Respect is something we don't see being given to our government officials often enough. During election years we revel about how great our candidate is and how weak another candidate may be. We have a deep respect for them and feel an attachment of sorts.
This great respect and admiration always seems to fade so quickly after the election. The joy and hope in a new leader seems to be very fleeting in the face of difficulty. Respect for our nation's leader should be a matter of course. Our president should to be given the respect that should come with the honor of being the president of the United States of America.
Two times, George W. Bush has been elected as our president. Two times, the people of this country, at least the majority, have chosen him to lead our government. I feel that people have truly forgotten this fact. The public seems to think President Bush got to his current position by some manner of accident. He is our commander-in-chief for a reason and that should be respected and accepted. The people chose him and the people should allow him to do his job.
It's easy for me to have respect for the president because in many ways I feel he is a great leader for our country.
When President Clinton was in office for eight long years, I disagreed with many of his decisions. There are many politicians, both Republicans as well as Democrats, who I have disagreed with over the years. No matter how foolish their decisions may have been though, I always try to have respect for their office. No matter who the politician is, I make an effort to remember that they are elected and as such they are deserving of a certain level of respect.
You don't have to like somebody to respect them or to understand that they are doing their best. President Bush's approval ratings have been well below 50 percent for some time now. This demonstrates clearly that not everyone likes him. Disapproving, when done respectfully, is just fine. Disapproving implies that people are paying attention and that is always a positive thing. To disapprove of the president does not require being insulting and hateful, however.
When someone insults the president, it shows a lack of respect for the office. Senator Joseph Biden recently referred to the president as "brain dead". What does that mean to the people who voted for President Bush, myself included? What does that mean for all the fine men and women that serve our president as United States soldiers?
When someone refers the president as "brain dead", it seems to me that that would imply his supporters are brain dead as well. That is no way for a man of Senator Biden's position to speak. Even if you have no respect for the man, you should have respect for the office.
I am not advocating blind patriotism here and I am not saying that President Bush should not be held accountable for his actions. He should be held accountable just like everyone else. All I am saying is that respect for the president should come standard, as he is an elected official and the leader of our country. All elected officials deserve a certain level of respect simply for their office. Dislike is quite all right.
To be disapproved of comes with the territory of being president, to be hated does not.
Write to Alex at apcarroll@bsu.edu
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