Respect the Office

Don't get me wrong. If you read this blog, you know I consider George W. Bush to be one of the worst presidents of the last 100 years, standing proudly alongside Jimmy Carter and Herbert Hoover. But too many U.S. citizens confuse freedom of speech with freedom to be disrespectful and show no signs of civility. A lot of people think liberals are particularly guilty as charged. But I'd put folks like Rush Limbaugh squarely in the disrespectful camp as well.

What's my point? I was on vacation last week but still saw the story about how some group in San Francisco is trying to get a measure on the ballot in November to approve changing the name of a municipal sewage treatment center to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. While not a Bush fan, I don't think it's funny or cute. It doesn't reflect well on San Francisco, or for that matter on the U.S. that we would hold the office of the President in such low regard. And so before I blow off my few remaining fingers tonight with some illegal fireworks to commemorate the pending 232nd birthday of the USA, can I simply ask that we respect the office, and show some modicum of civility toward our President? You can loathe him, but don't be a jerk.