Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Teacher's Tips: College not the end-all for every student Ashland firefighters cook for seniors at Thanksgiving feast Helicopter officials admits he falsified data Two-alarm fire damages Ashland home SOU Honors College team takes on Food Bank project Education Teacher's Tips: College not the end-all for every student SOU Honors College team takes on Food Bank project Kiwanis club invites fifth-graders to write flag essay AHS club helps fill Ashland Emergency Food Bank Ashland High School: Students get schooled in interviewing Environment Don't like weather where you are? Move a mile or two Salmon: A force of nature can be restored Students nurturing nature SOU eyes burning biomass instead of gas Navickas ordered to pay court filing fees Business Southern Oregon reports growth in lodging industry Ride & Drive: 2015 Honda CR-V Dear Monty: Violation of HOA rules creates conflict Standing Stone stands up for Emergency Food Bank Find your holiday spirit in Ashland’s Season of Celebration Politics and elections Miller write-in campaign lands Ashland Parks and Rec seat Granlund cartoon: GOP wrecking balls Oregon voters narrowly reject GMO labeling measure Kitzhaber wins fourth term Merkley wins re-election by wide margin State News GMO label measure, losing by 809 votes, headed for recount Resent ballots, late results likely to trigger GMO recount Nation - World Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Stephen A. Read Death Notices Death Notices Death Notices Robert E. Johnson Sports Latest Stories Tow overcomes heart condition to spark Raiders Atanda makes most of fresh start Raiders rout Pioneers, to play Carroll in QFs Southern Oregon men place second at nationals; women 18th Atanda's 16 kills powers SOU to first-round rout High school Six Grizzlies voted MWL first-teamers Grizzlies roughed up at Silverton Upset-minded Grizzlies brace for undefeated Foxes Georgia Williams commits to Columbia Gabe Lehrburger, Grizzlies clean house in MWL all-star voting Southern Oregon University Tow overcomes heart condition to spark Raiders Atanda makes most of fresh start Raiders rout Pioneers, to play Carroll in QFs Southern Oregon men place second at nationals; women 18th Atanda's 16 kills powers SOU to first-round rout Opinion Latest Stories Granlund cartoon: Hagel steps down Granlund cartoon: Thanksgiving and shopping Letters to the Editor, Nov. 24 Herb Rothschild Jr.: Greed, love and the Shmoo Frank Mulligan: They say fame is fleeting Editorial Our view: Keep it simple in OSF courtyard Our view: Expanding the season Our View: Our view: Generating a good idea Our View: Looking beyond the snow Letters Letters to the Editor, Nov. 24 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 15 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 11 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 10 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 3 Guest opinions Herb Rothschild Jr.: Greed, love and the Shmoo Guest Opinion: Save the SOU swimming pool Chris Honoré: Was the midterm election a mandate? Herb Rothschild: TPP agreement draws opposition from all sides Guest Opinion: A meaningful step toward political bipartisanship Revels Latest Stories Community blog: Oregon Poetry Association's fall contest winners Movie listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Best Bets: Nov. 20-28 Caleb Klauder Band and The Steel Wheels play the Unitarian Stewart crafts a fine film in 'Rosewater' Theater New design for Bricks takes shape Hard to keep a straight face with 'Red Noses' 'Red Noses' is a romp through slapstick and pathos 'The Drunken City': Bachelorettes meet bar-crawlers Music Peter Chianca: Top 40 songs even a dad could love The Farr Side: Different artists, common songs Longtime area musician Steve Read, 64, dies The Farr Side: CMA telecast was a disappointment Bass Clarinet Takeover Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Movies Movie review: ‘Dumb and Dumber To’ stays true to form Interview: Jennifer Aniston continues to shed good-girl image Movie listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Stewart crafts a fine film in 'Rosewater' Interview: Steve Carell gets grim Food and Drink Blue bows out of Granite Street site, Agave moving in Chef count up at feast for the senses Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories ROGUES: Tales from the Valley: Sherry and Dawn prepare for a psychodrama weekend Teacher's Tips: College not the end-all for every student Dave Ramsey: Money comes in the wrong half of the month Dr. Elaine Heffner: Big changes in little kids Food for Thought: Add new twists on Thanksgiving favorites Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar, Nov. 25 ... GMO label measure, losing by 809 votes, headed for recount ... Helicopter officials admits he falsified data ... Ashland Calendar, Nov. 25 ... GMO label measure, losing by 809 votes, headed for recount ... Helicopter officials admits he falsified data ... Amy Gehrt: All presidents deserve respect By Amy Gehrt The Pekin Daily Times DailyTidings.com By Amy Gehrt The Pekin Daily Times Posted Nov. 14, 2014 @ 7:03 am By Amy Gehrt The Pekin Daily Times Posted Nov. 14, 2014 @ 7:03 am » Social News I keep hearing that the midterm election results were a referendum on President Barack Obama and his performance over the last six years, but no matter how many times it’s said, I just can’t wrap my mind around it. Given how much progress has been made under the president’s tenure, the notion simply defies logic. However, as my conservative friends continue to crow about this, blaming Obama for everything from Ebola to the Islamic State group, and everything in between, the reason is becoming a bit more clear. I recently came across an article by Canadian author William Thomas expressing puzzlement at the blatant disrespect directed at the leader of the free world by so many of his own people. “There was a time not so long ago when Americans, regardless of their political stripes, rallied round their president. Once elected, the man who won the White House was no longer viewed as a Republican or Democrat, but the president of the United States. The oath of office was taken, the wagons were circled around the country’s borders and it was America versus the rest of the world with the president of all the people at the helm,” he noted. “Suddenly, President Barack Obama, with the potential to become an exceptional president, has become the glaring exception to that unwritten, patriotic rule.” The article made a lot of very valid points, and, coming from someone outside the U.S., it provided an interesting perspective regarding the way we are being viewed by the outside world. For instance, of the debate over the Affordable Care Act he wrote, “The health care debate, which looked more like extreme fighting in a mud pit than a national dialogue, revealed a very vulgar side of America. President Obama’s face appeared on protest signs white-faced and blood-mouthed in a satanic clown image. In other tasteless portrayals, people who disagreed with his position distorted his face to look like Hitler complete with mustache and swastika. Odd, that burning the flag makes Americans crazy, but depicting the president as a clown and a maniacal fascist is accepted as part of the new rude America,” he continued. It’s hard to argue with that logic, isn’t it? Yet the moment I hit “share” on my Facebook page, some of those on the right, rather than viewing it as food for thought, began piling on with reactions such as “#1 who cares what Canadians think. #2 Obama has been a train wreck.” My response to that was: “He has been far from a train wreck ... And the fact of the matter is, even when Bush was president, we treated him with the respect the office deserves. I think the writer makes some really valid points.” “As to why we care what Canadians think, maybe it’s because we are not so arrogant as to think we are the only country in the world that matters. We have to coexist and work together with other countries. The fact that so many others really admire Obama and look to him as an example should be a point of pride for us. And for many, it is. How so many conservatives can lose their minds over the so-called ‘latte salute’ yet freely bash the elected leader of this country every chance they get — even for stuff they completely make up — boggles the mind and defies any sense of logic. Period.” Then another of my conservative friends had this to say: “Blaming President Bush after 6 years is unforgivable! President Obama claimed he’d fix things (unemployment & economy) in 4. Stating he was not on the ballot this midterm, but his policies were was correct. America isn’t in favor of the direction he is taking the country, so the GOP beat the living tar out of the left last Tuesday. Blaming the 2⁄3 voters who did not vote was his excuse? I’m tired of excuses & after 6 years I am ready for results!” My response? “The problem isn’t the president or his policies. It’s the blatant lies and misperceptions being so gleefully spread by the GOP and its base — without the least regard for facts or truth. It’s a campaign of fear and dishonesty. Did it work? Yep, sadly once again underhanded tactics won the day.” “So let’s take a look at some facts. The national unemployment rate is below 6 percent for the first time since 2008. Private-sector job growth continues to post gains, in a record-setting consecutive growth streak since March 2010. Stocks, too, keep posting record gains during Obama’s presidency. Obama has also reduced our nation’s deficit in half. In half. Oh, and this country’s domestic oil production has also gone up under the president. Not to mention the millions who now have health insurance, and the civil rights issues gains for women, minorities, gays, etc.” “And all of this has happened with an obstructionist, childish GOP who tries to prevent any progress at every turn, even if doing so was bad for the nation and its people. So tell me again who is failing this country?? Obama could single-handedly cure cancer and, rather than rejoice in the millions of lives he saved, the GOP would complain about all of the cancer researchers he supposedly put out of work as a result.” As another Canadian, Richard Brunt, noted in an open letter expressing the country’s confusion regarding the midterms, “America is leading the world once again and respected internationally — in sharp contrast to the Bush years. Obama brought soldiers home from Iraq and killed Osama bin Laden. So, Americans vote for the party that got you into the mess that Obama just dug you out of? This defies reason.” It truly does. Of course, the fact that two-thirds of eligible voters didn’t even bother to cast ballots is pretty pathetic, too. Let’s not forget that in many countries people would gladly give their lives for the right to vote — just as many good men and women within our own borders have laid down their lives to ensure we have that right. Honor their sacrifices by becoming active, engaged citizens who are more interested in finding out the truth than accepting spoon-fed spin from less-than-trustworthy sources. And when speaking of the president, by all means state your opinion on his policies, whether you agree or disagree. That’s your right, and it should be. But do it with at least a modicum of respect for the man who was chosen to lead the U.S., and for the office he holds. Remember, the world is watching. Pekin Daily Times city editor Amy Gehrt may be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @AmyGehrt. By Amy Gehrt The Pekin Daily Times DailyTidings.com By Amy Gehrt The Pekin Daily Times Posted Nov. 14, 2014 @ 7:03 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501