A recent letter to the editor of our local paper had a Blue Star mom supporting Obama for President. I salute her family’s service however, with a further bit of digging, I found she was Deputy Director of Policy for Blue Star Families For Obama. Part of his campaign targeting military spouses and families.

About four years ago, a startling bit of information popped up via our local Registrar. Technically military spouses and dependents could not vote in the Commonwealth. The wording of the law stated that residents must be able to swear to live in Virginia for an unlimited amount of time. That is next to impossible for a military spouse. We go where and when we are told. During the course of getting this law changed, I heard from Registrars from around the Commonwealth stating that they would never turn away a military spouse. While that was all well and good, the reality was they could.

Because of the distinct possibility of being disenfranchised, we began a battle to get the law changed in Virginia. Delegate Mark Cole sponsored HB138 and introduced legislation to correct this antiquated law. The results can be viewed here.

When HB 138 was introduced and sent to the Special Elections & Privileges (House) the vote for referral was opposed by 5 Democrats.

The House voted and opposition came in the form of 15 Democrats, many from areas of heavy military concentration such as Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Northern Virginia.

The bill was then referred to Senate Committee – Elections and Special Privleges. In all fairness, the bill referred with a vote of 15-0 after a thoughtful and comprehesive look at the bill. I attended that hearing in case I was needed to speak and I must give props to not only Delegate Cole but the representatives from the State Board of Elections. One inane question asked “how do we know that they won’t vote in two places?” The Election Commission rep made it very clear that this was not a problem indicative of the military.

The Senate then votes on the bill and you guessed, the only opposition came in the form of *two Democrats *voting no.

My question is why would you vote for a candidate of a party that, a little over two years ago, didn’t want you to vote at all?

I am not a child of the 60s. In fact, I am around the same age as Obama. I played with Lincoln Logs while the Weather Underground declared war on the US. I was unaware of the extent of the radicalism that permeated the minds and actions of the 60s radicals.

Barack Obama stated that why should it matter what happened 40 years ago when he was 8. However, it does matter, it matters a great deal, especially now since we are suppose to be grown up and most of us are raising children.

I started reading up on the Weather Underground. While I am nowhere near an expert on the subject, the one thing I can tell you, I found few apologies for their declaration of war or the bombings that destroyed property and lives. In fact, what I did find causes me concern because these radicals have mainstreamed into education and children services in America.

Kathy Wilkerson – She apologized for the Weathermen’s tactics but not her radical politics. She now trains math teachers.

Mark Rudd – He stated that while he believes their goal to end the war was justified, and that while their Karx Marx-inspired understanding of the history of U.S. imperialism was valid, the violence they perpetrated performed pursuing the goal of overthrow was wrong. He was a instructor of Mathematics at Central Mexico Community College before retiring.

Bernadine Dohrn – One of the most prominent of the Weathermen group, Bernadine Dohrn now is Director and Founder of the Children and Family Justice Center. The Justice Center as a matter of course, routinely and aggressively opposes “get tough” crime laws. In 1998, Obama voted no against a bill that that would make it a criminal offense for convicted offenders, either on bail or probation to have contact with street gangs. In 1999, Obama voted present on mandating adult prosecution to aggrevated discharge of firearms near schools. He reiterated opposition for serious juevenile criminals to have adult trials. This falls directly in line with the positions of both Dohrn and William Ayers.

Ms. Dohrn still views herself as a radical.

William Ayers – He is described as a Early Childhood Education theorist and is a Distinquished Professor at the University of Illinois College of Education. Mr. Ayres has stated that he felt the Weather Underground did not do enough and that tactics such as using bombs is not out of the realm of possibility now.

Jeff Jones – Now a media consultant and campaign strategist, his client list includes Healthy Schools Network and Time Out for Testing. While he felt the guerilla tactics used by the Weathermen had run its course, I can find no apologies for the tactics (or the outcome) themselves.

Mike Klonsky – Runs a blog for education and social justice on the Obama site and was also involved in education. In fact, Mr. Klonsky received $175,000 from the Obama led Annaberg Challenge to run Small Schools Workshop. Mr. Klonsky was probably the most hardline Maoists from the Weatherman days. I want to point out that as late as 1981, Mr. Klonsky traveled to China and was honored with elaborate state dinners.

These are just a few of the members of Weathermen group. All dating back to 30/40 years ago. What is becoming apparent is that they are still radicals and as I stated early, make little or no apologies for the actions that caused death and destruction in an attempt to overthrow the government.

What is nerve jangling is that it seems that the role that these people have taken on in their lives revolves around the young and education.

I cannot help returning the Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto – one of the tenants of Marxism is to educate the young to conform minds to the new ideology.

So yes, what happened forty years ago does matter.

I have had some interesting conversations with Republicans and conservatives, reminiscent of the Star Wars Trilogy. While they emphatically state they are going to vote, they follow with “ I have a bad feeling about this.” My question is “well, what are you going to do about it?”

If you have a bad feeling about a future event, then you have the potential to shape the outcome now.

While it is paramount that each of us gets to the polls and vote, it is also imperative that we do everything within our power to provide accurate information to, engage, and empower other voters.

Talk to your neighbors, your friends, someone in the checkout line at the grocery store. Call McCain headquarters and volunteer a day, an hour, or whatever time you have to help the campaign. Sign up to make calls from your home. Stuff envelopes, go to rallies, write letters to the editor, call a radio station, do ANYTHING, but do not just sit there.

On Election Day, hold a brunch for your neighbors and all of you head to the polls together. Offer shuttle services to voters who might need a ride, call your family and friends, and harangue them about getting to the polls. Host an election return party with admission being “I voted” sticker on guests shirts.

It is not our actions that will cause failure, but our inactions that will allow it.

Use the force, Luke.

It makes you wonder what is happening in the other 56 states.

Frederick blasts teacher’s union for coordinated Obama campaign activities in public schools

10/1/2008 7:46:00 AM

GOP Chairman calls “Obama Blue Day” an abuse of taxpayer and student trust.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Woodbridge, Virginia (October 1, 2008) – Delegate Jeffrey M. Frederick, Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, called it an “outrage” upon learning that the Virginia Education Association (VEA) was coordinating political activities on behalf of Democrat Presidential candidate Barack Obama at Virginia public schools.

A widely-circulated email originating from Doris Boitnott in the VEA government affairs department addressed to VEA President Kitty Boitnott, among others, asks teachers to wear blue for “Obama Blue Day.” The email further asks teachers to register or recruit two voters to support Obama, saying, “There are people out there not yet registered. You teach some of them.” (emphasis added)

“Teachers are hired to teach, not use their taxpayer funded positions to coerce and indoctrinate our children to their political agenda,” said Frederick. “It is an outrageous breach of public trust and an abuse of taxpayer resources that teachers chose to use school grounds as a political base to persuade students to their point of view in their parents’ absence.”

Frederick said that school boards and parents will likely be concerned when they learn that these activities are going on at schools when they believe their kids are there to get a “non-partisan education.” As authority figures in the classroom, Republicans said, teachers put students in an awkward position should those students disagree, and they usurp parental rights when attempting to educate children about political views.

Political advocacy during school hours is not unprecedented for the VEA, even though most school boards prohibit it. During past campaign seasons, school divisions have reprimanded teacher unions for using school resources, like email, for political purposes.

“Political views of teachers have no place in the classroom or on school grounds during the school day”, Frederick added.

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