Respect two-way street

Respect two-way street

(My Clovis News Journal column for November 30, 2012.)

I have noticed a couple of recent letters to the editor calling for respect towards those in political office.

That's all well and good; there needs to be more respect in society, but it needs to be earned. Respect is cheapened when it is not deserved. When it is given unearned to someone who demands it, it is downright worthless.

So should politicians and other government employees be shown respect? Well, sure, the same respect that is due everyone alive is also due to them. But no extra respect is due them simply because of their job.

And respect is a two-way street.

I get really angry at people who show a lack of respect toward waiters or cashiers. Just because they are acting as our servants- working to serve us at that moment- it is no reason to treat them with contempt or indifference. They are still our equals.

As human beings our servants deserve our respect, until the moment they fail to respect those they serve or otherwise do something to lose it.

This is particularly true for those in political office. It seems that they invariably forget they are to be the servants; the hired help.

These chronically ungrateful servants order their masters around. They steal from us and demand to be treated with respect as they do so. They impose and enforce illegitimate "laws" that violate our fundamental human rights. They bark orders and then attack when their orders are not obeyed instantly. Only a fool would keep such a servant employed. No one deserves less respect than this kind of servant.

It is an upside down relationship we see in America today, where the servants have the masters convinced that they are in charge, and through intimidation and draconian enforcement, have scared the majority of the masters into forgetting who serves whom.

As long as we, their bosses, let them get away with it the situation will only get worse.

Don't ever forget: YOU outrank the president. You are the master holding the leash of every Supreme Court justice. Every congressperson, mayor, sheriff, police officer, or government bureaucrat works at your pleasure. They are like the butler and are obligated to do your will- and have zero authority to act as your superior in any situation. Especially when they are repeatedly caught with their fingerprints in your vault, and all over your stolen liberty.

The authority is yours- use it.



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