Anyway, it's not about Bush to me. It's about respecting the leader of a nation and, more importantly, respecting another person. Lali
Lali ... does Robert Mugabe deserve respect?
Where do we draw the line with this respect business? I'm with Alatar: the office of President means absolutely
nothing unless the person acting as President actually is acting like a President. (I certainly don't mean by that that I only endorse Presidents whose policies I like.
) Somebody like Robert Mugabe makes a hollow MOCKERY out of the whole business, and does not deserve any shred of respect. Not one. His people should rise up and do to him what the Romanians did to their dictactor -- Nicolas Ceaucescu -- back in 1989.
I am not defending the action of throwing a shoe or an insult at a national leader, whether it be a tyrant like Mugabe or a person like Bush (whose policies I vehemently disagree with but who to me is not in the same bracket as Mugabe). Besides, Mugabe deserves a hell of a lot more than a mere
shoe thrown at him. He deserves his whole nation to rise up against him. Unfortunately, they are so weakened and demoralised they are unable to.
If I were in the presence of Mugabe, I would behave myself in a dignified fashion ...
... but I would also refuse to shake that tyrant's hand.
More likely I would be outside with a protest banner.