Should a country's citizens openly disrespect a president?

Question

No doubt the citizens should be able to voice their opinions, but shouldn't they still recognize that he/she is their leader?

Example: at the old train station in D.C. they were selling these cheesy anti-Bush t-shirts.

Answer 1

if a leader is not doing their job, they need to be replaced, not respected. i don't really understand how respecting a bad president would make them any better.

Answer 2

Yes you should be able to do so as we live in a free country or we don't. We're suupose to have freedom of speech only it seems to be very selected now ask the Dixie Chicks about how our freedom of speech works. Would you disrespect the Prisdent with this information?? Note this!!! When Bush came into office, the government owed foreign countries $693 billion. Before he invaded Iraq, it was $900 billion. Since then, it has nearly doubled to $1. 63 trillion. Iraq and Bush giveaways to wealthy individuals and corporations promise to drive the debt higher. The job of the Bush number crunchers is to spin, lie, and deceive until he leaves office. After that, as he said when he stepped down as Governor of Texas, it's someone else's problem...

Answer 3

If we are speaking of Bush then it doesnt matter. Well that sounds bad, but in America we have Fredom OF Speech and can exercise it when ever. It sounds like your a respectfull person but I havel earned that I can not put my expectations values or beliefs on others. I do have respect for Bush, however I do not agree with many things he says or does. We all know he is our leader and unless we try to inpeech him we cant change it. So knowing all this people silently recognize him and verbally are opinionated about him.

Answer 4

I am in total agreement with Super Apollo, we are to respect the office of the president and always give those in authority respect they do deserve, if we had to put up with Bill Clinton, disrespecting the presdent's office and the White House, which incidentially is also our house, God has given us a very Godly man whether you youngsters recognize it or not, but hopefully someday you will see that all of President Bush's decisions were to keep you safe.

Answer 5

if you don't like the leader of your country, then leave that country and find one with a better leader. But Bush is doing just fine. If we had elected Gore we would be sitting ducks after the 9/11 attack.

Answer 6

The beauty of the United States is that we have free speech. If we don't like our leaders we get to say so and no one shows up in the middle of the night to drag us to jail. I have respected presidents from both political parties, and had no respect for other (again from both parties.) I respect the office, and that the job is hard, I don't have to respect the man if he is an ***wipe.

Answer 7

Absolutely. To suggest any thing less would strip democracy right out of our system of govenment.

The old soviet union, cuba, the old iraq were all places that practiced what you suggested, "public respect of the leader regardless of what you personally think." Is this the kind of government you'd have in america?

Answer 8

when our so called leader, disrespects us, by lying to us every time he opens his mouth. i think respect should be earned, and he hasnt earned any.we should be ashamed to have him for our leader, hes an idiot. and iam sure other countries sit back and laugh their asses off at this country.

Answer 9

It depends on who the president is. In the case of the USA now, yes we should give him the respect that he deserves...none.

Answer 10

When the President says he is not accountable to 720 laws,,, the answer is yes!!!!!!