What’s the Jamestown Project? Plus: Finding your “inner Obama”
Charisse Carney-Nunes, who originally posted the Burlington Township (NJ) elementary school Obama chant video, has not responded to requests for comment — though someone did remove the video from her account this morning, as I mentioned earlier today. I linked to her bio at the Jamestown Project, where she is Senior Vice President of Programs. (FYI: In this interview, she says she has accepted a job with the Obama administration’s Transportation Department.)
What’s the Jamestown Project? From its “About Us” section:
The Jamestown Project is a diverse action-oriented think tank of new leaders who reach across boundaries and generations to make democracy real. Founded and operated primarily by people of color and women, The Jamestown Project consists of scholars, activists, and communities who use five broad strategies to achieve our mission: generating new ideas; promoting meaningful public conversations and engagement; cultivating new leaders; formulating political strategy and public policy; and using cutting-edge communications techniques that reach a broad public.
From its curriculum guide for 3rd-5th graders:
Children Do Democracy Too is an outgrowth of our Doing Democracy work. The purpose of the initiative is to equip children with the knowledge and tools necessary to meaningfully participate in civil society and democracy. The central question we seek to answer is, “How do we instill the values of citizenship and active participation into the youngest, and in many ways the most important, members of our democracy?”
The Jamestown Project released A Children’s Curriculum for Civic Engagement in the Fall of 2008 as part of this initiative. The curriculum is based on our book I DREAM FOR YOU A WORLD: A COVENANT FOR OUR CHILDREN.
The Curriculum adapts the concepts from the book into lessons and activities to promote civic engagement to elementary aged children. Grades 3 – 5 are the optimal age for children to not only understand their place in the world, but also a time to begin to comprehend their power and potential to make a difference in their own lives, their family, their communities, and their country.
We are currently piloting the curriculum and seeking new partners to help us evaluate the program, share learning, and to strategize about achieving future goals.
Question: How many other public schools have “instilled the values of citizenship and active participation into the youngest” through Jamestown Project Senior VP Carney-Nunes’ Obama-chanting rituals?
Here’s at least one other school in Salem, NJ at which Carney-Nunes proselytized — even urging one student to keep looking for “that inner Obama:”
From the hard wooden chairs of the Salem Middle School auditorium, children shouted gleefully “I am Barack Obama!” here Tuesday, prompted by the renowned author who penned a book of the same name.
Charisse Carney-Nunes, a former classmate of the president’s at Harvard Law School, spent her birthday reading some of her collection to the third-grade class, the colorful pages emblazoned on a big-screen projector above her.
Her stories are of a hope that often finds confinement within the poverty-stricken city.
“The most important thing I think, and the reason the book is called I Am Barack Obama, is because I like when children say I am Barack Obama,” Carney-Nunes said. “They understand that there is a little bit of Barack Obama in all of us.”
Her latest endeavor captures the journey of Obama from childhood to the White House steps, offering that the power to change the world lies with all of us…It was the endless series of questions about Obama that Carney-Nunes received during school book tours last year that led to her latest venture, she pointed out.
“They just wanted to talk about Barack Obama,” she said. “I decided you know what, it would be easiest if I just wrote a book.
At the end of the program, each child received a copy of Carney-Nunes publication. At least one was signed with a message to keep looking for that inner-Obama.
***
Fun fact: Carney-Nunes’ Jamestown Project colleague Bakari Kitwana defended radical former green jobs czar Van Jones on FNC earlier this month:
At the Huffington Post, Kitwana smeared parents and conservative commentators who objected to the White House junior lobbyists-in-the-schools effort earlier this month as — you guessed it — RAAAAACISTS.
***
Here’s a Jamestown Project overview reel:
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
 |
Cincinnati-Area School Pays Kids to… Show Up to School
February 13, 2012 09:43 PM by Doug Powers
14 CommentsColumbia University to Offer ‘Occupy 101′ Course
January 2, 2012 11:15 AM by Doug Powers
75 Comments
Document drop: What Scholastic is teaching your kids about the Occupiers
December 9, 2011 11:30 AM by Michelle Malkin
102 Comments
Moonbat of the day: Suffolk Univ. law prof condemns sending care packages to troops, flying American flag
November 14, 2011 08:36 PM by Michelle Malkin
46 CommentsWisconsin: 4th Grade Teacher Takes Class to Protest at Capitol
November 4, 2011 10:44 AM by Doug Powers
124 Comments
Colorado bellwether: Voters reject statewide tax increases
November 1, 2011 10:46 PM by Michelle Malkin
65 Comments
The EduJobs III Bailout; Update – Harry Reid: Who cares about private sector jobs?
October 19, 2011 04:38 AM by Michelle Malkin
94 Comments
PC Educator of the Week: Thanksgiving, Columbus Day are Insensitive Holidays
October 15, 2011 12:06 PM by Doug Powers
41 Comments
Categories: Education
Weekly Standard
» White House Economic Adviser: 'We Need a Global Minimum Tax'Pundit & Pundette
» Bishop Jenky, Nicki Minaj, and the "98%"Sister Toldjah
» Obama’s new budget is a bad jokeJustOneMinute
» We Hear From The Department Of Good Ideas And False Choices
The living definition of hypocrites. Expect more of this crap in the coming months. All happily funded by Soros et al.
Because I too am horrified at the price of arugala at Whole Foods.
why are people who write children’s curriculum as creepy as Michael Jackson and are the last people you’d want near your kids.
Proving once again why so-called secular progressives don’t need any religion other than the state.
“Give me the children until they are seven…”
It seems fitting Obamacare should pay for its removal.
The ‘Jonestown Project’ is more like it.
Cut right from the communist manefesto. Indoctrinating kids to follow. Except they are disquising it under school and democracy. What a bunch of racists. Its all starting to ad up to a coup on Democracy….
Democracy or Constitutional Republic? hmmmm
Well, I guess I would like to go to Hawaii, but other than that… uh… nope.
I think I can safely say there is no Barack Obama in me.
From the quote from the opening thread above:
There is a little bit of Barrack Obama in all of us?
That’s why we have toilets, and toilet paper.
That is one way for each of us to rid ourselves of that little bit of Barrack Obama in us.
If I ever even begin to think I may have an “inner Obama” I will head to the medicine cabinet for a bottle of Syrup of Ipecac to get it out of me.
On September 24th, 2009 at 4:09 pm, William said:
From the quote from the opening thread above:
There is a little bit of Barrack Obama in all of us?
That’s why we have toilets, and toilet paper.
That is one way for each of us to rid ourselves of that little bit of Barrack Obama in us.
HA HHAAA! GOOD ONE!
That odd saying about the little bit ‘o Barack also reminds me of my own clever little annual St. Pat’s day repost to the ladies…
“Hey Baby, you got a little Irish in ya doncha? No? Ah well, Ya wanna get a little Irish in ya!” HA wink wink…
truthfully though, we’ve all got a little Barack in us these days, cause he is definitely F#$$IN’ US GOOD!
What is this nonsense? What don’t these POS go out, do something constructive, and get real jobs?
The scary part of having “a little of Obama in me” is the part that comes right after “BOHICA”.
Is she saying I have a black heart?
Nope. Just that he is screwing us all.
Just what exactly is a “Social Entrepeneur” ?
We’re all narcissists now?
I’ll take a guess–a con artist?
or a community organizer. Same thing, right?
Last time I tried to get in touch with my “inner Obama” I ended up with a nasty case of the stomach flu.
This is liberalspeak for “it takes 6 of our brains to fill one normal human skull”.
My son is in touch with his inner Mark Levin-or Glenn Beck.
Sweet Lord, then I need an exorcism!!
What other word can we find for “doing” it? Where’s spaceycakes?
And I can assure you that there is none in me.
Thats what Kaopectate is for.
Rather broad in their use of “our children” aren’t they? When Miss Hillary was pushing “her” book It Takes a Village and the claim that the title came from an African saying- I wish I was there; I wanted to know just which African tribe that was.
Some times I feel like that poor African lion trying to save the cubs from an invading pair of males-the males killed the cubs one by one.The Jamestown Project needs to have a pair of male lions on their letterhead. But male lions do kill faster.
Today is, as is everyday, a good day to HATE liberals. Children being children is beyond the comprehension of these scum. Tomorrow my brother and I take the older grand kids to the range-girls too- so they can brush up on their civic responsibility of being good shots with pistol, revolver, rifle and shotgun; teachers conference or some such for the public schoolers and Grandpas choice for the rest.
As Michelle might (or might not)say – “puke worthy”.
Here’s my inner Obama: THE TIME IS NOW TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE PUT OFF FOR SO LONG. THERE IS NO GREATER PRIORITY THAN MAKING RIGHT OUR PROBLEMS. OUR SOCIETY HAS [blah blah blah blah]
Teaching children civic involvement should come from the parents and perhaps a High School Civics class. It certainly shouldn’t be dogmatic indoctrination from the White House.
My inner Obama is my daily constitution.
Oh lord, how I despise these fruitcakes!! They must be rooted out and destroyed. They have their claws in everywhere. This is going to be a monumental task. I just wish we hadn’t been asleep for so long!
Democracy is generations upon generations of white guilt.
Not guilty here!
RSS…If I could reach through the internet “lines” and find you, I would slap you silly, you friggin creep. Get off this blog. You don’t belong on the same thread as decent, patriotic people who value the Constitution.
I went to the Head and had an Obama. I pity the poor deck seman that has to do field day there later on.
GSP
I flush my inner Obama every morning.
C’mon get happy, happy! I’m mocking your president, get with it.
I’m gonna have my colon cleansed, too.
There was a little bit of Barack Obama in me but after the radiation treatment my doctor tells me it is now gone.
Every one of Jamestown Project speakers is regurgitating the same liberal gibberish of “democracy” that’s been spouted by con artists and nutjobs for years. They produce nothing of worth, except division and ideas that produce economic ruin. Ask these people to produce something of value such as a product or service and they can’t find their own backsides with either hand. They do, however, sew racial resentment at the hands of the rest of us who have bent over backwards to bring people of all races along and are still hated despite the trillions of dollars wasted in doing so. For that reason alone, it’s long past time to nail these radical con artists at every turn, and without apologies. These are truly evil people–they could care less about the ignorant masses they choose to exploit for black power.
Is that what they call getting thrown under the bus these days?
I just flushed my inner Obama.
QUESTION: “Yes” or “No” do you have an Inner Obama?
“Present”
“The purpose of the initiative is to equip
childrenYoung Pioneers with the knowledge and tools necessary to meaningfully participate in civil society anddemocracyThe People’s Republic of Amerika.”Proper translation…
Excuse me?!? 9 to 11 year olds barely understand their place on the playground! How in the hell are they supposed to understand their place in the world?
And who tells them what their place in the world is? I can bet these sorry excuses for “educators” will demand they do it, rather than the child’s parents.
Ahh, yes! “Power and potential to make a difference in their own lives, their family, their communities, and their country” = radical liberal activist.
Never mind that opt-out form filled out by the parents. We’re teaching activisim here! That’s more important!
Gawd, I can taste bile.
I have no inner Obama, and I know this because
A. I’m not a stranger to the truth.
B. I don’t think I’m the center of the universe.
C. I don’t think America sucks.
These Obamatons are truly deranged.
And yet the sheeple just keep sending their little dears into the indoctrination camps called public schools.
I suppose it’s because we as a nation are too lazy to stand up and be counted. It takes involvement to change things and although the Tea Parties are a start we are not there yet. More voters need to get out and protest, call or write their representation at both the state and national levels and demand responsible spending and smaller government. Then, in November 2010 vote all the incumbents out of office and elect true conservatives. Yes, that especially goes for the RINOs who have betrayed the conservative voters.
In this case sloth begets slavery.
Things like this remind me why I live in this state. Our public schools aren’t perfect, but we’re pretty far removed from this kind of stuff. My son starts kindergarten next year and I’ll be in the schools’ face as much as need be. Home schooling will be an option if I don’t like what I see. I think it would also be fun to have the kid in class who is smart enough to give ‘em hell though.
Here’s something that’s funny and it’s pretty close to the truth.
4-Block World
If Obama was a real president, he’d be a leader. Unfortunately, he’s just “Dear Leader.”
My “inner Obama” comes once a month!
George Bush made her do it.
No other explanation.
“Almighty God and Father, drive this Obama from your servant, and return him to a state of grace.”
“Begone, evil spirit, and return to the bowels of hell, in Christ’s name.”
ALL:
“The power of Christ compels you.
The power of Christ compels you.
The power of Christ compels you.”
and/or immodium
if there is a little bit of zero in all of us, lets use chemo and radiation therapy and kill the cancer.
A little bit of Obama in me….
And I thought it was the Bean burritto
“What I’ve go you’ve go to get it put it in you”.
Flea
We’re not a democracy.
We’re not a democracy.
We’re not a democracy.
Democracy in name only, and voting for 1 candidate of 1 party. We already have their type of democracy in the world today…China, and N. Korea (Democratic people’s republic) and Iran.
*I think P-BO should find his “inner Obama”, then he can go **** himself, rather than all of us and our Representative Republic!
Fixed that for Ms. Carney-Nunes.
Participatory democracy in this Republic is a good thing.
Time will be due for another Washington rally but with a twist with teeth; a petition signing to opt-out of Obama’s programs by not paying that percentage in your income tax. They can’t put millions in jail — grannies and handicapped included. I’d be first to sign, no bull.
Not a “I told you so,” but the conservative political-philosophy purist angels-on-pinhead sour-grapes non-hold-the-nose stay-at-home single issue voters last November are getting their FIRST just desserts now — and this man hasn’t even been in a year! (A no-hang-ups Thompson supporter who would’ve eaten crow raw to keep this Obama disaster from happening)
James Greenidge
Queens, NY
It has become a bragging right for groups on the left to boast about shunning white males. Apparently, even liberal white males need not apply. Can you imagine a company or non-profit in today’s world bragging about being operated primarily by whites and men? They would be sued and boycotted out of existence, and rightfully so.
To those on the left, valuing diversity has come to mean valuing “politically correct” groups, races and genders. If you do that, then it’s ok to shun, ridicule, and discriminate against the others. The more diversity is taught on College campuses, the less diverse they become, especially in the area of political thought. Society has not become more tolerant; it has just changed targets.
Does this finally give the lie to the stupid, endlessly repeated nonsense about “neutrality” and “objectivity” in school? When…WHEN will people learn that ALL worldviews seek to be authoritative.
Get your kids out of the government schools!!
Well said. I can honestly say (and I thank God for it) that I had black parents that to this day value our faith first and the values of this country next. I was not indoctrinated with the “racial victim” mentality. When it came to being black, all my parents would say is “You go be the best you can be and dispel the notion some have that ‘we’ can’t be their equals.”
I am so utterly SICK and tired of the false religion of “diversity.”
I’m proud to call you my brother, Major O.
It looks like those two reporters for Breitbart who stung ACORN have their work cut out for them. Not only smoking out the Jamestown Project, but hustling grants from the Ford, Soros and Tides Foundations based on outrageous proposals, then letting the world see how these sinister forces operate.
DITTO!
Same here!
Wish there were a LOT more like you Major. Here’s hoping the uninformed see the light and soon!
They said they got it all during my colonoscopy.
I hope you remembered to wipe your biden
Damn, if the lady isn’t right! I found my little bit of Barack Obama in the naval lint I scraped out during my shower this morning. Oooops! Sorry Barack, you just got washed down the drain. Have a nice trip.
Oh, really? Can you tell us how many people vote during presidential elections? Mid-terms? Our military are fighting abroad so that people in Iraq and Afghanistan can vote and yet we take it for granted here. Why is that? Is it really a lack of “participatory democracy?”
What the hell is “participatory democracy?” Actively engaging in the mob? We’re a republic and have a representative government. There’s very little “participatory democracy” on the part of of our vaunted politicians or the citizens who’ve turned their backs on this country.
Forcing “participatory democracy” on our children in public schools is unacceptable. As a teacher, I worked hard to inform my 8th graders what their role would be as future voters and what being responsible voters actually entailed. I never, ever, told them how to vote, for who, and how to be good little community organizers.
Here’s a tip, if people want their kids to be good little citizens, have them get involved in Girl Scouts, 4H, or Boy Scouts. Schools exist to educate, never push on kids the belief that being a minority or a certain gender makes them instantly aggrieved.
The Jamestown Project is seriously misguided. The USA embodies the phrase “e pluribus unum” (from many one) and it doesn’t matter how involved citizens get, there are many of us. You’re just a number. Your kid is just a number both to the school and to society at large.
Let kids learn organically from both their own history, and the current events that shape their lives. Not the enforced, PC sensivity training that cloaks most history/social studies classes today.
Oops: I meant sensitivity training.
I have changed my morning ritual from the three S’s to my morning O,S,S.
From GuideStar, the C.E.O. of the “non-partisan” Jamestown project is, ta da:
Stephanie Robinson, Esq. is the President and CEO of The Jamestown Project and a Lecturer on Law at the Harvard Law School. Previously, Ms. Robinson was Chief Counsel and National Director for Public Policy at the Center for Community Change (CCC). Prior to joining CCC, Ms. Robinson served as Majority Chief Counsel for Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. In this capacity, Ms. Robinson was the Senator’s chief legal and procedural advisor and was one of the Senator’s point people on all policy issues, including anti-poverty initiatives, children and family matters, early education, welfare, and the budget. For more, please visit http://www.jamestownproject.org.
I thought I found my inner Obama this morning, turns out it was just the after effects of that block of Venezuelan Beaver Cheese I ate last night.
I found mine, too. It was in the cat puke left in the middle of the carpet on my way to the bathroom. In the dark. Bare feet in cold inner-O cat puke is shocking.
You all beat me to the bathroom jokes. Thanks a lot!
I always get that too, especially if I’m already going to be late for work. And when you’re cleaning it up, don’t you just love the “what? What’d I do?” look of disdain from the cat watching you? You can almost here him thinking “That’s right! On your knees, knave!”
here = hear. (slap)
Did you ever watch Ren and Stimpy? My favorite was the one where Stimpy filled the house with hair ball puke.
I only watched it a few times. Too close to home for me.
In the same paragraph they say they are diverse…. and say they are composed primarily of people of color.
Someone help me out. Does diverse now mean “people of color”?
Fix it. We want them to be truthful about what they do.
“Excuse me doctor. I found this ugly growth on me. Since it appeared I seem to want to burn flags, bow to Saudi’s and give praise to our enemies.”
“I think it’s my inner Obama. …..Could you please remove it?”
With proper credit to diarrheasong.blogspot.com:
When you think your friends are joking
but your pants are brown and soaking:
Barack Obama, Barack Obama
Now you think you’re feeling better
but you keep on getting wetter:
Barack Obama, Barack Obama
Toilet paper you need to gather
and your butt worked up a lather:
Barack Obama, Barack Obama
When your stomach starts a rollin’
and you’re cleaning out your colon:
Barack Obama, Barack Obama
When you’re on the seat for hours
and it doesn’t smell like flowers:
Barack Obama, Barack Obama
When the feeling’s not that nice
and you have to flush it twice:
Barack Obama, Barack Obama
Feel free to expand on YOUR inner Obama.
“there is a little bit of Barack Obama in all of us.”
Yes, but most folks learn better by about age 12…
How’s that baseball song go? (channeling my inner 12 year old)
When you’re running to first and you’re feeling something burst,
Barack Obama! Barack Obama!
When you’re running fast to third and you drop a great big turd,
Barack Obama! Barack Obama!
When you’re running in to home and your pants are full of foam, Barack Obama! Barack Obama!
Ha! Great 12 year old minds think alike!
Oh my gosh, what this blog has been reduced to–doesn’t one of the verses of the song say “be a man, use you hand, Barack Obama?”
Sorry. I’ll go away now.
Boinking Democracy
This tells me both everything I needed to know and nothing, at the same time!
Diddling democracy
Major O: Happy to see your post – diversity, to me, is just liberal-speak for some people to cry “victim” everytime they’re caught doing something irresponsible.
Spaceycakes: I think the Jamestown Project’s statement is liberal meaningless crap.
Except I usually take care of eliminating that bit of waste every morning on the porcelain throne!
I started reading the comments and each one had me laughing so hard I couldn’t stop. By the time I got to that poem, I was a goner. That is just about the funniest thing I have read in a long time! The kind of belly laugh with the tears and everything. I don’t get to laugh like that very often, since Johnny Carson left the air. Thank you, everyone!