Using your mind would be to realize that we have to see Obama's term through, and rather than trying to start some forum march, some would be better suited arming themselves with a plan to inspire people to elect differently in the next election.
AGREED - EXCEPT that the forum march IS the beginning of a plan to inspire people to vote differently in the next election, lol!
Since he IS our President for the next (almost) 4 years, I am always looking for anything he does that I can support. If he fulfills his promises to the gay community, I will be among the first to congratulate him!
I didn't find a lot to support about Bush, either. But there were a few things, and I was just as outspoken in those things I do support as those I don't. That is the only way to be objective, and to try to move towards your goals, whatever they are.
David - if you like, or are thinking about, teaching, maybe you should consider teaching science at a community college. Some of the really bad high school goof offs are gone by then, and maybe you will get a chance to teach some of the elective science courses, instead of mandatory ones. It is nice to have students because they WANT to be there instead of because they HAVE to be there. And, from the research / conversations I have had, it seems that there is less state micromanagement at the community college level than high school. OTOH, it seems that 4 year universities often have more focus on graduate students, publishing, research, and raising grant money, than on actually teaching undergraduate students. Community colleges often have smaller classes actually taught by professors, instead of grad students. That is why community college seems more interesting to me, if I were to teach.
Maybe some real, actual, teachers can confirm or deny my feelings about how the system works.