point screen, for those who don’t want to watch the feed on their computers. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/25 "2009-01-17T12:46:46Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > P.S. What kind of electric utility schedules an outage for the middle of the day, when nearly everyone is using electricity, rather than the middle of the night, when most people are asleep, and wouldn’t even notice it? And scheduling it in winter, so that furnaces are off for 5 hours – when the temp hasn’t been above 0º for nearly a week now? To schedule the outage at night would mean overtime for the workers involved. Only the higher ups are allowed to make money, not the plebs. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/26 "2009-01-17T13:04:29Z")
> [@](#): > > “Had it been John McCain and Sarah Palin,” she said, “I don’t think the hoopla would have been the same.” My god, there are people who can say things like that with a straight face. I’m sure she still doesn’t get why that statement is so fundamentally misguided. I suppose she’s advanced, in a backwards kind of way: She doesn’t see race, color, or cultural background. All she sees is political party. > [@](#): > > “Am I to believe the school has all of the sudden just realized this a teachable moment?” she asked. First, ‘all of the sudden’? Dialects other than mine are wrong! 😃 Second, I bet she kept a straight face that whole time. Absolutely amazing. > [@](#): > > McAllister also believes that school is not the place for politics, and her child should not be forced to support the majority’s political ideology. So watching a Democrat being inaugurated is going to turn her precious little sprog into a Democrat? My god, she must never let her kids watch even the briefest part of a Broadway play! Homosexuality lurks! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/27 "2009-01-17T15:22:21Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > But it just sounds stupid, and it makes no sense. I could care less about my family and friends; I could, but I don’t. On the other hand, I couldn’t care less about Indian cricket teams; there is no possible way that it could concern me less than it does. One would almost think that it was an _idiom_, and doesn’t follow the normal rules! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/28 "2009-01-17T23:18:34Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > But it just sounds stupid, and it makes no sense. I could care less about my family and friends; I could, but I don’t. On the other hand, I couldn’t care less about Indian cricket teams; there is no possible way that it could concern me less than it does. And don’t even get me started on “irregardless”. Besides, both of them are far more inaccurate that putting “me thinks” in place of “methinks”. > > Valete, > Vox Imperatoris Don’t do this. It’s been done, and done a million times on this board. It’s almost as common as bitching about posters who force everyone to read their sig (and at least the latter have grounds). ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/29 "2009-01-17T23:33:28Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > In a local town near here, the Municipal Utility scheduled a maintenance electrical outage for 10am-3pm on Inaugural day, thus preventing residents from watching on TV. > > They took an incredible amount of heat from customers, calling the Mayor (a former Democratic Legislator), the City Manager, Council Members, etc. It’s now been rescheduled for Thursday. > P.S. What kind of electric utility schedules an outage for the middle of the day, when nearly everyone is using electricity, rather than the middle of the night, when most people are asleep, and wouldn’t even notice it? And scheduling it in winter, so that furnaces are off for 5 hours – when the temp hasn’t been above 0º for nearly a week now? I can’t help but think it was intentional. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/30 "2009-01-17T23:35:13Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I suppose she’s advanced, in a backwards kind of way: She doesn’t see race, color, or cultural background. All she sees is political party. I’ve actually spoken to Republicans for whom this is true. They seriously cannot understand why it’s special or important and are pissed off at the Democrats for race baiting. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/31 "2009-01-18T01:00:14Z")
Everyone keeps saying, black, black, black. Don’t forget the _other_ half. He came from _nothing_. A mom on welfare, an absent father. Yeah. This is different. This is a teachable moment. You don’t have to be a son of a rich man. You don’t have to be part of the elite. Anyone can be President. And this one made it the hard way. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/32 "2009-01-18T01:26:32Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Everyone keeps saying, black, black, black. Don’t forget the _other_ half. > snip > this one made it the hard way. Everyone keeps saying it has anything to do with the circumstances of Obama’s election… Go figure. It is pretty clear that the complaints are more along the lines of “them damn liberals tryin’ to poison Joe Jr.'s fragile little mind with their homo-communism in the schools!” Or as McAlister put it: "“Honestly, I could care less what color (Obama) is,” she said. “The fact is that they’re using my tax dollars for an indoctrination. And speaking with other people, I get the idea that I’m not alone (in my concern).” I \*\*\*love \*\*\*it that these kind of people are bent out of shape. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/33 "2009-01-18T01:33:59Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I’ve actually spoken to Republicans for whom this is true. They seriously cannot understand why it’s special or important and are pissed off at the Democrats for race baiting. And then they say that this outlook proves that they’re the “real” color-blind people and that Democrats are the racists… ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/34 "2009-01-18T04:20:44Z")
I’m a conservative. Tomorrow morning, my son, 17, gets on a plane a flies to the inauguration. I think it is quite an honor because he was selected by his teachers to participate in this event. At the time we were deciding to send him or not, we didn’t know who who would be elected. However, he is going to see a historic event. I may not agree with the president-elect politically, but his election does mean something to us folks that have been around for awhile. I hope the president-elect does well. And, I hope my son comes home safely. ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/35 "2009-01-18T04:22:43Z")
Well, crap, my son “gets on a plane and flies” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/36 "2009-01-18T06:08:40Z")
They might have done the same thing with McCain/Palin-as she would have been the first female VP. I can’t stand her, but it still would have been a milestone. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/37 "2009-01-18T06:19:20Z")
As a conservative, oliversarmy, I think that we should do this for every new president. I also think more emphasis should be placed on civics classes. The ones we have are clearly not doing their jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/38 "2009-01-18T12:25:28Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > Everyone keeps saying, black, black, black. > > Don’t forget the _other_ half. He came from _nothing_. A mom on welfare, an absent father. Yeah. This is different. This is a teachable moment. You don’t have to be a son of a rich man. You don’t have to be part of the elite. > > Anyone can be President. And this one made it the hard way. :dubious: Yeah. Definitely no Presidents before Obama that have come from nothing. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/39 "2009-01-18T13:29:19Z")
Well, it’s a change from the last one. That’s eight years. Bill was raised as the son of a guy who owned an auto dealership, that’s pretty decent living. HW is the son of a senator. Carter? Son of a local businessman, prominent. Nixon, son of a grocery store owner, fairly poor. Not the son of a single mom, though. Johnson? Farmer, cattle speculator, not doing well. Okay, so we have to go well before the lifetime of any of these kids to find Presidents who came from poverty. We definitely have to go beyond the memory of these kids to find a presidential inauguration of a new president. (Assuming middle school and earlier) So yeah, it matters. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650/40 "2009-01-18T15:20:43Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > This makes me gag, cause these kids (who are African America) clearly don’t understand Obama’s roots have nothing in common with an average black man of America. In otherwords even when the reasons are good, they’re not correct and no one dares to correct them. Just a reminder, racists do not typically commission a life history before reacting. They judge on appearance and perceived race. Obama’s family history may have nothing in common with his wife’s, but you can bet good money that his personal experience with strangers he encounters is the same as any other American black man, but not the same as any other white American man. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-parents-throwing-fits-over-hoopla-in-schools-regarding-obama-inaguration/481650.md?page=3)