GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

Nice job by the fans letting W know what they think of his sorry a**.

[url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/30/president-bush-booed-at-b_n_94153.html]President Bush Booed At Baseball Game - Politics on The Huffington Post[/url]

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

just like anyone else. you don't do a good job, hence the booing. but i did find it a bit disrespectful

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

Like him, don't like him, he's the President.................he (and any other Pres) deserves more respect

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

I thought it was very disrespectful to boo the President. Seriously. I don't care what your politics are, there are some lines you just don't cross.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

He deserves to be booed everywhere he goes. Who cares what his job title is. I'm sure he's heard far worse.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

I agree that it was disrespectful, I would never do that.

On the flip side of the coin they do have the right of free speech. If they choose to use that right in a immature and disrespectful manner, so be it.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=angryssg;436608]I agree that it was disrespectful, I would never do that.

On the flip side of the coin they do have the right of free speech. If they choose to use that right in a immature and disrespectful manner, so be it.[/quote]

Okay, not to split Constitutional hairs here but the whole free speech thing just drives me up a wall sometimes.

I believe that tenet was intended to be interpreted through the lens of common sense and more importantly, common courtesy.

When those two basic and common moral values are violated, is there then any redeemable value in free speech?

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

I guess what I'm trying to say is there's a stark difference between exercising free speech and being down right mean and nasty.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=angryssg;436608]I agree that it was disrespectful, I would never do that.

On the flip side of the coin they do have the right of free speech. If they choose to use that right in a immature and disrespectful manner, so be it.[/quote]

Agreed
You can't force people to exercise taste, and manners.
[B]Because you can, does not mean you should[/B].

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

Define common sense and common courtesy. Everyone has their own ideas of what they entail.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

It was mixed w/ cheers and boos. I think it's disrespectful to boo the Pres of the US. You don't have to like him or his views, but i find it pretty childish.

Show a little class.

While i don't like alot of the things that have happened over the last 7-8 years alot of people do a pretty good job playing monday morning qb on alot of the issues. It's just plain disrespectful. If you don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=angryssg;436621]Define common sense and common courtesy. Everyone has their own ideas of what they entail.[/quote]

I don't think so, Angryssg; I disagree.

I think we agree more on what's considered to be courteous than not. To an extent I think you're right, but when you throw the word "common" in there, I think we're talking about what's generally and widely accepted as courteous.

For instance, even here, the Mods won't let people say what the want to other members all in the name of free speech, will they? Why is that?

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

Booing is mean and nasty? Like I said, I'm sure 'w' has heard far worse. I'm sure it wasn't the first time he was booed. Hell... he was booed and had eggs tossed at his limo at his inauguration in 2001. LOL

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

If they really want to make a difference then get out and vote. What does booing really accomplish? I'm willing to bet one out of every three people there has no idea why they are booing other than they "don't like the President"

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=Mattyk72;436625]Booing is mean and nasty? Like I said, I'm sure 'w' has heard far worse. I'm sure it wasn't the first time he was booed. Hell... he was booed and had eggs tossed at his limo at his inauguration in 2001. LOL[/quote]

No booing in and of itself isn't mean and nasty. Shit, I love to boo...the other team not the President of the United States. But yeah, publicly booing the Prez is a tad bit mean.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=12thMan;436628]No booing in and of itself isn't mean and nasty. Shit, I love to boo...the other team not the President of the United States. But yeah, publicly booing the Prez is a tad bit mean.[/quote]

Why is that any worse than booing someone like Joe Gibbs?

Gibbs runs a football team, W runs the country. If anyone deserves to be under heavy scrutiny I would say it's the President. I just don't get why he should get a free pass.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

It's being able to boo the President and not get guillotined that makes living in this country a wonderful thing. I don't see it as a big deal to show your collective disapproval for the person running the show. Shouting obcene personal insults and death threats are obviously a different matter.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=12thMan;436624]I don't think so, Angryssg; I disagree.

I think we agree more on what's considered to be courteous than not. To an extent I think you're right, but when you throw the word "common" in there, I think we're talking about what's generally and widely accepted as courteous.

For instance, even here, the Mods won't let people say what the want to other members all in the name of free speech, will they? Why is that?[/quote]
Do you always take the grocery cart back to the store or at least put it in the cart stall once you have finished putting your goods in your car? Better yet, do you put stray ones away? Do you pick up a piece of trash that you see lying in the middle of the street or sidewalk, or do you just ignore it because you didn't put it there.

To me it is common sense and common courtesy to do these things, but others may not think so.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=Mattyk72;436629]Why is that any worse than booing someone like Joe Gibbs?

Gibbs runs a football team, W runs the country. If anyone deserves to be under heavy scrutiny I would say it's the President. I just don't get why he should get a free pass.[/quote]

Matty, you're killing me! LOL

Man, like I said I'm not trying to split hairs. People can do what they want to do. Part of my dislike for the whole thing is I used to be in the military; first Gulf War. So I think part of it, with me at least, stems from the ingrained mentallity to respect the chain a command. But that's just me and my military experience. I can't hold folks to that type of standard nor do I intend to.

As far as Gibbs is concerned, in the arena of competative sports, booing and cheering takes on a different context. I think the environment itself produces that element.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=12thMan;436634]Matty, you're killing me! LOL


As far as Gibbs is concerned, in the arena of competative sports, booing and cheering takes on a different context. I think the environment itself produces that element.[/quote]

Good point!
The sports arena is incomparable to that of the Presidency

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=12thMan;436634]Matty, you're killing me! LOL

Man, like I said I'm not trying to split hairs. People can do what they want to do. Part of my dislike for the whole thing is I used to be in the military; first Gulf War. So I think part of it, with me at least, stems from the ingrained mentallity to respect the chain a command. But that's just me and my military experience. I can't hold folks to that type of standard nor do I intend to.

As far as Gibbs is concerned, in the arena of competative sports, booing and cheering takes on a different context. I think the environment itself produces that element.[/quote]

I do understand where you're coming from, but I just don't think that sports is the only arena where it's appropriate to boo or cheer someone.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=angryssg;436633]Do you always take the grocery cart back to the store or at least put it in the cart stall once you have finished putting your goods in your car? Better yet, do you put stray ones away? Do you pick up a piece of trash that you see lying in the middle of the street or sidewalk, or do you just ignore it because you didn't put it there.

To me it is common sense and common courtesy to do these things, but others may not think so.[/quote]

Ummm....maybe. But now we're talking about grocery carts and trash, not human beings.

Listen, I'm not trying to hold myself as the standard bearer of ethics and all of that, but I just think a line was crossed. No biggie.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=12thMan;436640]Ummm....maybe. But now we're talking about grocery carts and trash, not human beings.

Listen, I'm not trying to hold myself as the standard bearer of ethics and all of that, but I just think a line was crossed. No biggie.[/quote]


So do I, believe me. There are those however, other than us, who do not see it the same way that we do.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

I don't think any of us are saying you can't boo. It is a free country. I'm saying as an american i think shows disrespect to the position that he....or she holds.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

I'll try to make this the last thing I'll say on this. Good topic, by the way.

I think when you get people in that environment, they feel embolden to do and say things they would never other say or do. Throw a little tapped beer in there and it's on.

Sometimes I do wonder, however, if those same people that boo public figures would have a totally different demeanor if they just bumped into them on the street somewhere. I wonder if they'd say, "hey George Bush is an asshole" or go "hey Mr. President, mind taking a picture with me?"

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=12thMan;436648]I'll try to make this the last thing I'll say on this. Good topic, by the way.

I think when you get people in that environment, they feel embolden to do and say things they would never other say or do. Throw a little tapped beer in there and it's on.

Sometimes I do wonder, however, if those same people that boo public figures would have a totally different demeanor if they just bumped into them on the street somewhere. I wonder if they'd say, "hey George Bush is an asshole" or go "hey Mr. President, mind taking a picture with me?"[/quote]

Probably the latter of the 2 because they don't want to get tazed.

[yt]6bVa6jn4rpE&feature[/yt]

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=12thMan;436648]I'll try to make this the last thing I'll say on this. Good topic, by the way.

I think when you get people in that environment, they feel embolden to do and say things they would never other say or do. Throw a little tapped beer in there and it's on.

Sometimes I do wonder, however, if those same people that boo public figures would have a totally different demeanor if they just bumped into them on the street somewhere. [B]I wonder if they'd say, "hey George Bush is an asshole" or go "hey Mr. President, mind taking a picture with me?[/B]"[/quote]

Personally, there's no way I'd want to take a picture with that prick. And I wouldn't pretend to be his best friend either. I wouldn't even want to shake the guy's hand to be honest.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[QUOTE=Mattyk72;436629]Why is that any worse than booing someone like Joe Gibbs?

Gibbs runs a football team, W runs the country. If anyone deserves to be under heavy scrutiny I would say it's the President. I just don't get why he should get a free pass.[/QUOTE]

I wasn't down with booing Gibbs, in fact it made my blood boil to hear the boo birds at FedEx. I felt like the fans were pissing on Gibbs, the players and the franchise.

Similarly, I don't care for the people who booed Bush at the Nats game. I have SERIOUS issues with Bush, but I don't think it's right to boo our President at an apolitical event. I feel like it's [I]almost[/I] akin to peeing on our flag. That said, I can't wait for the guy to leave office. :)

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=Sheriff Gonna Getcha;436655]I wasn't down with booing Gibbs, in fact it made my blood boil to hear the boo birds at FedEx. I felt like the fans were pissing on Gibbs, the players and the franchise.

Similarly, I don't care for the people who booed Bush at the Nats game. I have SERIOUS issues with Bush, but I don't think it's right to boo our President at an apolitical event. I feel like it's [I]almost[/I] akin to peeing on our flag. [B]That said, I can't wait for the guy to leave office[/B]. :)[/quote]

Cheers to that, though it might not matter much if McCain gets elected. :doh:

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

People don't understand that when you boo the President of the United States of America, you're not just booing GWB, you're booing everything that that office stands for. It's unacceptable but not unexpected from our rapidly degrading society.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=BleedBurgundy;436657]People don't understand that when you boo the President of the United States of America, you're not just booing GWB, you're booing everything that that office stands for. It's unacceptable but not unexpected from our rapidly degrading society.[/quote]

I don't agree. People are booing W, not what the position stands for.

It's like the dumb logic that if you're against the war you're also against the troops.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=BleedBurgundy;436657]People don't understand that when you boo the President of the United States of America, you're not just booing GWB, you're booing everything that that office stands for. It's unacceptable but not unexpected from our rapidly degrading society.[/quote]

PERFECTLY stated!

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

Not really a shocker...it's DC for pete's sake. The most political city in the world.

How many republicans would have been in the stands? You filled a stadium full of Dems...what do you expect? If you send a lame deer in front of 40 thousand hungry lions, guess what is going to happen?

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=Mattyk72;436660]I don't agree. People are booing W, not what the position stands for.

It's like the dumb logic that if you're against the war you're also against the troops.[/quote]

I am sure you would not boo the troops because you do not like what they are doing

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

I think it would be easier at this point to list the things the masses do understand.

Two reasons why this is entirely inappropriate. The President was there because:

1) He is the president.

2) He is a baseball enthusiast.

It would, IMO, have been an entirely different issue if he was using the opening night stage as an opportunity to pander for votes, or push for re-election (or the election of John McCain), [B]or to reference anything political in any way would have made it acceptable to be booed,[/B] but coming to throw out the first pitch at Nationals Park and to add to the importance and mystique of the event for a franchise that really needed a night like that...

I mean, this has nothing to do with politics. If you are a Nats fan, or even just a baseball fan who was present at that game, and you didn't think it was a privledge or at least slightly cool that the President of the United States was throwing out the first pitch, then I can say with confidence that you would be a simpleton of the highest order.

Then again, these are the same people who have already written off the Cerrato/Zorn era as failure, so I guess we didn't really learn anything new.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=Hog1;436665]I am sure you would not boo the troops because you do not like what they are doing[/quote]

Of course not, why would I? It wasn't their decision to go to war.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

For those against the boo birds, what would be your expected reaction towards a President who's approval ratings are in the toilet? Should he be cheered or should people just sit in silence?

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[QUOTE=Mattyk72;436660]I don't agree. People are booing W, not what the position stands for.

It's like the dumb logic that if you're against the war you're also against the troops.[/QUOTE]

The president is not just a person, when elected he becomes a symbol ofthe United States. That comprises past, present and future. To boo that is what's disrespectful. Personally, I don't think much of GW, but I do have respect for the office that he inhabits. I have greater respect still for the ideals with which this country was created.

I see your point regarding people booing the man, not the country. But it is impossible to distinguish one from another. While in office, for better or worse, he is President of the United States of America. In this case, people need to realize that what they intend is of no consequence, only the reality of their actions.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=Mattyk72;436671]Of course not, why would I? It wasn't their decision to go to war.[/quote]If this is really about the war, and not about just a general hate for the man himself, then don't we have to also blame a majority of congress for the decision, and boo the hell out of them whenever they try to accomplish anything?

Except congress as a whole has not done as much to promote Nationals' Baseball as GW did in a single night.

That's the dangerous double standard we all set by taking an issue of politics, and applying it to an issue of men. We're going to disagree with all sorts of decisions that are made throughout the past, present, and future. If we meet all decision-making with overwhelming shows of disrespect....well draw your own conclusions.

Re: GW Bush booed at Nationals' opener
 

[quote=BleedBurgundy;436674]The president is not just a person, when elected he becomes a symbol ofthe United States. That comprises past, present and future. To boo that is what's disrespectful. Personally, I don't think much of GW, but I do have respect for the office that he inhabits. I have greater respect still for the ideals with which this country was created.

I see your point regarding people booing the man, not the country. [B]But it is impossible to distinguish one from another.[/B] While in office, for better or worse, he is President of the United States of America. In this case, people need to realize that what they intend is of no consequence, only the reality of their actions.[/quote]

I guess that's where we'll have to agree to disagree. Again, I liken it to the weak logic that if you're against the war you're also against the troops. To me there's a pretty clear difference between the two.