I don’t like it when people speak and act in extreme ways.  I never liked it when my toddlers threw themselves on the grocery store floor in front of the gumball machine after I said “no,” and I can’t stand it when my teens say ridiculously extreme things like, “All my teachers are dumb and don’t know what they’re talking about.”  Extreme actions and statements like these are tiresome, frustrating, and very unendearing.

I’ve been quite turned off recently by those who call themselves “conservatives” who are acting like President Obama is the second coming of Satan.  On a recent road trip, I passed a guy with this extreme Obama message on the back of his truck.  I found it humorous because he was brave enough to put it on his business truck, and I wonder how many would-be customers he has turned away because of it.

And then there was the extreme over-the-top reaction by many on the right to the announcement that President Obama would be addressing the nation’s students today.  I even saw a mom break down into tears while being interviewed on CNN.  She just could not fathom what might happen if her kids were to hear the president’s words.  Might they turn to salt?  Might they go blind?  Might they grow a third arm?  Or even worse yet: might they actually be inspired by the president’s words?  For that mom – and many others across the country – the risk was just too high.  Their kids would not be allowed to partake.

Personally, I’m skeptical of all politicians.  I’m not a huge fan of Obama (although I’d love to sit down with him on the White House lawn and have a drink like that police officer did a few months ago).  But I’m not a huge fan of ANY politician for that matter.  I only voted last November because – as a pastor – I think not voting might be considered by some as a sin only trumped by blasphemy.  I’m not a big fan of politicians, but I’m even less of a fan of the way people use scare tactics and extremism in response to them.

I – for one – am glad the president decided to speak to American students.  Many kids today need all the encouragement they can get to stay in school and work hard while there.  I hope my kids were able to hear his message at school, and if not, I’ll make sure they do on the Internet.  I read the transcript and could find absolutely nothing wrong or (even political for that matter) with what he said.  Here are some of his words that I found especially inspiring in his speech today.

He inspired students to work through the difficulties they are facing and spoke of his own difficulties.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

He encouraged students to ask questions and was vulnerable about his need to do the same.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

He boldly raised the bar of expectations on American students.

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

All in all, this was a good speech.  The president has a right – and even a duty – to speak to the youth of our nation and call them to a higher standard than what many of them are called to by their peers, the media, and even some of their teachers and parents.  It’s unfortunate that even something as good, inspiring, and politically neutral as this speech was faced with so much ridiculous extremism and criticism.

It’s time for conservatives to cut President Obama some slack on things like this.  It’s ok to speak out and provide checks and balances in the realm of politics, but if he wants to encourage our country’s students on the first day of school, then leave him alone and let him do it.