Enabling Bad Behavior In The United States

Over the Memorial Day weekend I attended the Jimmy Buffett concert at Blossom Music Center. I have been a big fan of Jimmy Buffett for a long time and have attended many of his concerts and thoroughly enjoy his concerts. I paid good money for a pavilion seat so I could see the show and one of my favorite performers. But my enjoyment of the show was marred by the behavior of the people in front of me who insisted on standing for most of the show. When I politely asked them to sit down, they continued to stand. Then when I asked again for them to sit down, they complained to the usher who did nothing. So where do people think that they are the most important person in the universe and no one else matters? 

Last month, one of the highest rated new shows on television this season was abruptly cancelled when its major star, Roseanne Barr, went on a Twitter rampage tweeting inflammatory racist posts. That wasn’t the first time that she acted poorly in public. Back in 1990, after butchering the national anthem at a baseball game, she grabbed her crotch and made a gesture to the crowd. 

Each day it seems that some celebrity somewhere is in the news for some form of outrageous and obnoxious behavior in public. Such behavior can be expected of children who may not know any better, but it seems that rudeness and being obnoxious has become normal in the United States. 

Bad behavior goes right to the top. Previous Presidents were known for salty language. Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson were known for their barnyard language. During the Watergate scandal, when the White House tapes were released, they revealed profanity from the President and made the expression “expletive deleted” famous. But the current President has lowered the standard for bad behavior from an American President to an all time low.  

Recently a female comedian apologized for calling Ivanka Trump an obscene name for a woman. But somehow, when Ivanka’s father used the same word in reference to another female comedian he doesn’t like, he got a pass. During the campaign a video was released showing Donald Trump advising how celebrities can “get away with anything” and describing how he took advantage of women. Earlier in the campaign, he was on television mocking a reporter who has a disability in a demeaning manner. His campaign for President should have ended right there.  

Previous Presidents have been loose with the truth at times. Richard Nixon was notorious for lying and Bill Clinton was also notorious for splitting hairs about the truth. Previous Presidents have covered up affairs with women as well. But when it comes to lying to the public, no previous President has done that as much as Donald Trump. Does he even know that he is lying?

Presidential campaigns and elections often become very contentious and the debates have been heated, but at least the candidates respected each other. Instead there was Donald Trump referring to his opponent as “crooked Hillary” and leading his supporters in cheering to “lock her up”. That is what dictators do, jail their political opponents.

I am hardly wishing for a return of Victorian morality or stuffiness, but shouldn’t Americans conduct themselves like adults and show respect and consideration for others? Shouldn’t the people we elect to be our leaders show more respect for others, even those who may be hostile to them? A real gentleman is known for his restraint and ability to control his emotions while acting like an adult. It is time for all of us to realize that we are not the most important person in the universe.

Lee Kamps

Lee has been working with Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance since he began working at the Erie County Welfare Department in January 1973 where a major part of his job was determining eligibility for Medicaid. He went into the private insurance business in 1977 with Prudential Insurance Company and within a short time had become one of the company’s top sales agents. In 1982, he was promoted into management where he managed two field offices and as many as thirteen sales agents. After leaving Prudential in 1986, Lee decided to become more focused on health insurance and employee benefits. He has advised many local employers on how to have a more cost effective employee benefit program as well as conducted employee benefit meetings and enrollments for many area employers. The companies Lee has worked with ranged from small “mom and pop” businesses to local operations of large national companies. Lee received his B.S. degree from Kent State University where he has been active in the local alumni association. He has completed seven of the ten courses toward the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist designation. He has taught courses in employee benefits and insurance at Cleveland State University and local community colleges. In addition, Lee is an experienced and accomplished public speaker. He has been a member of Toastmasters International where he achieved the designation of “Able Toastmaster – Silver” in 1994. He has also served as a club president, Area Governor and District Public Relations Officer in Toastmasters as well as winning local speech contests. Lee has also been a member of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association’s Speaker’s Bureau where he was designated as one of the “official spokespeople for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” prior to the hall’s opening in 1995. He has given talks and presentations before many audiences including civic organizations, AARP chapters and many other community groups. With the implementation of the Medicare Modernization Act (Medicare drug bill) in 2006, Lee has shifted his focus to Medicare and helping Medicare beneficiaries navigate the often confusing array of choices and plans available. As an independent representative, Lee is not bound to any one specific company or plan, but he can offer a plan that suits an individual person’s needs and budget. In addition, Lee is well versed in the requirements and availability of various programs for assistance with Medicare part D as well as Medicaid. While he cannot make one eligible, he can assist in the process and steer one to where they may be able to receive assistance.

Read More on Opinion
Volume 10, Issue 7, Posted 3:12 PM, 07.01.2018