All right, sorry my friends, but today I had an experience that irked me no end. And after telling several people about it, it still irks me like nobody's business, so obviously it has to go on here. I'm sorry to go all ranty, but please read as it is definitely a pertinent issue in today's society.
So I am a former debater (surprise!) and this weekend I had the opportunity to go back and judge a tournament. Which is usually quite enjoyable because you get to listen to people give speeches, some fabulous and some . . . . well, some not so fabulous, but these kids are learning so you get to share the knowledge you learned while debating. It's awesome.
Well I was judging this tournament and I got stuck doing a round of National Extemp which is basically: the kids get 30 minutes to prepare, using the sources they already have, a 7 minute speech on a topic related to the National news. I MUCH prefer Foreign Extemp, which is the same thing but with foreign topics. I competed in that. Anyway so I'm stuck with National Extemp for this round. Which is fine, but then. Oh But then.
My first speaker walks into the room and has his buddy shadow. Which is normally just fine. But instead of giving me a speech about how some new space object may or may not be leading to the militarization of space, he spends the next seven minutes talking about some VERY random things that don't pertain. and then the Death Star comes up, and he quotes Star Wars, He did it well (I'm a Star Wars geek, I should know) But it had nothing to do with the topic at hand and I did NOT get a serious speech, nor a speech that answered the question. Also he gave the entire speech in a accent that was not only obviously fake (also I knew he could talk normally, I had had him in a previous round) but it was a bad accent. lets be honest. I was not happy after that incident.
And then a couple speakers later this kid and his friend are back, except this time I get to listen to the other child speak. His sounded promising. Something about have the U.S's interrogation methods improved since 9/11. He answered the question, he told me no, they have not. Which was great I had an answer. But then he proceeded to use no sources to back it up. Also he informed me that 9/11 was an inside job, with Bush being involved. At that point I started to get irritated. What a load of bull. Such a conspiracy theory. Not only one that is unfounded, but one that I could rattle off a list of facts right now as proof that there was no way that 9/11 planning involved Bush. First and foremost among them that Osama bin Laden and his compatriots HATE westerners and would never involve them. So I first got mad at this child for an obvious conspiracy theory. And then. oh, and then.
He says something about President Obama. I am not going to type the words here, but just know that they were so disrespectful and rude that I flipped out. I had a very, very tough time keeping my judge face on, but I managed somehow. His ballot, however, was not very kind. It wasn't mean, but it did not tolerate that behavior in the slightest.
So, stepping onto the soapbox now,
In this country there are many people who disagree with what Mr. Obama has done and is trying to do. There are people who dislike him. . . a lot. But nothing gives you the right, EVER to disrespect the leader of your nation. EVER. it is simply not acceptable. I don't care who you are, where you're from, or where you are going. YOU SIMPLY DO NOT DISRESPECT THE PRESIDENT. You can disagree with him, you can dislike him, you can even hate him. But if nothing else I ask that you at least respect the office if you cannot respect the man. Disrespecting the office of president is not only uncouth, it is ill-informed and just down right rude. The man has pressures on him that you cannot even imagine. and you deign to call him rude names? You simply DO NOT have that right.
I'm sorry that you had to listen to this, but really it needed to be said. With all those out there who feel it their duty to be mad at our President, I ask of you two things.
1) I ask that you be understanding.
You really don't understand what this poor man has to do for his job. He can't work miracles all of the time, he has to work with a congress that was built to take a very long time to accomplish anything so that stupid things don't get passed. He has to deal with constant world threats like ISIS and Russia's recent aggression. The man has pressures you simply cannot imagine. So understand if, from time to time, he does things you don't agree with
2) I ask that you go out and vote next election
If you don't vote, who will? you want to have a say on what the president is doing, make sure you had a say in who the president is.
Okay stepping down off the soapbox now.
