Why What Happened at that Missouri State Fair Rodeo Should Bother Us All

By now you’ve heard about the controversy involving the rodeo clown in the Obama mask at the Missouri State Fair.  Was it racist?  I’m not black nor was I in the mind of the rodeo clown so I’m not 100% comfortable saying that it definitely was not.  But even if it wasn’t, what happened should bother all of us.  I say that not as an Obama supporter but as an American.

You don’t have to be a political scientist or a political anything to know that there’s a lot wrong with our country.  And good arguments can be made that the current President deserves some (most?) of the blame.  But what happened at the rodeo wasn’t blame.  It wasn’t a civil critique of the President.  It was hate.  Hate toward a man serving as OUR chief-of state, OUR chief executive, OUR commander-in-chief as set forth in OUR Constitution.  Pure disrespect toward an American legally re-elected less than a year ago by 65 million of his fellow Americans.

It wasn’t just the actions of the clown or the announcer that should upset us.  More disturbing was the reaction of the crowd.  They clearly loved it.   Supposedly proud red-blooded Americans cheering on hatred toward the nation’s chief-of-state.  Americans showering hatred toward our military’s commander-in-chief.

Clearly, these good folks don’t care for the President’s actions.  They don’t like his policy positions.  They probably wish very much that he didn’t win the last election or the one before that.   I get that.  I respect that.  And should any of these wonderful patriots want to voice their displeasure in the President’s policy, I would encourage them to write letters to the editor or to energetically campaign against the President and his allies.  That’ not just protected in our Constitution, it’s the essence of what lovers of one’s country should do.

But lovers of this county should also respect the offices set up by our Constitution.  Sometimes politicians that you can align yourself with occupy these offices.  But sometimes these offices are held by those political leaders you don’t agree with.  Has the office changed?  Has the Constitution?  Should your respect for that office change?  What happened in Sedalia was pure disrespect for the American Presidency.

This, of course, isn’t anything new.  And it certainly isn’t unique to rodeos, state fairs, or this President.  Something similarly disturbing happened a few years ago when President Bush came to St. Louis to throw out the first pitch at the Cardinals’ season opener.  I wasn’t at the game, but those that were told me that about a quarter of the crowd booed our President.   Americans voicing their disrespect for an office held by a  man they disagree with.  A man in town to throw out the first pitch as our chief-of-state.  And he got booed.  Classy.

As chief-of-state Presidents do lots of ceremonial things.  In addition to the traditional throwing out of the first pitch at baseball games, President’s also attend funerals or memorials.  We’re not at the point where we’re booing Presidents at cemeteries, but I think we’re close.

I find disrespect for our Constitution infinitely more disturbing than desecration of our flag.  Our flag is merely a symbol.  It can represent many very different things to different people.  But our Constitution is our central nervous system.  It defines our system of government.  It defines our essence.   That’s what all Americans – no matter what stage they are in when it comes to political disappointment  -  should always strive to respect.

Don’t like the offices our Constitution creates?  Good.  Take effort to change it.  But show respect for the offices it currently oversees. Don’t like the individuals that currently occupy these positions?  Good.  Take effort to legally remove them from office.  But show respect for those who legally achieved these positions and who have the support of many of our fellow Americans.

Most countries separate their  “chief of state” from their “head of government.”   The writers of Article II of the Constitution, however, thought we could handle one person with both responsibilities.  Unfortunately, I think that assumed a level of maturity and respect for opposing opinion that doesn’t exist too much.  At least it doesn’t at baseball games – or state fair rodeos. 

John Messmer