Oy! More politics!
It seems to me that folks are talking a lot of turkey about politics since, well, we just had an historic election. And that is as it should be. However, I keep on hearing the n-word and it's seriously beginning to piss me off. People need to cool it with that. How is using that word even remotely descriptive of a Harvard Law grad? The dude (and by "dude" I mean our nation's President-elect) is about as far from the n-word as someone can get. It's immensely disrespectful, a pathetic ad hominem attack, and deep into the land of not cool. I really hope I don't have to listen to four more years of n-word this and n-word that about the President. That's not to say he shouldn't be skewered on the basis of his ideas or actions. But ethnic slurs do not a valid arguing point make.
My delightful friend nachtrabe pointed me to a very topical quote by Teddy Roosevelt concerning the proper treatment of Presidents:
The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else. (emphasis mine)
Bless you, Mr. Roosevelt. I especially like the bit about "morally treasonable." Just 'cause that's a sweet expression. Watch out, because you know you're going to hear me say that at some point.
It's this kind of reasonableness that helps make our nation great. And since we're talking reasonableness, el senor nachtrabe also pointed out a fantabulous blog discussing how we Libertarians can cope now that we've got an unknown quantity in office. Nicely done on all counts.
My delightful friend nachtrabe pointed me to a very topical quote by Teddy Roosevelt concerning the proper treatment of Presidents:
The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else. (emphasis mine)
Bless you, Mr. Roosevelt. I especially like the bit about "morally treasonable." Just 'cause that's a sweet expression. Watch out, because you know you're going to hear me say that at some point.
It's this kind of reasonableness that helps make our nation great. And since we're talking reasonableness, el senor nachtrabe also pointed out a fantabulous blog discussing how we Libertarians can cope now that we've got an unknown quantity in office. Nicely done on all counts.