The most horrific part of the debate last night

[heidi]

And it was a pretty big challenge to choose the most horrific part - but frankly, while there are problems in having teachers who've had no certification process and no training in teaching, especially on an elementary school classroom-teacher level* and there are catastrophic issues with McCain's health care proposals and his complaints about John Lewis just feel weird, none of that demonstrably minimizes the health of girls and women across the country. What's next? Air quotes for "incest" or "rape"?

[Poll #1279744]


* I think there is merit in having middle- and high-school teachers, and in specialty classes, where someone who doesn't have a specific certification but does have a specialty in that area, but given that I've just been through a situation where someone with a teaching degree but no early childhood education was my son's kindergarten teacher (until the principal removed her because she wasn't a good K-level teacher) and was rapidly screwing up his learning experience, I'm not very into it for the K-5 level.

Comments

[flourish.livejournal.com]

Here is what I would have liked to hear:

"Let me just say that I am certain that most people who come to our rallies are true patriots. I categorically denounce anyone who would call for the death of Senator Obama, because that is entirely inappropriate. It's a shame that a few fringe voices, voices that do not represent my positions nor my base, have been given so much air time."

I don't think that that's the sentiment that he was expressing in his response. I don't believe that he supports these fringe people, but it bothered me that he didn't say it clearly and plainly.

[blackink.livejournal.com]

I agree that his denouncement wasn't nearly as strong as it ought to have been. Anyone threatening anyone's life over something like politics is so far beyond acceptable that it's ridiculous. At the same time, he's sort of screwed when it comes to votes already, so I think his move to not be as harsh as he otherwise might have been (though he has been much harsher toward those fringe groups at his rallies) was political rather than necessarily his personal feelings on the matter. It's a word game at this point, and he and Obama both have to be very careful about alienating supporters.

So yes, I agree, they deserve more extreme words, but I understand why he didn't use that sort of language in that particular situation.

[flourish.livejournal.com]

I guess that's where we differ - I would have thought much more kindly of McCain if he had stood up for what he truly believed. (I'm saying this not in relation to Obama, at all: I always think more kindly of people who are brave enough to stand up for what they believe, and poorly of people who don't, including Obama sometimes.) But I'm glad we agree that much. :)