Why can't we as Americans just disagree with the President instead of disrespecting him?

Question

It is perfectly ok with disagreeing or disapproving of a President, but why can't we still respect him as the President of this country and not treat him with such malice and disregard.

For all of the Clinton references, I always respected President Clinton, until he had an intern under his desk. He disgraced the office with that immoral act.
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Answer 1

The more we put down any president of the united states, we are perceived by our enemy's to be weak and not united.

Answer 2

Well for one thing president Clinton did not endanger national security by having an affair. Many presidents have done the same thing in the past. How you treat your wife or how your wife treats you does not factor into how you Carry the office you have been elected to. Secondly this is America and free speech is still a given birthright. Only in a dictatorship can one be punished or ridiculed for speaking out if they are not happy with the leader in charge. I know allot of people wont agree with this but as the old saying goes love it or leave it. I would like to see some of these same people live in 1940's Nazi Germany and criticize Hitler or 1970's Chile and disagree with Pinochet. We are one of few nations that free expression does not bring punishment to those who want to speak out about injustice in their nation

Answer 3

I wondered that for 8 years while Clinton was in office.

You always respected Clinton until he was discovered in the affair? You're much more mature than a lot of my Christian friends in the '90's. There wasn't a Clinton joke that they didn't like. And when the Lewinsky thing was going on, I would walk into the Christian organization in college I was involved in, and would hear things that would make Jesus vomit if He heard them.

You're not really that naaive to think Clinton was the only one to have an affair while in office, do you?

What are you, in junior high?

Answer 4

Give examples of what YOU consider malice and disregard.

Personally I beleive he has no regard for the people of this country and his demonstrated lack of compassion does not warrent respect. I was always told to get respect one must earn it. One's title alone does not warrent respect for the person in the title. Of course a degree of respect should be given to anyone with his title but while we respect the office we don't need to respect office holder.

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly as necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."--Theodore Roosevelt

Answer 5

I agree that Bill Clinton was maligned and treated with utter disregard for his handling of the budget when the Democratic Administration actully showed a gain on the deficit during all eight years of his presidency. He also nearly single handedly planned and executed the war in Kosovo and the imprisonment of Milosovic. President Bill Clinton gathered capital and combat troops from United Nations and brought peace to that region.
President Bill Clinton was nearly impeached for a sexual indiscretion while in office by Republicans who simply hated him for his successes.
The media did nothing to protect President Bill Clinton.
The media does nothing but protect this Republican President who has failed miserably as a President and world leader. He garners respect from many and the United States media. But, the world knows George W. Bush for what he is.
Thanks

Answer 6

long in the previous "civilization" became "civilized" there exchange right into an mind-blowing style of incorrect doing, and in international locations all all over the area. That exchange into then. it is now. I appreciate our "founding fathers" even nonetheless the actual founding fathers have been the Indian chiefs first. And no, i'm no longer Indian. i do no longer think of there is around the board disrespect in any respect. in basic terms some human beings attempting to curl issues for their very own very own agendas. Pay them no innovations as they're going to continually be among us.

Answer 7

That depends on what you consider to be disrespect.

Becaue we have a political system and we are running a candidate against him in the upcoming elections we must communicate fully our assessment of his performance as President..

If he has done a bad job, which he has, it is very important that we deny him the respect that a person who had done a good job would deserve.

If we allow him respect in spite of doing a bad job we are not conveying the full message that we need to convey.

I should mention by disrespect I do not mean petty name calling. However it is entirely appropriate to point out that he has demonstrated a dangerous lack of competence in many areas. Some people call this disrespect, some call it a criticla review of his performance.

If by disrespect you mean a critical reveiw of his performance which may be interpreted as disrespectfull, the answer is, yes we must disrespect him. If you mean petty name calling as disrespect, the answer is no.

Answer 8

Respecting presidents is not an American tradition, and may not be compatible with democracy. Even the presidents that we consider near god-like today were subjected to vicious attacks on their character and personal life during their presidency.

Edit" Telling us that that you think sex is more important than war does not make your opinions on politics more convincing. If a presidents sex life was used to rank presidents Jefferson would surly be in last place for fathering children with a young girl he owned and then keeping them as slaves until his death.

Answer 9

Respect has to be earned. Likewise, disrespect is something you earn as well.

Starting out when nobody knows you and your record is clean, you ARE afforded a modicum of respect by reasonable people. It's up to the individual to either enhance that respect or lose it under a tide of well earned disrespect.

Witness our current President's standing, for example. It wasn't always so pitiful, but people have seen how he operates and know him well now.

Answer 10

Respect a man who has probably done more harm to this country than anybody in the entire history of the United States!!!. We will be lucky if this country survives and doesn't collapse like Russia did after all the economic damage and asinine and idiotic decisions Bush has made.

Answer 11

I do disagree with the President and often say so in this forum. Calling him names is useless. But saying he is incompetent is not calling a name, it's simply making an observation. Saying that, however, often garners catcalls from Bushies who claim that is somehow disrespecting him. They sure have a wide definition of disrespect. It seems as though any criticism of his character - which as President is fair game - or his policies is somehow being disrespectful. Bullroar. It's called dissent and acknowledgement of the obvious.