Why Do We Have To Be So Disrespectful?

I just heard Congressman Joel Walsh (R) from Illinois announce that he is not going to attend the President's address to a joint session of Congress because it is nothing but politics as usual.The more I listened the fellow who reminds me of "The Fonz" from the old Happy Days sitcom the more I felt my blood pressure rise. I wish I could say this was the result of his rapid fire speech and high pitch vocal tone grating on me, but it was not.

It was his blatant disrespect for the Office of the President of the United States. My father, a WWII combat veteran told me again and again that when he saluted a superior officer that it had nothing to do with that individual personally. He insisted he was saluting the man's rank as revealed by the uniform he wore. The salute was returned as a recognition of that respect. In short he was respecting the officer's rank and honoring the uniform he wore. I believe that was the general feeling among people of his generation. I also believe it ought to be the case today.

He also believed that you do not publicly speak disrespectfully of the man wearing that uniform. Clearly you do not have to like him and you do not have to agree with him but out of respect for the rank he holds and the uniform he wears.you will show appropriate consideration to him. I also believe this principle applies as well.

Now that brings me to my point. Congressman Walsh obviously has no respect for Barack Obama and that is fine. However, he is unable or unwilling to differentiate between the Office of the President and the man who holds that office. By boycotting the joint session of Congress at which the President is to speaking he is not only disrespecting the Office of the President (his intention) but also the Congress (where he serves) and the people who elected them both. He is setting a low bar for how we should feel about all our elected officials.

I grant you that the President doesn't always act Presidential and Congressman do not always act with the dignity that their office commands. That mean that we are not to act toward those offices in ways that disrespect the office. We need to show respect for our institutions even when those who run them do not. Don't like the way the President or your Senator or Congressman acts then the Constitution gives you the power to replace him/her with someone you believe will conduct themselves appropriately. It also allows you to replace them with someone more in keeping with your thinking. It there a catch? Yep! . . . .You have to convince a whole lot of other people you are right.

So come-on Congressman Walsh, let's begin conducting ourselves like mature adults and not as street brawlers. Let's learn to differentiate between the Office and the office holder.