Repeating a theme that he frequently touched upon during his 2008 election campaign, President Barack Obama has once again referenced video games as a metaphor for academic underachievement.
In a Father's Day message published in Parade, Obama writes:
We need to set limits and expectations. We need to replace that video game with a book and make sure that homework gets done... We need to tell our sons, Those songs on the radio may glorify violence, but in our house, we find glory in achievement, self-respect, and hard work.
Interestingly, the Parade feature is Obama's third mention of video games in the last 10 days. On June 11th he told an audience in Wisconsin:
The world has gotten competitive. The Chinese, the Indians, they're coming at us and they're coming at us hard, and they're hungry, and they're really buckling down.
And they watch - their kids watch a lot less TV than our kids do, play a lot fewer video games, they're in the classroom a lot longer.
Last Monday the President mentioned games during a speech to the American Medical Association in Chicago:
[Preventive care] starts with each of us taking more responsibility for our health and the health of our children. It means... raising our children to step away from the video games and spend more time playing outside.
Comments
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Would be nice to see that money spent on inner cities,rural counties,shcools and infrastructure...
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
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Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
You mean, all of the places that ask for blank checks with no oversight, right? Yeah, more money is really going to fix that.
Freedom of speech means the freedom to say ANYTHING, so long as it is the truth. This does not exclude anything that might hurt someone's feelings.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Well I mean if it was going to spent why not spend it in country for the peole insted of tech that we wont use by the time its implemented...but...ya...oversight would be nice....
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
---
http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
That's the thing. The unions that Dems get their money from don't want the oversight. They just want a blank check given to them to spend on whatever they want.
Freedom of speech means the freedom to say ANYTHING, so long as it is the truth. This does not exclude anything that might hurt someone's feelings.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Which is why our soldiers make great money. Wait...
Surely, Dianne Feinstein would throw a fit if they cut military spending; then she wouldn't be able to demand the military fly her around on a private jet.
The military isn't getting money 'thrown at it' by any means. They're actually getting most of their projects shut down to fund Obama's newest acquisitions.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Yes, actually, money is being thrown at it. As you can see here (2007 spending, imagine a two year increase).
Upkeep for million dollar jets, contractors/mercs, god knows where the rest of it goes. You want to talk about fiscal black holes? The defense budget. In fact, the budget increased under Obama, so I nor anybody else have any clue where you get this statement from.
"They're actually getting most of their projects shut down to fund Obama's newest acquisitions."
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
I believe I specifically said that the numbers actually went up if you bothered to read on further. Which they have, by a lot. That in itself actually makes it worse.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Actually, under Obama, only the budget for Afghanistan saw an increase. The budget for new projects, maintenance of certain vehicles and crafts, and for experiments dropped DRASTICALLY.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Still dose not mean there are not black holes, nor a real increase in taking care of the soldiers...
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
---
http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Why can't they do both? My son seems to pull off the whole 'reading and video gaming' thing pretty well, and I don't even have to bug him about reading. Everytime I go to Barnes and Nobles, I pick up a few books, and he picks up a few books too.
Oh, by the way snipzor, I wouldn't expect any useful education fixes under Obama. He comes from Illinois, one of those states that is a black hole for education dollars. Why, just today, I saw this, http://cbs2chicago.com/local/bradwell.elementary.8th.2.1047246.html, and nearly laughed myself into a coma. Personally, I blame the parents AND the teachers.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
We aren't talking about the achievers, we are talking about those who do not like reading, and not the types who like playing RPGs either. All he is doing is promoting reading over the specific videogames that dumb us down.
Also, the situation in Illinois is confusing to anyone. Education can only be fixed through social inniciatives, promotion campaigns. Parents and teachers have nothing to do with it, well parents do, but teachers are doing their best. But in the end, Illinois problem lies directly in the cultural and social barriers. Not to forget a large series of corruption. But I don't exactly understand why Obama can't do anything to help this social problem, just because he is from Illinois. Sorry, but that statement is illogical, or rather unsubstantive.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Basicly you spoke out agaisnt the type of kid that woudl rather skip reading in class and get right ot viewing them ovie, whiel talking trhough the movie.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
I blame the students and teachers, and the parents a bit too. If you're old enough to be in 8th grade and you STILL can't even pass the classes, you're clearly not fit for survival in this world.
-If an apple a day keeps the doctor away....what happens when a doctor eats an apple?-
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
One thing you can not do when it comes to education is blame the students. You simply can not do that. Even if the child is the worst kid imaginable and thus would rather do drugs than school; that's still not their fault, it's the parents. Or possibly his location, but even then it's the parents job to raise them right.
Americans can not raise children.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
No, no. Everyone has to be responsible for their own actions and there own life, this includes students. Telling them they are never responsible for what they are or who they are is just another excuse really.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
There's a massive difference between being responsible for your actions and knowing which actions to take.
I suppose children born of crack addicted mothers should be held responsible for being crack addicts huh?
How stupid. Typical shit said be people who were born to a good family. You have no clue.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
So what your telling me that as long as the situation is bad enough, it can never be a person's fault because they have no say in the matter because of what kind of situation is born in?
That's bull. Unless it's a issue involved mental retardation or some type of disability that really does prevent a person from doing well. It is still every person's responsibility to either do something about it or take the lazy route and allow people to make excuse for them. If you are capbale of making a choice you can chose to do something about the problem. This goes for students as well as teachers, parents, etc.
What I have a problem with is this excuse your talking about as gone beyond mental retardation or disability to using it for anything of the slightly to blame anyone else for the fact that a student fails. I failed a few classes here and there too, wasn't anyones fail but my own.
You CANNOT talk about education problems and not consider an issue with the students end and just blame Teachers and Parents. Nothing is ever that simple.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Well, maybe if Social Services would actually take crack babies from crack-addicted mothers, it wouldn't be an issue, but as long as moms have the ultimate right to their children, that won't happen.
Freedom of speech means the freedom to say ANYTHING, so long as it is the truth. This does not exclude anything that might hurt someone's feelings.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
give him time. Many of the issues you've made comments on will probably be acted on in the very new future. He can only move as fast as your society will let him.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
Don't worry about me, I just vented, hell I supported and support him. I don't blame him for many of the things that has happened, I blame the conservative democrats. Sorry, let me try that again. I blame the hyper-conservative democrats who get in the way of economic and social progress.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
He's promoting responsible parenting, something we all agree with.
"We need to replace that video game with a book and make sure that homework gets done"
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
I agree with responsible parenting. I just don't think that's necessarily what he's advocating. Games are just as important as schoolwork to a child's development. Kids get tons of real world expertise through playing games, and video games are no exception to that. I worry when too much emphasis is placed on scholastic achievement. The adage "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" comes to mind. There needs to be a balance, because too much one way or the other is a bad thing. I think that's why so-called 'gifted' schools (which are basically programs of super-intensive education) screw so many kids up.
When Obama says "We need to replace that video game with a book" I worry, because replacing one with the other is just going from one extreme to another. Why can't we have both in moderation?
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
I'll have to agree with Zalethon on this one. He could probably word it better, but I don't think he's advocating not letting your kids play video games. You are correct, playing games is very important to child development, but not at the sacrifice of reading and such.
I think what he's trying to do is advocate balance.
Re: On Father's Day, Obama Urges Dads To Swap Video Games ...
You can have games without video games. Folks got on for almost 2000 years (and more, counting BC) without that particular sort of game.
It's obvious given his kids' wii (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/08/the-first-wii-obama-brings-video-games...) that he doesn't mean to cut video games out of existence. He only means for moderation.