RESPECT: WE ALL NEED IT

Respect, we all need it. We all demand a bit of understanding in this ever changing world. Discrimination has developed a whole new meaning as to the disrespectful practices dealing with our fellow human race. Each generation can be held at fault for losing respect of the next one. Yet not one wants to accept this as having anything to do with what the final outcome is.

Lack of respect is an abuse as bad as any other. If you ever saw an adult child take advantage of their parents by causing either emotional or physical harm to them, you know exactly where my opinions on the subject are coming from. I’ve witnessed grandparents being talked to with such foul tones it would make a sailor blush. I’ve seen children hit their caregiver without even an ounce of discipline to prevent a future act of violence. I fully understand the concept of clamping down on child abuse offenders, but the fear of it has left people not knowing where discipline and abuse separate.

Discipline in earlier generations may have involved a spanking, leaving a child thinking twice about further wrong doing. Maybe they were wrong, but they earned respect. And the child wasn’t apt to forget the meaning of respect as they entered the adult stage, either. Many earlier acts of discipline only meant grounding a child from seeing friends or watching television for a certain period of time. Time out in a quiet space to recall what was done wrong usually brought out the same reaction. Certainly these later punishments were not mean alternatives. Making a child mind is not mean. It could prevent them from danger lurking in their future. After all if a child is told to stay away from a highway and gets hit by a car whose fault would that be? Not only will the parent blame themselves, but others will as well. Respect will never be earned without discipline of one kind or another.

Abuse comes from neglect, physical violence and emotional criticism. Letting children run wild, run over you and do whatever they please is just as bad as physically causing them pain. Screaming insults and calling them demeaning names can have everlasting damage to their self esteem. This doesn’t end with just childhood events either. Adults can just as easily abuse their mates and their aging parents. Children abuse children and the talk of depression associated with bullies has become blamed for the cause of many teenage suicides. Young bullies grow to become adult bullies. Respect for anything and anyone will never be seen by these individuals who are truly victims themselves for lack of proper up-bringing. Learning respect could be a lifesaver.

Respect for our teachers, law enforcement, political leaders, clergymen, foreign visitors, senior citizens and the opposite sex should be something we all have learned early in life. Sadly, we see disrespectful acts every day. It’s in our homes, schools, and on our streets. The headline news stories bring it to our attention as common events. We joke about our government. We slam our leaders. We ask for equal rights. We are only human. We make mistakes. Mankind will find the peace we are all seeking when the simple act of respect becomes more important. Love, faith, hope and understanding cannot bring happiness to a world lacking the know how to teach respect for those deserving it. Not everyone can be respected, but only the evil should be exempt from having a fair chance to earn it. Earning respect can be worth more than anything else we should ever hope for.