Posted on 06/23/2009 5:22:04 AM PDT by Kaslin
Last week a U.S. Senator treated the world to a shocking display of rudeness toward a member of our armed services.
As Brigadier Gen. Michael Walsh testified before the Environment and Public Works Committee, Chairwoman Sen. Barbara Boxer arrogantly and ignorantly reprimanded an officer and a gentleman who has risked his life many times over for her "right" to become a U.S. senator in the first place.
When he respectfully began a statement with "ma'am," she abruptly interrupted and gave the smarmy directive, "You know, do me a favor. Can you say 'senator' instead of 'ma'am'? It's just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title, so I'd appreciate it. Yes. Thank you."
More than any other group, America's military insist that their members show respect for authority. When addressing a male superior, they say "sir." When addressing female superiors, they say "ma'am." And out of simple politeness and common courtesy toward others, they are also taught to say "sir" and "ma'am" even when addressing civilians. As the wife of a retired naval officer, I have always been so thankful to be in the company of those who serve our nation with such dignity and respect.
Many moms and dads are trying to teach their kids to be polite and respectful by using the time-honored titles of "sir" and "ma'am" too. Most women appreciate when someone takes the time to show such honor. We recognize kindness and chivalry when we see it, and we're not so insecure in our gender identity that we lose our dignity by complaining.
I guess Sen. Boxer forgot how important it is to be a role model of civility when you are a public figure. As the most powerful person in the room that day, she should have been gracious and kind. She really should have thanked Gen. Walsh for his years of service to our country. She should have expressed praise for all military personnel who are making it possible for other women around the world to enjoy the same privilege that Sen. Boxer has of holding public office or even voting. And she should be aware that most women appreciate the respect afforded by the term "ma'am," regardless of any other gender-neutral titles we may have earned. Instead, she set a poor example, insulted every military officer in the land, and left many males wondering (once again) about how to be respectful to females without inflaming some feminist psychosis.
A very likely ripple effect from Sen. Boxer's petty complaint is that many may become afraid to practice simple courtesies, especially toward women. We can't allow our family members to be bullied into choosing the "safe" route and thus abandon acts of common decency. It's sort of like the quandary a male faces in wondering whether or not to open the door for a female, or if he should offer his seat on the subway or help a woman place a heavy bag in the airplane's overhead compartment. The shrill complaints of a few angry feminists have caused many to avoid eye contact and instead, to just look out for themselves.
We must teach our sons to value the concepts of respect and kindness enough to always be gentlemen, even if that means making themselves vulnerable to attack. And our young women need to be taught to accept the thoughtful gestures for what they are -- thoughtful gestures.
Showing and accepting kindness for and from others is the definition of civility, and our nation needs more of it. So, in the wake of this much-discussed rudeness by a prominent public official, let's make it an opportunity to remind our kids to always err on the side of respect.
Just another example of the rotting cancer called liberalism.
liberalism/feminism...
This woman took it as an insult that the General recognized her gender with the honorific “Ma’am” instead of the gender “neutral” title of “Senator”.
Feminist/liberals inherently have a “gender inferiority” complex.
“A very likely ripple effect from Sen. Boxer’s petty complaint is that many may become afraid to practice simple courtesies, especially toward women.”
I think on this one point she is wrong. I think a very likely ripple effect from Sen. Boxer’s petty complaint is that many may refuse to practice simple courtesies to a$$hole female senators.
My $0.02.
You’ve worked so hard, Miss Boxer? How hard has General Walsh worked?
On second thought, I’ll just call you servant.
I think I might have responded...”when you start acting like a senator, then I will call you Senator!”
My hat is off to the General. He has my utmost gratitude & respect!
The good General addressed her with much more respect than I could muster.
This just shows she has no class.
I hope that prior to being summoned to Capitol Hill, this officer and his colleagues received complete bio summaries on each and every one of the Congressthings he or she is being required to address while in closed session.
I hope that the general officer who was so rudely accosted by SENATOR Boxer is aware of her dope smoking habits and off the wall radical views. He may already have been straining to keep his contempt for this worthless b#$ch under control.
I think that the Boxer idiot was so dumb she didn’t realize that this is the normal form of address for superiors in the military - men are addressed as “sir,” and women as “ma’am.” Actually, maybe he should have addressed her as “sir.”
Boxer is such a moron.
And those of lower rank are addressed by their title, no?
So, the “Senator” was insisting that she was lower “rank” than the General.
It seems that even Babs doesn’t think she is a “ma’am.”
It WAS a thing with the Senator of the delicate sensibilities, for whom the address of “ma’am” was somehow a title of denigration. It was a mark of that period of breaking all the old forms of polite society, that all the old should be swept away. Surprising she did not demand he address her as “Tovarishch”.
The Bolsheviks were very big on changing the forms of daily exchanges throughout the reaches of the old Russian Empire as it became the Soviet Union.
Boxer was reelected overwhelmingly by Californians.
They get what they deserve as they apparently approve.
On the other hand, our U.S. generals do not deserve the type of disrespect given out by such a person.
Boxer is a naive and stupid person.
This officer and gentleman was trained to treat women as ladies, thus his address to her. She was right in refusing the title because she is no lady. She’s just a smarmy Democrat politician who merits no respect.
My English granny had a fit, when my mother was teaching my oldest brother to say “sir” and “m’am”.
My grandmother insisted that “sir” and “m’am” are for servants. Her reasoning was the people would say “sir” to her grandchildren, but her grandchildren would never be saying “sir” or “m’am” to others.
In our family, we do not use “sir” or “m’am”, but teach our children to be respectful to all, ...even those who may not be respectful to us.
Every once in awhile, the morons on capital hill slip up and let show what they really think of themselves. I saw this clip air on the news and it literally made me wretch.
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