RESPECT

Ok, so I am a little unhappy & like many have concerns..... and then someone shared this with me and I agree with it in every way we can make a difference .. So I decided that I need to step up and try; because I do think that Bush was treated unfar in a lot of ways and we all make mistakes. It doesn't mean I am not worried about a lot of things to come, or that I am not concerned about a lot of things; But he is that president and does need respect and IF he is successful it benifits us ALL...

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Right now few things are a greater threat to our country than the venomous anger we express toward other Americans with whom we disagree. Many politicians and pundits write off such division saying that it's what's great about America, but this kind of bitter division is not a positive expression of our freedom.

For eight years many Christians and conservatives did everything in their power to destroy Bill Clinton justifying it as righteous protesting. Over the course of the following eight years liberals did everything in their power to discredit and undermine George W. Bush. Neither of these two presidents were anywhere near perfect, but they were (are) the president of our country. What this means is that for 16 years half of the country has had a vested interest in seeing the president utterly fail and many have acted to ensure that he would.

It's time to reverse the trend. Today, someone will be elected our next president and a large minority will not get their way. This group is devoted to the idea that the president is worthy of respect and that our country is better off when people of all political persuasions support him (or her).

The president of the United States should be treated with respect for the following reasons:

1) Whether we like him or not, he was selected by the majority of our peers. Their opinions matter and should be regarded as important.

2) Whether we like him or not, he is the most powerful person in the world. That power must be acknowledged.

3) Whether we like him or not, he is uniquely positioned to do great good.

4) Whether we like him or not, he is the caretaker of our country. It benefits us all if he is successful.

5) Whether we like him or not, he is our ambassador to the world. It speaks well of us to the rest of the world if we esteem the leader we chose.

6) Whether we like him or not, treating him with dignity and honor nurtures a national environment of harmony and, when appropriate, respectful disagreement. Conversely, despising and deriding the president compromises our ability to engage in honest discussion for the greater good and causes us to deteriorate into a nation that is easily manipulated by the powerful. It may seem like a stretch, but I'm convinced that respecting our president lessens the influence of the often inflammatory and manipulative media.

7) Whether we like him or not, respecting our president sets a precedent of respect between us all.

8) Whether we like him or not, it is in our religious DNA to honor the president. Christians especially engage in willful sin when the curse, dishonor, and slander the president. For people of many religious persuasions it is morally right and even a command of God to show right respect to the president.

With this in mind, I urge those whose candidate does not win to handle the defeat with maturity and class. Further though, I urge those voters whose candidate is defeated to support the winner. We should actively root for his success and for the success of his policies. When he succeeds, we succeed.

None of this is to say that we must agree with the president. There are two categories of disagreement that I think we should conceive of differently. The first is disagreement regarding the means of achieving agreed upon goals. While I may be convinced that one economic system is the way to economic success; I should still support a president who advocates another system, but still seeks economic success. The second type of disagreement is over social and moral issues. Though I may never agree with a pro-choice president on the issue of abortion, I can express that disagreement lawfully and respectfully knowing that reasoned debate and honest persuasion will accomplish much more than hateful words. Either way, we're entitled to disagreement, but we should disagree constructively and never seek to undermine our president with our words or actions.

It's time for us to respect the president again; whether it be in agreement or in disagreement. It's time for us to root for his policies and root for America even if it makes our side look bad.Join us in restoring civility, brotherly and sisterly respect, patriotism, and healthy discussion to American politics and culture.This is an open group. Please invite anyone and everyone.Let's make today the beginning of a new way of speaking, acting, and thinking politically.- Matt W., U.S.American