I

 can’t tell you how many outright disgusting insults about President Obama I’ve seen on bumper stickers, Facebook posts and sometimes even to my face. Each time, it disappoints me.

Of course, I know there’s so much party conflict in politics, and people get very involved and upset over political matters, but I don’t think it gives anyone an excuse to say something that’s nothing more than derogatory.  

I very well know that everyone in this nation has a right to free speech, but I’m trying to make the point that it really doesn’t help your argument. I think it makes a person sound both immature and unintelligent just to insult the president with name-calling. 

Just make a valid point to express your opinion; it will help you gain more respect for yourself and your argument. 

I’m a Democrat, but if a Republican were elected president, I would accept the fact that this is my president now, and I’d have respect for that person. I may disagree with him or her, but I wouldn’t hurl disrespectful insults at them. 

This type of behavior happened back in 2009 when Rep. Joe Wilson yelled, “You lie!” during Obama’s address to Congress about health care. It’s bad when not even a congressman will respect the president during a formal, televised speech. I remember watching and being appalled by his outburst. 

I’d hope that if a congressman or woman such as Wilson doesn’t agree with the president or has concerns about him that they would work with the president to try to compromise on issues (even though that sounds like such a crazy idea.) 

Another example that’s more recent of a political leader not respecting his colleague was in the debate between Sen. Kay Hagan and Thom Tillis. Hagan referred to Tillis as “Speaker Tillis” and Tillis referred to her informally as “Kay.” 

Both politicians and average citizens need to respectfully address people in office. It’s undermining to call her by her first name. 

There are even the notorious “Birthers” who still to this day believe Obama can’t possibly, actually be an American citizen. They’re probably still just unbelievably desperate to get him out of office, but it’s plain disgusting. 

Also, people try to shame the president for taking too many vacations, but he’s only human. Washington Post columnist, Dana Milbank, wrote a piece titled, “Obama vacations as the world burns” in August. 

I’d prefer for the man running our country to take a break, since he’s a normal human being, to make sure he’s not constantly working so he can make clear decisions. Everyone needs time like that to his or herself. He’s not superhuman—and if we’re talking responsibility, Obama’s predecessor had taken twice as many vacations at the same point in his presidential career.

I think Obama deserves respect because of his position as President and because of all he has accomplished in his life. He came from a middle-class background, his grandmother working extremely hard to raise him, getting through college on scholarships and student loans. 

Now he’s the first African-American leader of our country, and it upsets me that people can say such hateful things about him.  

It’s just not good for the morale of citizens when there’s so much going on in the world right now that he has to make major decisions about. We should rally with our president and support him instead of bringing him down. 

People can criticize his decisions, but there’s no reason to just say “Screw Obama” in response to something you don’t like.

No matter what party the president is, and I mean it, I will at least respectfully address him and not outright insult him.