Respecting the Office of the President of the United States

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   TheWorldNowposted 12 years ago

   Something that really bothers me is when people don't have respect for the Office of the President of the United States.It doesn't matter if you disagree with or hate the occupant of the Office, you still need to show respect toward it.
   If you are an American citizen it is your duty to respect the Office of the President of the United States, much like a Sergeant shows respect to a Lieutenant's rank, despite the fact that he is usually older and wiser. Just as a Lieutenant may disagree with and even hate his Colonel, but still shows respect do to the rank.
   Whether you respect the person residing in the Office of the President of the United States or not, you still need to respect the office itself. If you don't, you might as well leave America.

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      Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree. I don't like seeing Impeach Obama posters with pictures of our president with a moustache and a uniform making him look like Hitler outside my neighborhood post office. (The LaRouchers)
      
      [However, I must confess I wasn't as upset by uncomplimentary political cartoons of Bush as a monkey with Cheney as the organ grinder. This was making a valid political point.]

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         KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yes and that is so completely typical. It's ok to say people are "making a point" when they call Bush a Nazi, or make a movie about assassinating him. But oh no, don't say anything about Obama because he's black and that would be racist, no matter how we feel about his politics. That can't be anything but racist right?
         
         The office is to be respected, just like military officers and NCO's must respect those ranking above them. But the 'person' does not get respect unless he or she earns it.
         
         I respect the office, but not necessarily the person, nor those who would make personal attacks against any President, black or white.

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            TheWorldNowposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I disagree with all personal attacks, even those on people I disagree with. Saying that someone said something stupid is one thing, but calling everyone a Nazi or the equivalent is unacceptable

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            Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            There were plenty of political cartoons critical of Bush, but I don't recall anyone calling him a Nazi. That would be over the top.

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      Greg Sageposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree completely.
      
      ... and it is the duty of the President to respect his nation, it's sovereignty, it's customs, it's safety, and it's solvency.

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      Reality Bytesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Says who?

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      AnnCeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Did you feel this way during the previous administration also?  I learned a lot about disrespect during the Bush years.

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         Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Bush invited disrespect more than Obama. Political cartoons are okay, part of our American political tradition. I draw the line at racist picket signs and calling the president a Nazi.

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            KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            http://www.zombietime.com/zomblog/?p=612
            
            check it out; hypocrisy?

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               Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               Definitely. I don't approve of calling any president a Nazi or depicting him as Hitler. However, I don't think a president deserves respect unless he earns it which I don't think Bush did. Nor Nixon. Nor Harding. Bush wasn't as bad as Harding and Nixon who were crooks.

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         TheWorldNowposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I have always felt this way. It doesn't matter how much disrespect they 'invite', they still hold the Office of the President of the United States. Criticizing the President is one thing, but attacking him because of reasons not related to his Presidency at all is ridiculous. You can say Bush made some poor decisions or Obama made stupid decisions, but insulting them personally is too far. They are the President of the United States and that alone deserves your respect as a citizen of the country they lead.

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      Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'll respect the President when s/he decides to uphold the Constitution.
      
      That hasn't happened in about 150 years.

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         Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Evan, you and Ron are in a time warp. Turning back the clock just doesn't work.

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      dutchman1951posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      respect is earned, it is  not a right that goes with the Office Title to be expected. When He, Obama starts to respect the office, maybe the rest of us will also!

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         lovemychrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         How does he not respect the office??

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   LuisEGonzalezposted 12 years ago

   Being former military & law enforcement, it is totally disrespectful to the office, the institution and the country for anyone to disrespect the Office of The President of The United States. We may disagree with politics, views, or policy, but the office deserves respect. I am a Republican but have never disrespected any Democratic president and its very offensive when some are disrespectful towards a Republican president.

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      kateperezposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am also former military.  I had the pleasure of serving under former President Reagan.  Know what I learned?  That even officers did not always deserve respect.  When they say crap like "I wonder how long it took to paint those jeans on her?"  Yeah, that does not deserve respect.
      
      As for the President, that is a title.  Anyone over the age of 36 can hold it if they were chosen and followed all the rules to get there.    ANYONE.  I could be President. 
      
      Do you think if a woman made it to the campaign that the other side (regardless) would be kind?  Doubtful.  Black, white, asian, female, whatever... I don't respect anyone who talks down to me.  I'm not stupid.  Most Americans are not stupid, however this current office of the President still tells us that we cannot understand, that we cannot speak our minds, that we cannot have an opinion, that we are to NOT say what we want because we are too feeble minded to know what we need or want.
      
      I think that the mouth that utters such things deserves nothing from me.
      
      Semper Fi.  Proud Marine to the day I die.... But I won't show respect for a person just because they hold the title of the highest position in the country.  The TITLE gets my respect, the man better freakin' EARN IT!

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3. 59

   Jonathan Jancoposted 12 years ago

   @ Ralph.
   The LaRouche cabal did the same thing to Bush. I signed one of their petitions six years ago and they didnt finally stop pestering me and calling me until last year. And they say practically nothing of value.
   
   To all posters, the trend of the devaluation and deformalization of the Presidency has been slowly developing over the past twenty years or so. I think that has more to do with the wider availablity of info thanks to the internet. Before such info was at our fingertips, I think people just assumed (falsely) that those they vote for represent their views. Thanks to the technology and the usgov's inabilty to truly regulate it like they originally tried to do and the corporate machine's inability to own it, those barriers are crumbling.

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   klarawieckposted 12 years ago

   The presidential debates themselves seem to be getting out of hand, raising speculations that make all voters doubt who's telling the truth or not. As long as those in office don't show integrity, they won't receive the desired respect. Might as well call Michael Buffer. These politicians are showing their claws and are ready to step over heads to reach their goal. The finesse is gone. It's normal that the public responds the same way.

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      KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Believe it or not it was a lot worse in the old days when the candidates called each other's mothers whores and such. Things are more civil now that everyone worries about being on camera saying something nasty. When the only news was on paper and carried by horse, things were much worse.
      
      "Andrew Jackson was described by his opponents as a drunkard, bigamist, adulterer, gambler, and murderer. Abraham Lincoln likewise was viewed as an "awful woeful ass," a "dictator," a "coarse vulgar joker," and a "grotesque baboon." To Republicans in 1884, Grover Cleveland was a "lecherous beast," an "obese nincompoop," and a "drunken sot."
      
      Just a sample, from an article online...

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5. 75

   Reality Bytesposted 12 years ago

   President of the United States is nothin more then the CEO of the "CORPORATION of the UNITED STATES"
   
   nothing more, nothing less

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      kateperezposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      hear hear!   

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   Sherlock221bposted 12 years ago

   How do you differentiate between criticism of the office of President of the United States and criticism of the person in that role?  Have there been any examples where Americans have criticised the office, or are you really referring to criticism of individual presidents?  If someone is critical of the policies of the president, this would not indicate that they are critical of the office. And if the president is to be considered above criticism, because of his office, then the democratic principle might be brought into question.

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      Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Presidents and other political figures are fair game, but not depicting them as Nazis or in ugly racist ways.

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   Uninvited Writerposted 12 years ago

   I don't know about others but I have always had respect for the office of President or Prime Minister.

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8. 61

   TMMasonposted 12 years ago

   You mean like these people?
   
   
   http://www.theblaze.com/stories/america … -race-war/
   
   And the lil hubbies hate how I talk about Obama... I ain't got nothing on these people.

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      KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      did you check out the link I pasted above, really nice stuff.

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         TMMasonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Yeah, they are a funny bunch. Yet they will deny to their graves any of those signs existed.

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   Lisa HWposted 12 years ago

   It would be nice if a few presidents, themselves, showed some respect for the office.
   
   As for citizens, I don't know..   I think you can have respect for the office but lack respect for the individual who isn't worthy of that office.   
   
   Besides, there's always that thing:  Americans are free to show some contempt/dislike for the president, so "negative" or disrespectful as some people may find some things, there's still something to be said for not living where people wouldn't dare say/do some of the things they do.

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      KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, that pesky freedom of expression thing. Lucky for us, if we so choose, we can say whatever we want unless it's a threat. I personally don't like saying too many nasty things about presidents, because even if I didn't vote for the guy he's my President too. But if I wanted to I could. Glad I don't live in N. Korea or Syria!

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10. 58

    kateperezposted 12 years ago

    I respect the office, but I also find the need to say that the office should respect the people who imagined, created, and implemented that office.
    
    The President is a human being.  He is no way better than I am, neither is he worse.  He is just a contract employee who was placed in a big office for a minimum of 4 years, maximum of 8 years by the people he professes to respect.
    
    As long as the President of the United States does his part and respects the country he leads, as long as the President of the United States upholds his end of the bargain, which is to do what the people hired him to do, and even respects those who do not agree with him then he will get respect.
    
    The office of the President of the United States is a place.  It is not a person.  Places do not deserve respect just because they are ornate.  They are just places.  The man (or someday woman) who holds the office should expect nothing more than they give.
    
    As long as the President of the United States ACTS like the President of the United States, then the office he holds will get the respect.
    
    I agree that defacing ANY sitting President (or any previously sitting President) is offensive.  I did not like it when they did it to GW Bush, I did not like the rhetoric around Bill Clinton, and I do not like it for the current sitting President. 
    
    The problem is that respect in this country has a new meaning:  Respect ME, and I will do my best to do whatever I want, regardless of what those who hired me want me to do.  That is a sure-fire way to lose your contract position at the end of the first term of contract.
    
    Respect is earned, and the President of the United States is a TITLE, not a person.  When each individual who has the honor of representing us behaves as though it is an honor to represent us, then he shows us respect, therefore earning it and getting it.
    
    Good question!  I hope I did not offend.  I, like everyone else, is entitled to respect. 

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11. 60

    TheWorldNowposted 12 years ago

    The problem comes in the fact that people misinterpret what disrespect from the President would entail. People think that if the President does things contrary to what they think is right, then he/she is disrespecting him. More and more Americans will disrespect their President because he does not do everything they THINK he can do, which makes them feel the President is actually disrespecting them. No matter how good a job the President does there will always be a group of people that think he/she is disrespecting them because he isn't doing what they THINK is right for the country.

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    1. 59

       KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I agree with Kateperez to some degree, I do wish that our presidents would just speak to us as adults and not down to us as if we were too dumb to understand their high minded logic. I'm not stupid either, and don't appreciate being preached to about our economy, etc. We can all see how things are going, so don't try to convince us that we just can't see the big picture. Please! things are getting worse every day and we all know it, so just fix it. That's what those who voted for you were expecting, even if those who didn't knew better. Just fix it already. Stop blaming someone else and fix it. And stop talking down to us like we can't understand that things are better than they seem, because they aren't!
       
       Sorry, I guess the marine got me going. And as the wife of one, thanks for your service!

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          TheWorldNowposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Most people do not understand anything, let alone everything that happens in the government. It seems like talking down, but when politicians have NOT simplified things beyond belief, there is a large percentage of people that don't understand.
          All of your ideas about the President not doing his job are bull... How do you know the pressures he is under? The constraints of his job? He can't get everything right. People look at all the bad things that happen and overlook the rest.  In fact, I bet half of the people in this country would fervently deny the President has done anything positive. That is because you only hear what you want to hear and what the media tells you. The media is so intent on fear mongering because it boosts their ratings that they only point out the negative things. Because most people only hear these negative things they always assume everything is getting worse or that very little positive is being done.
          This makes people think the President is failing them, when in reality he is doing his job just fine, making some mistakes, as everyone does. These mistakes are so focused on that most of America ONLY sees those mistakes and begins to lose faith in their government. Thus, Mass Media is the bane of mankind

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             KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             Gorsh I can't beleeve I wastd all that time in collerge getting a dergree in Government. Guess I need some more educatin...
             
             
             You sound just like Obama, talking down to me like I'm some idiot. If that's how you feel about your fellow Americans, maybe you should leave. A few of us actually can see what's happening and understand our system of government, believe it or not.

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                TheWorldNowposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                Oh don't get me wrong. Many people understand the government and a lot about it, but you cannot argue that there are millions of people that do not. By talking to everyone as if they know everything that makes the rest of the population that doesn't understand even less informed.
                I am sure you know a lot about government and how it works, but can you tell me you think every American does? Give me a percentage of Americans that you think are well informed about the government and what it does and does not do.
                So yes, politicians talk down to the populace to ensure that the millions of people unfamiliar with everything can understand too. This comes at the expense of intelligent people (like yourself) feeling like they are being treated like children

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             Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             "Most people do not understand anything, let alone everything that happens in the government. It seems like talking down, but when politicians have NOT simplified things beyond belief, there is a large percentage of people that don't understand."
             
             And they are misled by Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and the men behind the curtain--the Kochs, Exxon, Dick Armey, et al, who've poured millions into the Tea Party and right wing political candidates.

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                TheWorldNowposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                Agreed, but we cannot deny there are also liberal counterweights that conservatives see just as clearly as you see their misinformation being more left leaning

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                   Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                   Sure MSNBC supports Democrats but at least it doesn't claim to be "fair and balanced."

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                KK Trainorposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                And I suppose none are influenced by the idiots on MSNBC. Chris Matthews froths at the mouth when talking about Sarah Palin and Fox news. And Lawrence ODonnell (Sp?) wants a "global health care solution", meaning I suppose that we should be on the same system as those in Africa who live in grass huts. Very wise indeed.

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          Kathleen Cochranposted 7 years agoin reply to this

          And thanks for your service as well, Mrs. Marine.

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    Reality Bytesposted 12 years ago

    The office of president holds no power at all that is not derived from the People.
    
    The People are the highest authority in the United States.
    
    Not the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.  Which is nothing but a corporate entity that usurped this country in 1871.
    
    There is no requirement for any of us to respect public officials that treat the People like so much chattel!

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    JSChamsposted 12 years ago

    @Ralph Deeds   Why are the posters of Obama any less valid a point? Because he is a liberal? It's common trait of the liberals that they can dish it out but they can't take it. Thats why they don't lead.

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       Ralph Deedsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Obama has accomplished quite a lot in his first term. He's winding down Bush's folly in Iraq and he signed a historic health care reform program which every Democratic president since Truman has tried to do. And he signed an imperfect but better than nothing financial reform bill. I don't know who could lead the country with the GOP Tea Baggers controlling the House of Representatives. The GOP ain't what it used to be. I even voted for a Republican once long ago.

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    SpanStarposted 12 years ago

    I haven't cared for a lot of American presidents but I didn't spend my time entertaining all the fun made about them and though I disliked many of these Presidents I did respect the position they held unlike the politician in the meeting that called the president a liar, nor the military officer under the command of the President putting down the present-we may not like the boss we work for but are we so dumb that that we walk out the door and tell the press how we feel about him/her without even disscussing it with the boss.
    
    The not talking about the president because of his race-Is A Problem-Why?  Because America Has Had An Ugly History With Black-Americans like We've Had With How We've Treated Women and to pretrend that some of the racist remarks aren't coming from the heart would be an ignorant thing to think-racism isn't dead in America.

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    Evan G Rogersposted 12 years ago

    Here ya go:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSTseUjLLJk

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    KC3Ladyposted 4 years ago

    My roommate watches late night television and every single night it is someone mocking President Trump. There seems to be an element in this country that really does not respect anyone or anything except what they want and doing whatever it take by whatever means to get it. This is the element that needs to be stopped wherever it might be found.

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    carrie Lee Nightposted 3 years ago

    I understand both sides of the spectrum and each of us have different experiences that shape or opinions, frustrations and core beliefs.  With that being said, however, regardless of your political affilation, it may be a good idea to respect the President and stand United.  If we are divided and show mockery or defiance it can show how vurniable we are as a nation to others who are targeting us like Terrorist.  It can lead to the destruction of our freedom itself and threaten the memory of all who fought for this country.  Also, by showing disrespect we are teaching children to disrespect authority which can cause a host of new problems.  Just fuel for thought

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