Quote:
Originally posted by vsp
At least six out of the last seven Presidents have done their part in causing their office to be held in disrespect; probably seven, depending on how you feel about Jimmy Carter.
|
i guess that's kind of the point. all presidents will do something we think is disgraceful. and while these events shouldn't be ignored, i think the US had created a national passtime out of trashing our presidents, to the detriment of the people in other parts of the world view us. while you are in the time period of the event all problems seem exponentially more important than what they really are.
Harding(i think it was) did his assistant in a coat closet at the white house and got her pregnant. that was a long time ago and that won't even make it into most history books, and rightfully so. he was human, he failed.
Lincoln had failings, but he is more remembered for the good
kennedy screwed anything in a skirt but he is remembered well
insert any president's name in there and to varying degrees the same can be said.
the media and people at the time showed respect for the office, if not for the man behind the desk. and i think the nation was better served in that manner. since watergate the US has reveled in the mire of trashing our leadership, and i think it is time to stop. you don't have to like them, but i don't think showing a certain amount of respect is too much to ask.
whether i personally agree with what they support or not, i believe most pol's take their stands because they think it is the right course of action, rather than some deep dark desire to screw the world over. only a long view of history can accurately show whether they were right or not. anything less than 30-40 years is too soon to really grasp the long term effects of decisions in politics.
their failings should not cause us to pick up our pitchforks and go after them on a personal level. disagree, debate their politics, and by all means vote for someone else, but do so with some respect for the OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT.
in 50 years, kids in school will read about clinton/monica and say, so? what else happened during his presidency?
when looking at reagan they will see that he spent vast sums of money. only history will tell us if that really contributed to the demise of the soviet union.
they will look at Bush I and decide whether he was right to stop at the iraqi border or not.
when looking at GW they will see that he went into Iraq without UN support. only history will tell us how that plays out.
i just don't see why we have to personally attack these men with such disregard for basic human respect.