As is well known, the Intramuralist values respect. It’s the primary approach to this blog. Whatever the issue, whatever the opinion, whatever the circumstance or scenario, we can talk about it as long as we each embrace respect. It’s also why I feel increasing frustration in so many issues in today’s increasingly polarized culture. Pick your issue. Pick your point. No matter how we feel about war, women, or the latest, greatest pursuit of rhetorical equality, we will solve no issue unless we learn to respect those who feel differently than we do. Note that I didn’t say we need to embrace compromise. Note that I also didn’t say adopting another’s opinion as equality good and true is wise. My priority is recognizing that while each of us has value, we were also each created differently. We have different viewpoints and select passions. And we must learn to honor one another whose viewpoints and passions are different than our own.
That said, there is one character aspect that completely, colloquially “gets my goat.” I find it perhaps the most troubling obstacle in my personal efforts to respect another. I find it challenging to respect another when hypocrisy is either obvious or rampant.
Let’s face it. There are times, I surmise, that each of us have engaged in some form of hypocrisy. For example, the Intramuralist has a few “texture issues” when eating. I really don’t care to eat something that is a combination of “liquids and solids,” so-to-speak. Like tapioca pudding, any fruit in any Jello — the childhood staple at all after church fellowships — those foods drive me crazy. I thought my texture issues were clear… until I married… and my spouse gently pointed out that my affinity for chunky peanut butter and vegetable soup totally contradicts my previously stated issue. My very mature “texture issue” passion — which I had oft, loudly, proudly articulated — totally, hypocritically fell apart.
As we witness current day events, I see seemingly larger issues fall apart. I see our politicians embrace arguably more significant hypocrisy. Each party. Each president. Each opposing party likes to claim hypocrisy is indigenous only to the other. Let me make a bold, respectful point: that is not true. Hypocritical games are played by both. Just watch each party approach extending the debt ceiling. They want to spend more when the president shares their party affiliation; they want to spend less when the president is of the other party. The approach of these grown men and women is with all due respect, hypocritically ridiculous.
The most recent rant where hypocrisy is glaring is in Pres. Obama’s approach to Executive Orders. Granted, Obama seems stifled by having 3 equal branches of government, in which a politically divided Congress is able to thwart his desired policy initiatives. Such is why Obama has been emphasizing that he can and will “go-it-alone.” Those are not my words. Those are his…
“I’ve got a pen, and I can use that pen to sign Executive Orders and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward.”
Note that Executive Orders bypass Congress.
Every president has used Executive Orders. Some have used them incredibly controversially… such as Pres. Clinton utilizing one to fight the 1999 Kosovo War and Pres. Bush (43) in 2001, utilizing one to restrict public access to the papers of former presidents. The WWII Japanese internment camps also were a result of Executive Order.
Here, however, is the aspect that drives this current events observer crazy. Pres. Obama, who is now claiming his willingness and right to generously enact Executive Order, said this in 2008 when campaigning for the office:
“I taught constitutional law for 10 years. I take the Constitution very seriously. The biggest problems that we’re facing right now have to do with George Bush trying to bring more and more power into the Executive Branch and not go through Congress at all, and that’s what I intend to reverse when I’m President of the United States of America.”
Bringing more and more power into the Executive Branch. Bypassing Congress.
I really disrespect hypocrisy — no matter who it comes from — no matter the justification of the time. Dealing with any fruit in any Jello would be far easier.
Respectfully,
AR