Rodney Dangerfield

ML has started an interesting discussion on the meaning of respect.

I will never forget the poverty expert making fun of McDonalds' employees. It convinced me that he did not understand poverty. He did not respect working class Americans. I respect working. He also said that the only good wines come from France and Italy. He might be right, but I did not respect the arrogance implied in his comment.

These two "disrespectful" comments do not trump his respectful intelligence, education, experience, or ability to get papers published. But, I will not forget those comments.

Some people (including myself) try so hard to demonize or to elevate someone that they refuse to see the humanity in the person. Humanity is imperfection. It is the greatness of mankind juxtaposed against war, corruption, and the other bad things men do.

When I was a child, I was walking in D.C., and I saw my first bum. I asked my father why the police did not kill all the bums. I cannot remember his answer and I cannot verbalize one now, but I know we should not kill all the bums.