By Media Team

August 25th, 2009

R.E.S.P.E.C.T – find out what it means to me

R.E.S.P.E.C.T – find out what it means to me

It’s no secret that the US is going through a bit of a ‘transitional’ time. Like so many other countries and people around the world, Americans continue to deal with the rippling effects of the last year’s economic fallout. News of movement within financial institutions and up and down Wall Street continues to hold the attention of the media. But lately the headlines have been dominated by opinions on the plans for health care reform that President Barack Obama has supported since day one of his campaign trail towards the White House.

Americans from all walks of life have gathered to preach and defend each over their takes on Obama’s plans. Some have gone as far as attempting to draw similarities between our current administration’s policies and those of the Nazi party. Some have simply stood up to defend the President for the goals he’s put in place.

Just last week, we talked about unearthed health care opinions coming in to play from Whole Foods founder and CEO, John Mackey following his very direct stance in a published Wall Street Journal article.

While criticism has simply spawned from the general notion of change, I can’t help but think that some sort of line needs to exist. If for nothing else it’s important to preserve the integrity of the first amendment, which allows us all to openly state our opinions. I come from a home where all opinions were encouraged as independent thought, but I was also steadfastly taught that a level of respect was absolutely necessary from each side of any personal ‘argument’.

Why has this level of respect blurred in the public arena?

Town hall meetings, perhaps the most common stage for continued argument, have become a breeding ground for heated debate and mudslinging from members of both the Republican and Democratic parties – and everyone in between. Just last week, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) had a run-in with a woman at a town hall meeting in Dartmouth, MA who attempted to confront him for “supporting Nazi policies” over his backing of Obama’s plans. See how he responded here.

While I agree that Obama and his administration have not yet been clear enough in their messaging and communication around their plans for health care reform, I can’t help but wonder why it is that people are readily available to resist change in such negative ways. Isn’t this after all, a similar situation to that which Roosevelt faced when he put Social Security into play back in 1935?

I’m not here to take a stance on what is or isn’t right or what will or will not work, but I can’t help but be more than a little appalled at the side of some Americans that I’ve seen during this time, and inevitably will continue to see.