By Jacqueline Ashford-Lavy
With Donald Trump’s inauguration a month away, young Americans are struggling with handling the shift of power. Many teenagers grew up liking or disliking Obama because of their parents. This election is their first as adults, with their own opinions and political views. “I remember on election day, my mom made us dress up in Obama shirts and go to the polling places” says junior Helen Haddad, “I grew up with Obama being my parents’ favorite.” But now Haddad, like many Americans, is facing a dilemma. How should we respect the president? The choice of giving respect to Trump, or any person in power, is clear. Individuals are not obligated to respect Trump, as it is part of their inalienable rights to be able to voice their opinions. “If you feel like they aren’t going to represent or act in the best interest of the majority, I don’t think you owe them your respect,” says Haddad, “If they don’t respect what’s important to me, then why should I respect them?” But there is a thin line between the man and the office. “We should respect the office of president, despite the man currently elected for it” says junior Sara Dellenger. The office is the statue of our inalienable rights. Those inalienable rights give you the right to say what you want of the man, but the office needs respecting. “The office has been there for the past 200 years. Looking back on it, it’s something to think about.” says Haddad, “The office is a different thing than the person. I can always respect the office, but the person has to earn it, and Donald Trump has not in any way earned it.” “I don’t think they deserve our respect, they definitely have to earn it” says Sara Dellenger. “Someone has to earn your respect no matter who they are” says Haddad. Trump does not immediately gain the respect of the majority of the nation. He, as a person, is responsible for proving himself to the public. “If you act in a way that represents the interests that I feel are important, then you will earn my respect” says Haddad. The learning curve of Trump’s transition to presidency will be steep. American citizens have every right to disagree and protest his decisions. But the value of the office must be kept in the back of our thoughts. To respect the title, but struggle to respect the man holding it, is awkward and uncomfortable. But it’s necessary to separate the two. The office of democracy goes beyond a man who will be called president for four to eight years. “It’s this weird juxtaposition of ideas,” says Dellenger, “but you have to really find that balance within yourself, and the whole country has to do that for itself.”
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