Obama is disrespected

Bill Maher recently said that President Barack Obama was the Jackie Robinson of American politics. Robinson was the first African-American Major League Baseball player, and had to endure open taunts and hostility as he blazed his path with the Brooklyn Dodgers. I think Maher is correct.

From Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer sticking her finger in the president’s face, to Wisconsin Rep. James Sensenbrenner’s comment that Michelle Obama has a large posterior, to Rep. Joe Wilson’s “you lie” taunt during the president’s 2009 speech to a joint session of Congress, we saw behavior toward a sitting president that I’ve never witnessed in my lifetime.

The position of president deserves our respect, regardless of party affiliation. Imagine any Democrat demonstrating similar behavior or making similar comments about President George W. Bush or first lady Laura Bush.

And now we hear that sitting U.S. District Court Judge Richard Cebull of Montana has admitted to sending a racist email about President Obama to some of his colleagues. Obama is certainly not the most liberal president we’ve ever had, and has governed slightly to the left of center.

So what is it that brings forth such hateful behavior? Maybe it’s because he’s black.

Jim Boggs

Spokane