They're disrespecting our President!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Let me know when it gets to this level.

Here's a message for everyone who feel politics used to be more civil in the good old days. No, it wasn't. I post this picture every time someone at DU says that politics has hit a new low.

Jefferson was one of the most detested presidents ever. People just loathed him.

Thomas Jefferson - The West
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jeffwest.html

The prairie dog sickened at the sting of the hornet or a diplomatic puppet exhibiting his deceptions
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2002708977/

James Akin's earliest-known signed cartoon, "The Prairie Dog" is an anti-Jefferson satire, relating to Jefferson's covert negotiations for the purchase of West Florida from Spain in 1804. Jefferson, as a scrawny dog, is stung by a hornet with Napoleon's head into coughing up "Two Millions" in gold coins, (the secret appropriation Jefferson sought from Congress for the purchase). On the right dances a man (possibly a French diplomat) with orders from French minister Talleyrand in his pocket and maps of East Florida and West Florida in his hand. He says, "A gull for the People."

(The DU chorus): "But a rodeo clown is different, because {fill in the blank}."

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. Because the clown was sponsored by the State of Missouri with

taxpayers money!

How's that?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. That's a good point.

Did it ever happen that some other president, possibly with an R after his name, was subjected to similar ridicule by a rodeo clown, also at some event that had taxpayer funding?

Seriously, I don't know. Also, I'm not saying that two wrongs make a right. I'd just like to know if this incident is unique. I do not think that the level of ridicule is anything new, however.

Thank you for writing.

[ZombieHorde]

6. Good point. nt

[onehandle]

2. The KKKlown and associates actions were racist. nt

[bunnies]

4. It passed that level years ago.

In case you forgot:

[IrishAyes]

5. I keep thinking

(even though it's been shown to be dangerous) about the southern US Senator(?) who almost caned an opponent to death right in chambers in front of witnesses. I don't remember the names - one might've been Clay - but it was shortly before secession.

Regardless, a million wrongs don't make a single right. People shouldn't behave that way, taxpayer funded or otherwise. At times I'm even almost a bit regretful that I gave my dog one of those big rubber chicken toys on which I wrote 'MUTT' in huge red letters. She ran around the yard constantly, holding it between her teeth with her head held high, biting down at every step to make it wail. When she finally chewed the head off, I hung it by its feet from the side of the big wooden 'VOTE DEMOCRAT' sign in my front yard. Now that was a tad over the top, but nobody should do worse than I because I'm bad enough.

[BradinSC]

8. You would be thinking

of Preston Brooks of SC beating Charles Sumner of Massachussetts(?) senseless over a perceived slight toward a family member.

[IrishAyes]

10. Thank you.

Some days I wake up lucky I'm able to think of my own name! Well, every day I feel lucky just for waking up. Everything else after that is just gravy.

[liberal N proud]

7. Simply because it was done in the past, does not make it right for current or future times.

Add racism and it makes it that much more evil.

All told, there is no excuse for these actions in a civilized world!

[phleshdef]

9. "But a rodeo clown is different, because"...

1. The state fair is a tax payer funded event, there ARE tax paying, Obama supporting Democrats in Missouri, its just not the proper time or place for that kind of discourse. Not only that, but Missouri is one of those states that takes in more in federal dollars than it puts out.

2. This wasn't just "disrespecting" the President, this was riling up a crowd by entertaining violent fantasies against a sitting President.

I have no problem with someone exercising free speech towards the President, but there are caveats. State sponsored functions shouldn't be a place where that happens. And it shouldn't have violent overtones when it does happen.

[WI_DEM]

11. It's getting more disrespectful than any time in the last 50 years and all because the racists can't

stand a black president.