R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Now, before I plow into this blog entry, let me clearly state that I am a casual gal. I love jeans. I like to wear sandals. You can find me in a peasant blouse much more often than a business suit...

HOWEVER...

I am not the President of the United States.

I was bemused and befuddled by the coverage regarding Ted Kennedy's passing, as the news media repeatedly referenced the close relationship between Senator Kennedy and President Obama, mentioning their friendship, their professional respect for one another, the pivotal role the Senator played in this past election when he endorsed Obama for President. On and on about respect...leading us to the President's OFFICIAL statement about the death of his respected friend....

And there he was, our nation's leader, the President of the United States, supposedly paying tribute to a dear friend, political mentor and respected colleague....in shirt sleeves and without a tie. And to be honest, also without emotion or conviction in his voice as he read his official statement.

Respect? I think not. Respect doesn't require a tie, but it certainly deserves one.

(and Michelle may be very proud of her legs, but it seems to me that when uniformed officers stand at attention upon your arrival, you should at least take the time to slide those legs into a pair of slacks and not exit Air Force One in shorts. It shows respect for those men and women who are guarding you and honoring you with their posture, their stance, their uniform, their salute, the reality of every day of their lives. Shorts? Really?)

It's all about respect, and it runs both ways. Title doesn't earn respect, it simply demands it. They both need to remember that.

2nd Annual Think Tank MBA Round-up

2nd Annual Think Tank MBA Round-up

International support for DC School Choice

In a surprise demonstration, representatives from the four corners of the world distributed pamphlets to passers-by in the China Town area of Washington DC.

With the principles of human rights and individual liberty as their foundation, five volunteers from Turkey, Mexico, Afghanistan, Argentina, and Maine and New Mexico, USA met in the early morning with Virginia Walden Ford, Executive Director of DC Parents for School Choice, a grassroots organization working to prevent the end of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program.

Speaking with community members, as well as visitors from other states, the team of five international volunteers offered critical information about the threatened program to a surprising number of uninformed parents and concerned citizens who claimed they were not only not aware of the program, but also not aware that it was in jeopardy.

With very few exceptions, all persons who were engaged in a conversation supported a parent's right to choose where their child will be educated, along with every child's right to a safe and quality education.

The DC Opportunity Scholarship Program allowed parents to submit applications for scholarships to private schools participating in the program. On average, 4 applications are received annually for every open spot in the program, and to date over 1600 children have benefited from the program.

Currently 216 students are waiting to begin school this week, each having received a scholarship to a private school, only to recently receive a letter stating that the program will not be continued.

President Obama has indicated that he would like the program to continue only long enough to allow those currently accepted and enrolled the opportunity to graduate from high school, but to not allow any new students beginning with the 2009/10 academic year.

We find it interesting that the President feels it important to choose where his daughter's will be educated - which happens to be OUTside of the DC school system's boundaries, and INside a private school in Maryland - but does not believe that opportunity should be afforded to other parents in the DC area.

The international group of volunteers is part of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation's Think Tank MBA training. This group of 27 freedom fighters from throughout the world has taken on 5 campaigns of education and activism while participating in the intensive two week training program.

The Atlas TTMBAers have one message: Liberty and Opportunity, through a Free Market Economy and Limited Government, and Prosperity and Peace throughout the world.

Education is critical. Children deserve the right to learn in a safe environment. Parents have the right to choose where their children go to school.

PUT KIDS FIRST, President Obama. And LET PARENTS CHOOSE.

After all, you put your children first and you chose. Why should you be the only parent in DC with that option?

Freedom Fighters

...speaking of cheering. Let's hear it for the freedom fighters!

I have just spent a week with young men and women from all over the world, freedom fighters between the ages of 21 and 42, each with a personal commitment to fighting for liberty in their respective country.

I am in awe. I am jazzed. I am blessed to have this opportunity.

We live in the Land of the Free, and we are fighting for liberties that are critical to the survival of democracy in our country, and as important as our fight is, the battles going on every day in countries throughout the world - led by these young, dedicated and selfless freedom fighters -seem almost more compelling. But reality is, any honorable fight for freedom and liberty is a noble and worthy cause.

We are here at the Atlas Think Tank MBA Training, and we have gathered from all corners of the world: Poland, United States, Ghana, El Salvador, Georgia, Spain, Argentina, Belgium, Slovakia, Canada, Turkey, Tanzania, Kyrgyztan, Brazil, Mexico, Nepal, Belarus, Mongolia, Indonesia, Nigeria, Cyrgistan and Ecuador.

I love freedom. And I love freedom fighters. They are my friends, my colleagues, my comrades.

May we all endure to the end and continue to fight the good fight.