I'm not quite fed up with it, but I agree it crosses the line sometimes. What I am fed up with, though, is elected leaders behaving with so little respect for the office they hold, the people they represent, other leaders, and the ideals and values that should guide the whole process. I think it is that frustration which leads to the jokes.

I agree with both ladies. The joke have just been to much and way out of line. Respect the office of the President of the US even if the person holding that office isn't the best in the position. We have respectful ways and means to attempt getting the CinC out of office.

CT

Yes, I'm fed up. I'm fed up with the disrespect shown our president, the police, our teachers, parents by their kids, kids to other kids, motorists, ......
It tells me that a whole lot of people don't respect themselves.

On the "shoe issue" I can see both sides!

WHAT I am fed up with is the news media and the circus atmosphere they tend to create. We, an intelligent race should know better, unfortunately, we fall into their sensationalism.....hook, line & sinker and their ratings continue to soar!!

One reason I do not watch the late-night tv hosts...ie: Letterman, Leno...I loathe the "bashing" they do.

I don't care who you are for or against The President represents the citizens of this country and I too am tired of all the jokes about him. The same goes for motherhood, fatherhood, the religious leaders. I think there should be more respect for tv viewers I'm tired of viagra, the male urinary problems, condems for women, the burger king virginsetc. and the thousand ways you can drop dead if you don't take this or thatpill.

I was always taught that, while we may not respect the person for whatever reason, we should have respect for the Office, whether it be the principal of a school or the Prime Minister of Canada (or President of the United States). There are and have been many people who have held high positions of responsibility and trust that I have absolutely no use for whatsoever but I still have respect for the Office that person holds.

I agree with you. What people do not understand that regardless of who the President is the hate these terrorists feel for us is very real. If you are under the impression that president Obama is going to change the way these "haters of America" think and feel you are sadly mistaken. That disgraceful act of throwing shoes at our President is not to be taken lightly.What is more disturbing is the way the "so called press" is making light of it. Shameful.

June

I agree with LindaKathy. There's no respect out there for anybody.
But most of all, our President. I haven't been so happy with things the past 3-4 years, but I won't bash him.
Leslie

In a letter to the editor in the St. Pete Times today a writer stated that the guy throwing the shoes was darned lucky because he has the freedom to do so now. Imagine if he'd thrown it at Hussein when he was in power! Not a direct quote, but close enough.

anyone in the office of President deserves respect. I deserve respect from my girls, and would give them hell, if they would talk to me how so many "kids" talk to/about their parents.

My parents (dad is deceased) were not the "greatest parents", but they were my parents. Without them, I would not be here.

For the most part, I think, people are getting back what they portrayed. No respect.

You reap what you sow. I wish, more parents would be parents rather than friends.

Moni

I agree with LindaKathy too. Unacceptable behavior is pervasive in our society.

Sign my name to Minnie's post.

Agree with lindakathy too. Seems like anything goes nowadays and everyone needs boundaries that should be respected.

I also agree with what Minnie said. But I do get so fed up with the politicians that I feel like throwing shoes, but I wouldn't because I'm too polite. :o)

Do y'all remember when Kruschev from Russia threw his shoe?

Maryann, Kruschev banged his shoe on the podium. The meaning was the same though, I think.

You're right grammahony. I knew it had something to do with his shoe. I remembered that my Mom was infuriated that he would do such a thing!

I'm fed up, too. It makes my blood *boil* when I hear kids mouthing off to their parents. I sat in silence last week at a friends' house and listened to a snotty 15-year-old daughter tell her GOOD mother, "You're such a liar. Just shut up because I don't want to hear your lying voice anymore."

Made me so mad I wanted to slap the kid myself.

When did parents become doormats and the objects of such abuse? It's very sad.

Let's see if any of those 'bashers' have the #&%&(@ to behave the same way towards the incoming president over the next 4 years. My guess would be that we won't see any of it!

When there's no fear of
consequences for bad behavior, people will behave badly. The popular challenge..."whatchagonnadoaboutit?"
We have to bring back consequences.

I hated all the shoe-throwing coverage. And where was the Secret Service? Arem't they paid by us taxpayers and supposed to protect him from any hazards ? Suppose that guy threw a hand grenade instead of a shoe?

I also do not like seeing shoes thrown at our President (over and over). Interestingly, however, we have actually fought for their right to speak out freely! Their celebrating in the streets should not be because one of their fellow countrymen threw shoes and they agree with him....but that he was freely able to express himself without being slain!! No matter what you think of the war, we have fought hard, risked and lost many lives, for these people to have such freedoms. Unfortunately the news ONLY shows the shoes being thrown and crowds dancing in the streets....they did not show the larger crowds on the sidelines embarrassed by the ungrateful actions (even their Head of Government resigned over the embarrassment). It appears we have fought for the freedom of some to openly show their dislike for us....as we have also fought for those who do understand and appreciate our help. With the liberal news media, however, that just doesn't sell and isn't reported....AND, I also I'm fed up with it.

The nice part about living in a free country is: you can make jokes about political leaders. If you really don't want to hear these jokes, move to a country where you go to prison for doing something like that.

Personally, I haven't heard a single joke about the shoe incident. I do think the President *finally* handled something the RIGHT way! He told his security to 'stand down' rather than go after the man who threw the shoes at him. He compared it to a 1 finger salute in the US. It's what they do in Iraq, he understood that and he's fine with it.

Also, there's this thing on every tv set that I've ever owned. Actually two items: the on/off switch and the channel changer. If you find something on tv that offends you, either turn the tv off or switch channels. =0)

Posted by patti4: In a letter to the editor in the St. Pete Times today a writer stated that the guy throwing the shoes was darned lucky because he has the freedom to do so now. Imagine if he'd thrown it at Hussein when he was in power!

What are you talking about???

Reporters haven't been given "freedom" to assault people because they don't like them. That reporter has been beaten and is going to be in jail for at least two years or more. That is if he doesn't get killed as soon as all the media attention dies down.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reporter in Jail

Wow, dilly_dally isn't it strange how the media puts there own spin on things. The letter I was referring to was written by an ordinary you-and-me person. I did read an article the day before about how the media in Iraq was praising Mr. Shoe Thrower.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not defending anyone here except the fact that the president of our country does deserve a certain amount of respect and he sure as he$$ wouldn't have thrown it at Hussein and lived through it.

The current President has an abysmal approval rating. It isn't disrespectful of the 'office' to disapprove of George Bush. Many Iraquis have good reason to hate both Bush and the President of America.

The Iraqui who threw the shoes is not a 'terrorist'. He's a frustrated citizen of Iraq whose country has been ravaged by the Bush neocom administration's decision to remake a foreign country from the outside. There were no weapons of mass destruction. We were there to impose our version of democracy by force.

IMO failure to disapprove of Bush on the basis that he is the President is as undemocratic as that supposedly patriotic slogan: "My Country, Love it or Leave It". One of the beauties of democracy is that we can and need to be critical citizens.

Nobody was listening to the Iraqui journalist until he protested in a public forum. (Of course he didn't and couldn't have a grenade or he wouldn't have gotten through security. He used what he had: his shoes and his voice.)

Throughout this administration *American citizens* protesting Bush's policies have been forceably silenced and removed from public view. Returning servicemen's coffins have been off limits to photographers to protect the Bush 'image'. His public appearances are carefully staged to admit no nay-sayers.

Uncritical nationalism is dangerous. Right now in Russia there is a surge to *venerate* Stalin and revive 'the good old days' of Communism.

I feel the public shaming of my state's governor is appropriate. Should I say different just because he holds the office? (I live in Illinois.)

I do object to pseudo 'news' that runs 24/7 and has to fill time with repeats of *everything*. Now THAT is cause for complaint.

I'm tired of the disresect also. It has harmed our country.

Yes, very fed up. Lot of past presidents I didn't agree with but I never hated them the way a lot of people hate this president. It's disgusting.

At least the reporter is only looking at UP TO 2 years in jail. Under Saddams rule, he would have seen the inside of a tree shredder by now and been fish food.

Couldn't have said it better chisue. My feelings exactly. The jokes on the late night programs are pretty funny. If there is something offensive or something I don't care for on TV, I can choose to change the channel. I don't have to watch,listen,or read things on the television or radio or newspapers that I don't want to. That is a choice I have. As far as respecting the president. IMO when it comes to politics you have to earn the respect of the people. The president has done nothing to earn my respect. NancyLouise

Another age old question. How do you know you don't want to watch, listen or read something before you watch, listen or read it?

I predict there will be another news story on the networks within a week .

I predict there will be another news story on the networks within a week .
LMAO...I agree. Good one!

Sue

If most of the US felt like the majority of the people here as to respect, but not total agreeing with a person, it sure would be a better world. You can see the lack of respect everywhere from the tiniest to the oldest. Maybe we here can start a new wave of respect and let it spread into our committees, cities, states and beyond the border.
Smile and respect.

just announced...chrysler is closing all 30 plants for an extended "vacation" til jan 19, and gm doesn't have enough cash to buy steel for engines for the chevy volt...bet shoes are mild in comparison tonight in motown...

you can now add an extended "holiday" for 10 ford plants into jan..

Bravo chisue, well said. How is anyone supposed to respect corruption? The most corrupt White House in history. Playing games with American lives all to bolster your own ego and pockets of friends. But let's just ignore it and talk only nice. Yeah right. That's what put us in the position we're in.

I busted out laughing when I saw him get the boot. It was hilarious! And what is with people getting so worked up over it? Throwing a boot is comparable to a disagreement in that area. So now all of you want to impose our standards of disagreement. I sure don't want to see the guy get hit, and sure don't want to see him injured, but really, we're talking about a guy that can't eat pretzels without paramedics nearby. But if they are to cater to OUR standards, maybe he should have tossed a bag of pretzels at him?

Undermanned, underequiped and unplanned wars have cost this country thousands of lives, billions of dollars, our self-respect and respect from the world and if you want to tell my friend's son he's 6 feet under because the poor man is insulted, be my guest. But I don't think you'll get much of a reaction from him.

Let me ask something. If a country sees another country's leader lie, cheat and line pockets of himself and buddies; kill off citizens; strip the citizenry of civil rights, etc, should that country invade, remove and possbly do harm to the leader? I sure hope they don't. I sure don't want to be fighting that battle here on our land! I hope none of you do.

Far too many of our allies have turned their backs to us, embarrassed by the debacle of the last 8 years, and that's sad. Had we shown them the respect so many want shown only to the president, we'd be a lot more popular in the world.

And come on now, you come out here and shoot a political commentary and think that labeling it as non-political is REALLY going to make it so? You can't throw a match onto gasoline and say this is non-flammable! If you do you'll singe your eyebrows.

And I too hope nobody takes this wrong. But on a different and relatively related topic, is anyone sick of the way the world, well at least this country has lost its sense of humor? When we have the pressures we do, the financial fiasco of the last 8 years, deaths of innocent kids, road rage galore, loss of pride, lack of respect for corrupt leaders and more and more, we NEED laughter to save our sanity. If you're truly so tired of CNN, FOX and the others, why are you glued to the set every night? Get your news from SNL and Jon Stewart. And lower your blood pressure. Viewers determine what goes on the air. LA's nightly car chases are what draw viewers there. Most newsrooms have the motto if it bleeds, it leads. Why? Don't blame them for giving the public what they demand. Blame the public.

Oh yeah, drug-laden kids being raised by daycare centers... coming out of schools unable to read or write... Lots of hot topics available here!

I'm surprised this thread is still here but before it disappear I'll throw in my 2 cents worth. I think you have to earn respect. The current President has failed to do that on so many levels. The shoe throwing reported did what many of us would love to do.

Linda

I'm surprised too, lindyluwho (great rhyme!) and will leave my considerable political views out of the picture. As for the media, how many of our population watches trashy t.v. that drives up ratings, and reads trashy magazines and so-called newspapers? The envelope is being pushed further and further, so it's no wonder our kids are following in their parents' footsteps.

I agree that disrespect abounds for almost everything. I can remember growing up we never addressed an adult by their first name even if they said it was o.k. Consequently I had a lot of "Aunts and Uncles" who weren't related. Anyone else it was Mr. or Mrs. not John or Mary.

At one point, after retiring from the military, I had thought about becoming a teacher. I was talking about it at a job I had when one of my co-workers broke in with "You don't want to do that". It turns out she had been a teacher and finally gave up due to all the disrespect she received not only from the kids, but the parents. I heard from two more people that same day. Sad

Did you ever read the children's story about the emperor's new clothes? I think Mr. Bush could be an 'emperor', sold quite a line of whole cloth by his VP and others.

WE citizens and voters may be even worse examples -- for going along with the charade.

I am ashamed to admit that I have been frightened to speak up over the last eight years beause of the way this administration has run roughshod over our Constitution. (It has given me a better understanding of citizens in Nazi Germany though.) Do we really think this is going to be *over* with just a change at the top? I already see some political debts being repaid by our President-elect as he makes appointments. I suppose that can't be avoided. Let's be hopeful.