Opinion
Many years ago a former President of the United States gave a speech at a university. After he finished he stayed around and had a question and answer session with the students. One young man stood up when called on, and began a tirade against the man who was then the Chief Executive. The ex-President stopped the student....and then he spoke to him.
The former president scolded the student for his lack of respect towards the man who then held the highest office in the land. "Respect the office" he told the student. You may dislike the President, even hate the person holding the office- but always show respect.
The student sat down, humbled. The former President later found out the student's name, and sent him a handwritten letter. He was sorry to have dressed the kid down in front of the assembled crowd, and the former President knew what the impact of being verbally thrashed by an ex-President would have on the young guy.
I read this story many years ago, in PLAIN SPEAKING; THE ORAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY of HARRY TRUMAN. Mr. Truman declined to name the President, the student, or the university...that's how old school he was. What was said in the heat of the moment was said, done, and moved on. There was no further need for more anger, embarrassment, or bad feelings. Real men move on.
And real men show respect when respect is due.
I tell this story because of the recent appearance by right wing pundit Glenn Beck on Fox and Friends, when he told the world that President Barack Obama is a racist. See below.
It doesn't matter that Barack Obama is bi-racial, or that he was raised by his white grandparents. Beck went on national TV, and told the viewers that the Chief Executive of the United States is a racist. Somewhere Harry S. Truman was spinning in his grave; he knew a loudmouth idiot that needed to be sent to the woodshed when he saw one.
We'll assume that Beck is, indeed, an idiot; the other option is that he's a race baiting opportunist. There is no "choice C" in this question.
In March 2003, while the IRAQ WAR was about to commence, The Dixie Chicks were performing in London. Lead singer Natalie Maines told the crowd "we don't want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas"- the Chicks are native Texans; President George W. Bush was a longtime resident and former Texas governor.
We all remembered what happened next....there were canceled concerts, mass burning of DIXIE CHICKS CD's, banning of their music on country radio stations throughout the Bible Belt and Far West, there was hate mail....and there were death threats. The group's career was derailed, but not destroyed....however, it would never be quite the same.
When asked about Glenn Beck's comments, Fox News Channel claimed this was Beck's position, not their's. And they did nothing to their employee.
Sadly, after all that has been accomplished in recent years, one thing remains unchanged....its still about race.
And its about race baiting and playing to people's basest fears. Its unfortunate that so many of the Party of Lincoln, and their allies, have chosen this path. A once great party should be made of better stuff.
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