Respect my Authority!

just before lunchtime on Tuesday, the 28th of February 2006 by Chad

MSNBC.com is running a great article about “Saint” Sarah Piro, a helicopter pilot in Iraq. She is a combat pilot. And she does an incredible job. People respect her for her ability. Why? Because she earned it.

A quote from the article bothers me a bit:

But while proving their competence in the air, female aviators say they still face obstacles from the predominantly male military on the ground. “It’s far better than when my mother was in the military, but we still have a long ways to go,” said Strye, whose mother was an Army nurse in Vietnam. “I know I constantly have to prove myself.”

The quote makes it sound like only women have to constantly prove themselves. I wasn’t aware that was the case. Every problem I come up against, every new job I get, every person I meet, I try to prove myself. It is called having character. I want to earn the respect of people I know.

Asking for respect is a major problem with society today. “Waaah, no one gives us respect. We DEMAND you respect us,” is heard often from special interest groups. Is respect a new human right? Well, some people obviously think it is. And that makes it completely worthless. What good is respect when it is given out freely to everyone, no matter how undeserving? Oh, that word, undeserving… I’m sure I’m not allowed to use that word. Everyone deserves respect, I hear.

I’m sorry, no one deserves respect. In the military officer core, respect is required. But it is respect for the rank, the office, the position. Not the person.

I give no one respect automatically. If someone demands it from me, they automatically lose 20 points. Demanding respect automatically tells me that their values, their positions, whatever they may be, cannot earn respect on its own. People earn my respect by their values and actions. Each person grants respect differently. Some people respect celebrities like rap singers. I don’t respect people who respect celebrities. But those are my values. I do not respect people who can’t figure out how to use turn signals, don’t know what Yield signs are for, or drive at night with their foglights on. Those failures are a big indicator of incompetence. Which is not to be respected.

I’m fairly sure that almost everyone has something that they are good at. I can respect an artist for his art, for the ability to create something beautiful. But their politics may be horrific, or they may completely lack in basic human values. So it is possible to earn partial respect, which is fine. I’ve had managers who respected me for my superior technical abilities, which are awesome and godlike, but hate my bluntness when it comes to my lack of respect for their managerial abilities. Yeah, that’s what it said on my review.

I have also failed before and lost respect of my peers. When that happens it is supposed to feel bad. Because it is. You should learn from these mistakes, and work hard to regain this respect. Many people do not care about earning the respect of others. They feel to do so is to “sell out” or something equally ridiculous. Yeah, I know those people. They’re mentally disturbed as a general rule.

Jacksonians certainly know what I’m talking about. Those who behave honorably gain respect. Those that do not are treated with utter contempt. And groups that cry for respect rather than earn it also earn my disgust.

More about Piro’s story at Mudville…

Rant linked to Third World Country, Diane’s Stuff, Stuck on Stupid, and Don Surber.