On January 12, the Tennessean ran a story highlighting President Obama’s pursuit of celebrity backing for his re-election. In the body of the story, the newspaper released a list of 194 “celebrities” whom Obama is counting on to carry water for him between now and Nov. 2012.

The list contains celebrities you’d expect to see listed. Singers Marc Anthony, Jay-Z and Fergie, NBA players Vince Carter and Grant Hill, CEO Warren Buffett, and the well known “philanthropist” Chelsea Clinton (she’s described as a philanthropist on the list) all made the cut. None of this is too surprising until you scroll on down and find Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas listed as “surrogates” for Obama’s re-election.

Upon seeing their names, my first thought was: “Wow, children’s television stars. I guess after they teach our kids how to count they can teach them to vote for Obama.” After all, kids are their target audience, as the kinds of awards they’re nominated for demonstrate. Just last year Nick and Joe Jonas were nominated for Kids’ Choice Awards in the Best TV Actor category, and Joe received “two nominations at the 2011 Teen Choice Awards: one of which was ‘choice male hottie.’” I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried, folks.

But upon further reflection, the hypocrisy of the Jonas Brothers’ support for Obama simply wasn’t funny anymore.

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On March 26, I was watching the Kids’ Choice Awards with my 8-year-old twins on Viacom’s Nickelodeon, which for 30 years has been the No. 1 entertainment brand for kids. It was dedicated to the Big Green Help environmental campaign and “going green” for Earth Day awareness. Leonardo DiCaprio was honored for his green work. Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson was the host, and my fellow Hollywood stars and musicians came out in full force.

An impressive commitment was shown to keeping the message of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” as a battle cry for our youths’ participation in protecting Mother Earth from global warming and pollution. My children were enthusiastic. I was confused. Something bothered me, and I could not put my finger on why – until Memorial Day weekend.

It started on Saturday morning, when I took my 8-year-old son, Nicholas, who is a Cub Scout, to the Los Angeles National Cemetery. About 2,700 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, from Cub to Eagle, convened to place flags on more than 84,000 gravesites of America’s finest. It was a moving, profound experience.

One would expect a lot of running and playing among these youngsters as they performed their task. But, no. At each site, they stood at attention, recited the name of the service member and then saluted. Within two hours, 84,000 flags proudly waved in the gentle breeze. (more…)