My teacher told me...

[Mosinowner]

My teacher today told the class to ''Respect president Obama.'' Now I then said ''If you don't like him respect the office not the man.'' (Since my republican buddies were getting kind of noisy) She then said ''No respect OBAMA!'' Ya sure I will, sure I will

 

[jd4320t]

You should. Sorry if you disagree.

 

[Mosinowner]

You should. Sorry if you disagree.

I respect the office not the man

 

[jd4320t]

One in the same for another four years.

 

[Mosinowner]

One in the same for another four years.

The title is not the same as this guy

 

[repeter1977]

As already stated, respect the office, no matter the man.
Or if you really want to debate about it, ask her when she respected President Bush the same.
Although, the election is over, people need to ruck it up, realize that things need to change and start moving towards it.

 

[repeter1977]

The title is not the same as this guy

Actually, that is his title. President of the United States. Already had that title for 4 years, and will have it for four more years. If you are going to serve in the military, he is also going to be your Commander in Chief.

 

[indyjohn]

One in the same for another four years.

No.

owner has it right. Has been the same for ~how many generations?~...

You salute the rank, not the man...

 

[Mosinowner]

You salute the rank, not the man...

You don't have to like it to respect it.

 

[downzero]

No.

owner has it right. Has been the same for ~how many generations?~...

You salute the rank, not the man...

I hung up my uniform a long time ago. I don't have to salute anyone.

 

[Kagnew]

If you are going to serve in the military, he is also going to be your Commander in Chief.

My first Commander-in-Chief was LBJ. I respected "The President of the United States", but I sure didn't have any use for LBJ the person. (Nor did I have any for Carter or Clinton.) As was said, you salute the rank - not the man.

 

[goinggreyfast]

As a young person, my father ingrained in my head that I was to ALWAYS show respect to elders regardless of what I thought of them. If I had issue with someone who was my elder, I was to show them the respect due them and then let him know what had happened when I got home and he would deal with it accordingly. If I got caught disrespecting an elder, I had **** to pay when I got home. (Our town was small enough that the Ole' Man normally knew it before I got there too.)

MO, as a young person, I would hope you do the same. Regardless of what your teacher, your POTUS, (or your corner grocer for that matter) says, you should show them respect. That does not mean you have to respect what they say or do, it means you are to show them. If you take issue with what they say or do, it should be your parents job to deal with the offending elder. Does that make sense?

Call me old fashioned, but it is JMHO and maybe mine alone, I understand and am OK with that.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Mosinowner, I am not going to recommend mutiny as a solution, but I can say that if I were speaking to your teacher (presumably without the age disparity) I would tell her that if you want respect, then start by BEING RESPECTABLE!

 

[GlockPaperScissors]

Mosinowner, I am not going to recommend mutiny as a solution, but I can say that if I were speaking to your teacher (presumably without the age disparity) I would tell her that if you want respect, then start by BEING RESPECTABLE!

Love it! That honestly sounds like something I would have said while in high school.

 

[rhino]

I don't buy into the "respect the office" thing. I'm not sure how or when it originated, but the idea is contrary to my view of what government should be.

Government is an evil thing by its nature. Some of it may be necessary for a society to remain intact, but we've gone so far beyond what is necessary that what we have no longer resembles anything our founding fathers would have allowed. What should have been a minimal administrative body has become our dictator (and yes I recognize that the American people have allowed this to happen). The fact that the dictator is comprised of many people instead of one king is immaterial.

I do not respect government. Government should be tolerated at best, always suspected, and feared at worst (like now). I respect individuals who earn my respect. I am willing to show a minimal amount to strangers until they demonstrate that they deserve more or less. Holding a government office does not elicit more or less respect from me.

In the case of the president of the United States, it's no different to me. I will not elevate anyone just because they hold that office because the office itself is not a positive thing to me. It's something I have to tolerate and in many cases fear, but it's not worthy of some arbitrary level of respect just for existing.

So no, I don't respect the office. I have in the past respected individuals who held the office because of their behaviors and my perception of them. The current occupant of the office has done more than any in my lifetime to earn my contempt and disrepect. His core beliefs are diametrically opposed to mine and that's irreconcilable.

Someday I may respect another president. I won't respect the office just because it's an expectation that I do so.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Ask her if she respected Dr. Bennet...

-J-

 

[pudly]

I respect individuals who earn my respect. I am willing to show a minimal amount to strangers until they demonstrate that they deserve more or less.

Respect is earned, not given. He's had four years to earn it. If you don't feel he has by now, it is unlikely to change.

Ask her if she respected Dr. Bennet...

Or George Bush.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I respect the office not the man

You'll have to explain this to me. I would assume that you do not respect Obama, because what he has done while in office, correct? If such is the case, "why" do you respect the office?
If I am incorrect in my assumption, then what has Obama done, while not acting under the color of his office, that would cause you not to respect him?

Someone indicated earlier that respect is "earned." I disagree, everyone is entitled to respect, until they have proven themselves unworthy of it.

My advice, respect the office and the man. If you go on with your life disrespecting (the converse of respect) those you disagree with, then you make the possibility of a compromise to move forward an impossibility.

 

[88GT]

You can be respectful without having an ounce of respect/regard/esteem for the individual.

 

[5.56'aholic]

Honestly, I find the situation a bit ironic after listening to the left whine, complain, blame, and disrespect former President Bush for the better part of 8 years. What happened to Pelosi's claim that "dissent is the highest for of patriotism?"