Respecting the office of the president has direct political correlation

I am a big baseball buff. I have enjoyed what has become a vastly entertaining World Series, and have witnessed many great spectacles. However, during game five, I watched what I found a saddening and disgusting sight. President Trump had decided to attend the game, and the crowd began to boo him and chant “Lock him up.” While I am a longtime critic of the president, the spectacle was nothing less than shameful and disgusting. I felt similar when I saw supporters of the president chant the same thing about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her campaign,  and I was dismayed to see such actions taken. This one event shows the current state of politics. The loss of decorum and sensibility has created division in the United States. It is why I state that while a person may disagree with the actions of a politician, respect for the office must be held at all times.

The president is the best current example of this. I can say with confidence that the vast amount of the readers of my columns support my statements in disagreeing with the actions of President Trump. However, the actions I have seen others take is far less respectful that I wish for. In my columns, whenever I speak about the president, I always refer to him as President Trump, never anything less. This comes from a deep sense of respect for the office of the president, no matter who sits in that chair. And while I highly disagree with most of the policies that president states, I believe that respect for him is necessary for the wellbeing of the nation. It is possible to show respect for someone and still not like them. One of my favorite quotes from the show “Band of Brothers” is “Salute the rank, not the man.” This quote represents the very ideals of free speech and our democracy. It is a blessing to live in a country where people have the choice to disagree with one another, and disagree with the actions of the leaders of the country. But going about it with a sense of arrogance and tastelessness does not benefit the masses, rather leads to division and corruption of the ideals that the United States hold so dear.

The same must be said about senators and other politicians. While I am disappointed and disturbed by the choices of senators such as Lindsey Graham, I will always continue to refer to him as Senator Graham. These representatives are living beings, who were asked to represent their constituents in the best way that they know how. Showing such disrespect not only corrodes away the connection between both parties, it instills a seed of distrust that can last for generations. 

There is no simple cure to this problem. To be frank, I am not sure where to even go from here. There was once a time where I loved to have political conversations with people of all walks of life, and discuss many issues from all different areas. But now I feel a sense of dread whenever I read the news. The country has lost its sense of decency and respect. The change must first start at the individual level. While you may disagree with the actions of the president, I implore you to always show respect for the office. Respect your colleagues by showing respect for the people they voted for. It is a blessing to have so many different ideals at this campus, that to lose any is a loss for the entirety of Concordia.