Sunday, April 22, 2012

Who's in the White House?


It’s 1983 and Ronald Reagan is President and under a lot of fire about Irangate and Contragate and the not-so-truth doctors come out and spin the issue that Americans should have a whole lot more respect for the office of President than they are showing. Shame on us, those who would question the most powerful leader in the free world– even when he was blatantly wrong, shame on us.

Then in 2006-08 George Bush was in the White House and again people were pointing the finger at him saying where are the WMD you said were in Iraq?  Where are the missiles, the bombs, the chemical and nuclear weapons?  And Karl Rove and the spin-doctors again said, shame on you for attacking the office of the President of the United States.  Shame on you for even questioning his decisions based on totally faulty data.  Mr. Bush is The President. He holds that office. Show some dignity and support. If he sends American kids to war because of WMD, then there must be WMD.  Don’t question him. It is un-American. Just ask the Dixie Chicks.

Oh but now, we have a black President in the White House.  And a left of true center President at that.  And a man who inherited the worst economic calamity since FDR came to office after two Republican Presidents nearly drove our country into the grave of the Great Depression. We were nearly in the Second Great Depression.  And some mouth like Ted Nugent, who was at best a two bit rock and roll persona can all but say he is going to kill the President if he is re-elected, and what happens? He and the Secret Service meet and exchange pleasantries. It was treasonable.  Just as are the loud mouth Rush and Hannity and almost everyone on Fox news.  So where is the respect for the office of the President now?

When it is not a right wing Republican in the White House, you don’t get respect.  You get vile hatred flung about as if it were the gospel truth. Carter got some of this and Clinton, too. But not to the level that Obama is receiving it.  And that’s because he had the audacity to be born black.  And in many people’s heart of hearts in this country, a black man should not be our leader. 

I will say it now and say it again, I do not approve of everything this President has done or stands for.  He has really pissed me off at times. But he has done a very good job in leading us out of a very bleak period in our nation’s history.  And he has done it with a House of Representatives kicking and screaming all the way. (And the Senate hasn’t been much better.) Obama is our President.  He deserves our respect and the dignity that Karl Rove wanted for President Bush while he was in the office. And he should get it.

If, heaven forbid, Mitt Romney wins the highest office, I will give him that honor.  It comes with the office.  It comes with the title. And it comes with the responsibility.  And until you vote Obama out of the White House, you must, if you are a fair-minded American, give him his just dues, as well. Otherwise, don’t expect there ever to be any civility in Washington or anywhere else in this land.

The President of the United States of America is everybody’s President.  Whites. Blacks. Asians. Hispanics and even small-minded, stupid people. 



No comments:

Post a Comment