I have noticed a trend recently of disrespect for the law and for those who make and enforce them. From politicians mudslinging each other (in the glorious festival of stupidity we call “election season”) to a general lack of empathy for people who we elect, but fail to support, I have become somewhat…no, change that, VERY disgusted with the juvenility of America today.
First of all, I don’t really care whether you think we should be in Iraq or not, whether you feel Islam is “a religion of peace” or not, or even if you are Republican/Democrat/whatever: President Bush is the PRESIDENT…and you are not. Give the man some respect! There are few jobs in America that have so much exposure and criticism associated with them…and I don’t exactly think that you are Mr./Mrs. Congeniality at your job either. Being a man of few years, I did not vote for the previous president…so I did not choose to voice my opinion about him. I found him to be less than qualified as a person to represent me and my family, much less this nation, but a majority of electoral voters, representing a majority of voters in their states, elected him…twice. Yet much less criticism fell on him for his extramarital affairs, his lack of response in the Rwanda genocide, his failure to respond to the growing crisis of terrorism worldwide, and his rather shady dealings with the elite of this nation. Where is the respect due to the office of Commander-in-Chief? You may not like Bush, you may not like me, but everyone (yes, EVERYONE) deserves the respect due him/her and their place of authority.
Second, every two years we ballyhoo about how Congress is corrupt and unresponsive to the needs of the people. Yet very few people take a few hours out of their day to go and vote (I know you have the time because you are reading this blog!). Again, I maintain that those who do not act ot change the government (vote, run for office, write a letter, make a phone call etc.) have no right to criticize or insult it. Since I was eighteen, I have voted in every November election and several of the primaries…I make my voice known. I have also written Congress on a issue I found important (African agriculture and continuing European condescension). What have you done with those flapping gums and general irritability you foist upon the blogosphere? (Apologies to those who do not foist.)
This leads me to my next point: we live in a civilized democracy — rule of the majority, protection of the minority. If you happen to be in the majority, you get to set policy. If you happen to be in the minority, you don’t, but you do have the protections of the Constitution to challenge the popular opinion and law. So if you do not agree with the policies in place or those proposed by popular referendum (I am speaking now about marriage amendments, but not exclusively to that issue.), you have three options:
1) Try to stir up support in your area to change the policy .
2) Challenge the legality or validity of the proposition or the policy in court.
3) Move to another area (read: nation) that shares your opinions
Given recent events and popular sentiment in most parts of America, I suggest option 3. Oh yeah, you can also run for Congress, but even there you need a majority to make changes…again option 3 is looking good.
Okay, I’m done now. Sorry if that was too vitrolic…I hope that we as a nation can act civilly and decently toward each other, but that remains to be seen…
