Respect Decorum

We live in an age where mutual respect and common courtesy toward your fellow man, at least to me, appears to be at an embarrassing low. I would make the contention that it is as much a national crisis as any other issue facing this nation. The disrespect we harbor toward each and especially toward those in authority is a microcosm of many of the larger policy debates going on in Washington and across the country. From observing many individuals, many unqualified to give their opinion much less their policy input, their beliefs and ideologies have exited the realm of politics and entered the realm of a pseudo-religion.

As a fiscal conservative I always try (don't always succeed) to take an objective approach to my political views and policy considerations. The pseudo-religious fervor I speak of is prevalent among the liberals and liberal Democrats, but to see it coming from the supposed "conservatives" and among Republican members of Congress is disheartening to what it means to be a true conservative. Of course I am excluding social cons from my definition (theocratic rule has no place in the GOP) and big government Republicans that have misguided our party, domestically, since Bush Sr. The pseudo-religious action I speak of is the emotional outbursts coming out of certain factions in the right wing speaking out against the current Administrations policies.

Now, I am against almost every policy President Obama has proposed, pushed through, and believes in terms of ideology. But to answer the President and the Left with simple rhetoric, popular catch phrases, and subjective emotion only takes conservatives down to their level. How short are our memories when we forget how liberals and the left have always responded to policy they don't like...shouting, protest, name-calling (racist, sexist, extremist, etc.)? These responses are not qualified counters to policy, offering reasonable alternatives, it isn't even a cognitive intelligent thought that could qualify as debate. The Right has always criticised the Left for its subjective emotion and lack to remain objective in policy debate. This is nothing more than hypocrisy at its utmost.

"Oh but the left called Bush a lier all the time." So what if they did? Two wrongs don't make a right. They are liberals , when they act that way it proves what we have been contending all along. When we respond to the Left with the religious fervor and subjective emotional outbursts that have sprouted since President Obama's election, it makes you no better than the people that called President Bush a "lier" or "war criminal" or the dirty ignorant hippies that protest the Vietnam War, not because of true concern but because it was hip. You are going down to their level when you act this way.

I ask, especially if you hold yourself out to be a conservative. Carry yourself with the pride, class, character, and respect you feel your views should merit. Meet all opposition of ideas with the virtues of true conservatism. If anyone, liberal, democrat, guy who cut you off on the highway, whoever it is, attacks your actions or views with subjective rhetoric maintain your composure and objectivism. Don't sink to their level, make them come up to yours. This is a tenant of personal responsibility. You don't have to be right, you just need to show to others that they are wrong. Remaining stoic, reserved, and respectful to opposition will take you much farther and give you much more respectability.

The direction of the Republican Party and the fiscal conservative movement can't afford to be equated to the simple ignorant rantings of the liberal left. Let's move the party forward, if you can't handle being a man about things and want to keep shouting, well, that is your right but get the hell out of our party. Your actions only affirm the stereotypical contentions of the left toward the right.

No one person is the pervayer of Absolute Knowledge and Truth (please, please, no one say 'well Jesus is'), so, go into every conversation, debate, meeting, or interaction with that in mind. Remember you don't need to be right, they simply need to appear wrong. Hey, I get to bring up Jesus again. In times like these he said "turn the other cheek." An emotional subjective action vs. emotional subjective action has no winner. Emotions are unique to the individual feeling them, so our only option to legitimate debate and finding common ground in our human interaction is to offer objective reasoning.

In summary, it is fine to disagree with the President. I am ardently oppossed almost everything he stands for, however, everyone disagrees. Disagreement or a difference of views should have very little effect on a man's character. Character is flawed when they physically force your agreement (some try to say thats what the left is doing, but I disagree) instead of through persuasion. Obama won the office through persuassion and the democratic process (so was Hitler...that was a joke!).

You may disagree, I definately disagree, but he IS our President, at least to 2012. We all need to respect that office. Any man that takes on that responsibility deserves our respect, if not at least for the commitment that takes. Could you do it? Could you be the CEO of the largest empire to ever exist in our societal evolutionary process? There are 300,000,000 people in this country. It is amazing if a small group could agree on various policy. Now, imagine that group is our populous and you were elected to act in the best interest of all. Do you respect the office yet?

Lets lead the GOP forward. I believe fiscal conservatism, personal repsonsibility, and the virtues of ardent followers that adhere to its tenants will take the party farther than we could ever imagine. Barry Goldwater followed this way. Ronald Reagan definately followed this way, and so should we.