Do you remember when disrespecting a sitting president was considered unpatriotic and even treason?

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Do you remember when disrespecting a sitting president was considered unpatriotic and even treason?

by Doodlebug Posted November 03, 2009 21:25:46

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	Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not. 59% 20 votes
	No I'm too young to remember that the office ever was respected. 41% 14 votes

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Pegasis November 06, 2009 18:28:38

Answered: No I'm too young to remember that the office ever was respected.
Disrespecting the current president has always been a national pastime. Remember Will Rogers?

I recall a story about a young man visiting from a foreign country. He was present when a crowd began to discuss politics, and he suddenly jumped up and ran out the door and down the street. When they caught up with him and asked what was wrong, he revealed he thought he had blundered in to an underground movement to overthrow the government and didn't want to be arrested!

He applied for citizenship soon afterward.
Kerri November 06, 2009 18:07:29

Answered: No I'm too young to remember that the office ever was respected.
Wow...outa touch much?
Jester November 06, 2009 03:39:49

Answered: No I'm too young to remember that the office ever was respected.
Name me a historical account in which this took place.
The Bantam Seditioner - Bla... November 06, 2009 02:03:09

Answered: No I'm too young to remember that the office ever was respected.
I'm not sure this was *ever* the case historically. The U.S. has a proud history of vigilance, suspicion, and even outright mockery of politicians (just look at the turn-of-the-century political cartoons of Thomas Nast, for example). State-aggrandizement and general adoration for national political figures (especially the U.S. President) has only grown over the last hundred years.

That's the whole trouble with media today. There are no bold, intrepid muckrakers or satirists anymore. If any figure as openly hostile to the U.S. Constitution as George W. Bush had run for office in 1899 instead of 1999, the H.L. Menckens and Mark Twains of the world would have taken considerable relish in calling him onto the carpet.
sweetgreatmom November 05, 2009 05:15:55

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
Yes it was a fact that all people respected the President whether or not they agreed with their policies. Sadly, this is not true today.
CHARON November 05, 2009 00:57:10

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
yea
randall g November 04, 2009 22:22:15

Answered: No I'm too young to remember that the office ever was respected.
I don't remember much about politics in the 60's, but I know no president since Nixon has escaped getting trashed by the public.
Peggy November 04, 2009 20:13:05

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
It was just a year ago when the choir was preaching
GOD November 04, 2009 19:43:00

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
yes but that was along time ago
kevracer November 04, 2009 17:32:01

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
In the 60's being publicly disrespectful to the President would have been considered bad form.

You may not respect the man, but you have to resepct the Presidency
Ken November 04, 2009 16:54:52

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
but the liberals have sure changed that.
Big daddy November 04, 2009 16:29:24

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
but...times have changed...
Consersoldier November 04, 2009 14:34:56

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
I respect the office of the Presidency but I don't respect Barak Hussein Obama at all. I wouldn't give him the sweat off my balls if he was thirsting to death. I think anyone who voted for that moron should be flogged. The American people have been told numerous times about the traitorous activity he was in and has never denied, he used drugs (cocaine), and associated with marxists, Rev Wright, Flager, Ayers, etc. He is a product of Chicago politics and it's corruption but no one cares except conservatives. All of this we know, what do we don't know about this imbecile? All this being said, because this is a great country we can say this about the President and people look the other way. I don't think at anytime in our history would someone be dragged away and killed for talking badly about the President. As a matter of fact, this guy is the "first" President to advocate freedom of speech restraints so he can't be ridiculed. He wanted talk radio to be censored and it was discussed. Voting districts are being rearranged to allow more minorities representation which may or may not be okay. How much longer before he takes farmland from the owners and gives it away or abolishes gunrights. He also advocates a "civilian security force" not unlike our military. You know sort of like the Republican guard in Iran or gestapo in Nazi Germany or KGB in the USSR. This guy is seriously bad news.
Piwan November 04, 2009 13:37:51

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
I know some people that were mortified when people put Bush down! Talk about being in denial!
jayc32~Love is the meaning ... November 04, 2009 11:33:36

Answered: No I'm too young to remember that the office ever was respected.
Because there never was such a time...dissent is one of the foundations of freedom...blind subservience has never been part of the American ideology.
infinityorzero November 04, 2009 11:05:03

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
Mocking our President is one of our fundamental rights as Americans. I truly believe that. I often referred to Bush in the phrase of Molly Ivins, "the only President we got".
When we see a hat set at too jaunty an angle, it is our prerogative as Americans to knock the hat off their head. I've laughed at plenty of Obama jokes which cleverly and with wit poked fun at his quirks and foibles.

But that is much different than denying the validity of a President. Much different that impugning the humanity of a President. Much different than much of the bile that has risen to far too common public discourse during this Presidency.
Nevermore. November 04, 2009 05:34:44

Answered: No I'm too young to remember that the office ever was respected.
Respect must be earned.
james November 04, 2009 04:58:34

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
Yes but still people have disrespected many presidents in the past, you just didn't hear about it so much because back then the press didn't have access the way they do now and also the internet was not around in which people talk all kind of trash about others.

Vietnam was really bad and it was a bad time to be in office and then you had watergate with Nixon, that whole era was very hostile.
moomoof "Jin Kazama!" November 04, 2009 03:54:51

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
I grew up in that crap.

I remember saying so ...that is what adults do when they grow up...and i kept think i rather not grow up.
brutusin November 04, 2009 03:49:48

Answered: Yes, I'm old enough to remember when the office of presidency was respected whether it was supported or not.
Respect the office and not the men in it. It's kind of sad but I'm starting to loose respect every election.