Not a Joke: Obamas Remember 9/11 By Assembling Backpacks With 'KaBOOM!' Volunteers

Debra Heine

Although originally designated by Congress to be “Patriot Day” in December of 2001, Obama proclaimed 9/11  a “national day of service” five years ago to encourage Americans to do good deeds in memory of those who died in the 2001 terrorist attacks. For the most part, it’s liberal community organizers and non-profits like KaBOOM!  who participate in the “day of service.” 

Via Twitchy: 

Not to state the obvious, but as KaBOOM! is a word used to represent loud explosions, wouldn’t they want to leave that logo at home on 9/11 – a day of horrifying loud explosions? 

The Washington post kindly left the KaBOOM! logo out of its feelgood description of the Obamas’ visit the school.

As flags flew at half-staff Thursday morning to commemorate the 13th anniversary of 9/11, dozens of volunteers wearing bright purple T-shirts were doing jumping jacks at the Inspired Teaching charter school in the District’s Brookland neighborhood. With feel-good hits playing, the volunteers prepared to build a playground for the school to mark the National Day of Service and Remembrance.


In the early evening, hours after the playground had been built, President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrived at the school via motorcade to lend a hand.

The couple helped two students fill “playpacks” with books, chalk and other items, which will be given as birthday gifts to children in a nearby homeless shelter, according to a press pool report. They also helped volunteers put a piece of a climbing structure in place, with the president helping to lift the piece and Michelle Obama securing it with a wrench.

KaBoom! (community improvement through the design, building, and improvement of playspaces) is part of the philanthropic arm of eBay entrepreneur Pierre Omidyar. The Omidyar Network is an unusual mix of a 501(c)(3) foundation grantmaking and an LLC for investing in for-profit companies. Omidyar has donated millions to the Obama administration’s Social Innovation Fund.

I’m trying to imagine what the First Lady thought when she saw the KaBOOM! logos. I know if it were me, my cheeks would have flushed red, and I would have asked to speak to the person in charge, in private. And with the assembled media in mind, I would have asked who the brainiac was who thought 9/11 was a good day for the president and first lady to be seen stuffing backpacks with KaBOOM!

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