Respecting the Office of the President of the United States
Lewis and I were the only two people in America watching MSNBC the other night, and Stone Phillips was interviewing the President of the United States. He was so obviously disrespectful, so obviously did not value what the man was saying, that Lewis put the television on mute and said, “You know, even if you don’t like the guy, you’re still interviewing the President of the United States.”
Somewhere in the course of the last 14 years, this country has forgotten the respect due to that office. It is my fervent wish, that in 2008 a President is elected that is neither hated nor despised, and can be admired if not for his policies for something else, and that this country can once and for all put the whole “Impeach whatever President is in office that isn’t on our side” political atmosphere.
It is time for a new political party. As my father says about the Democratic party, they left him. And I am beginning to feel that way about the Republicans. I want a party I can get behind and believe in, as probably do all members of my generation, and neither party is that these days.
The polarization of our country is not so much from our President, but from the two sides that have declared war on each other. They do not work together, they do not even try to see eye to eye. They don’t try to compromise. It’s a back scratching Congress, with both sides getting what they want at the expense of the American tax payer. And they only use the President, the War on Terror, Islamic Terrorism, and Katrina as polling guides; issues to push the electorate to the polls.
There is a movie that is going to debut at the Toronto Fill Festival. It’s called Death of a President. In this movie, President George Bush is assassinated in 2007 and the world is left in the War on Terror. I don’t know how the movie ends up or what it’s central theses is (though I doubt it’s that the world is not as safe without President Bush) but I do know that any attack on the President of the United States would have a devastating effect not only on the American economy, but on the world economy.
The President is the leader of the free world, the champion of democracy, and he presides over the greatest nation. John F. Kennedy was not beloved when he was alive. But after his tragic death the country and the world gravitated toward his memory, and they remember him with pride. I can not promise that the same would be true if President Bush were assassinated, but this country would deeply feel the loss, and they would mourn. His death would not alter history, it would change the face of our country forever, and it would not stop Islamic extremism from growing and it would not stop the threat of terrorism.
Much as the Democrats want you to believe that in his absence the world will be a safer place, that is a lie. The choices and problems facing the President in this century are more difficult than any President in recent history. Tracking back, Nixon probably had a tough road to go, resolving the conflict with Vietnam and the problems at home, but since him, no President has faced a threat so great as Muslim extremism.
And regardless of whether or not you believe in him, respect him, or follow his opinions, George W. Bush is the President of the United States, and the office, if not the man, deserve respect, reverence, and safe keeping. A movie that tramples on our President, tramples on our country. World leaders are sacrosanct in the drama movie arena. Only after they are out of office does Hollywood or movie makers parade their images or their likenesses before the camera. In Contact a movie that came out several years ago, Hollywood used clips from newsreels to insert President Clinton into the movie. Their was a tremendous uproar, claiming that it was disrespectful to the office to have him used in a movie in that way.
Imagine the uproar if they had assassinated him.
I’m not advocating censorship, I’m advocating abstinence. I abstain from seeing the film assassinating the President of my country, although I doubt I will be given the opportunity. I do not urge them to stop making it, as freedom does not censor differing opinions. Though I would remind them … if George Bush were assassinated in 2007…and if he were impeached following this November’s elections…
Dick Cheney would be President.
Somewhere in the course of the last 14 years, this country has forgotten the respect due to that office. It is my fervent wish, that in 2008 a President is elected that is neither hated nor despised, and can be admired if not for his policies for something else, and that this country can once and for all put the whole “Impeach whatever President is in office that isn’t on our side” political atmosphere.
It is time for a new political party. As my father says about the Democratic party, they left him. And I am beginning to feel that way about the Republicans. I want a party I can get behind and believe in, as probably do all members of my generation, and neither party is that these days.
The polarization of our country is not so much from our President, but from the two sides that have declared war on each other. They do not work together, they do not even try to see eye to eye. They don’t try to compromise. It’s a back scratching Congress, with both sides getting what they want at the expense of the American tax payer. And they only use the President, the War on Terror, Islamic Terrorism, and Katrina as polling guides; issues to push the electorate to the polls.
There is a movie that is going to debut at the Toronto Fill Festival. It’s called Death of a President. In this movie, President George Bush is assassinated in 2007 and the world is left in the War on Terror. I don’t know how the movie ends up or what it’s central theses is (though I doubt it’s that the world is not as safe without President Bush) but I do know that any attack on the President of the United States would have a devastating effect not only on the American economy, but on the world economy.
The President is the leader of the free world, the champion of democracy, and he presides over the greatest nation. John F. Kennedy was not beloved when he was alive. But after his tragic death the country and the world gravitated toward his memory, and they remember him with pride. I can not promise that the same would be true if President Bush were assassinated, but this country would deeply feel the loss, and they would mourn. His death would not alter history, it would change the face of our country forever, and it would not stop Islamic extremism from growing and it would not stop the threat of terrorism.
Much as the Democrats want you to believe that in his absence the world will be a safer place, that is a lie. The choices and problems facing the President in this century are more difficult than any President in recent history. Tracking back, Nixon probably had a tough road to go, resolving the conflict with Vietnam and the problems at home, but since him, no President has faced a threat so great as Muslim extremism.
And regardless of whether or not you believe in him, respect him, or follow his opinions, George W. Bush is the President of the United States, and the office, if not the man, deserve respect, reverence, and safe keeping. A movie that tramples on our President, tramples on our country. World leaders are sacrosanct in the drama movie arena. Only after they are out of office does Hollywood or movie makers parade their images or their likenesses before the camera. In Contact a movie that came out several years ago, Hollywood used clips from newsreels to insert President Clinton into the movie. Their was a tremendous uproar, claiming that it was disrespectful to the office to have him used in a movie in that way.
Imagine the uproar if they had assassinated him.
I’m not advocating censorship, I’m advocating abstinence. I abstain from seeing the film assassinating the President of my country, although I doubt I will be given the opportunity. I do not urge them to stop making it, as freedom does not censor differing opinions. Though I would remind them … if George Bush were assassinated in 2007…and if he were impeached following this November’s elections…
Dick Cheney would be President.
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