When you award your respect to individuals who are undeserving, it ultimately brings you down. Respecting unrespectable people makes you feel badly about yourself, fearful of others and relationships, or just plain angry and frustrated.
Be careful, watch out for yourself, and let others personally prove to you that they are worthy of your respect before you respect them, no matter who they are or what your relationship is to them.
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others Respectfully
And Respecting Only Those Who Earn It
Once again, former Sen. John Edwards is in the news. We didn't think it was possible, but with these new allegations, he looks even worse than before.
We all know that "Edwards admitted to his affair with Rielle Hunter in August 2008 after months of denials." ("Edwards Asked Aide To Claim Paternity, Sources Say") The paternity of Hunter's infant daughter was quickly called into question, and at the time, Edwards maintained "there was no way he could have been the girl's father, given the timing of his relationship with Hunter, and that he was willing to take a paternity test to prove it." Corroborating his statements, his former staffer Andrew Young said that he himself was the child's father.
Now, Young is retracting his version of the story, asserting that "Edwards knew all along that he was the father of Hunter's child -- and that he promised to marry her after his cancer-stricken wife, Elizabeth, dies." Young, who "never signed any affidavits or legal papers," reportedly "made [his original claim] because he believed in Edwards" and then "reversed his claim after Edwards [. . .] dropped [him] 'like a hot potato.'" Interestingly, "Young was married with children when he claimed to have fathered Hunter's child," which does not make any sense to us whatsoever. Apparently, he operates under the same moral code as Edwards, and that is nothing to be proud of.
Why do we forgive politicians so easily when they behave so horrendously? Governors, senators, members of congress, and even presidents engage in completely dishonorable behaviors, and all it seems they have to do is follow the "accepted script" and their careers continue to move forward. ("Why Are Some Politicians Forgiven In Sex Scandals?") Leonard Steinborn, an American University political communications professor, asserts that when it comes to damage control, "the wife's forgiveness is very important. [ . . . ] He has to apologize. He has to repent. That is this Calvinist framework that our society works under when crises hit." If this is true (and it appears to be), then our society needs a new "framework" because the one we are operating under (however you coin it) is utterly flawed: It lets dishonest, cheating politicians off the hook, pressures their wives to stay with them, and demeans their offices and positions.
Furthermore, why do politicians' wives, such as Elizabeth Edwards, stay with their unfaithful husbands? Commentators on Showbiz Tonight speculate that Ms. Edwards is staying with John Edwards because of her ongoing battle with breast cancer, noting that she has much more important things to deal with than his cheating. (Watch "Wife Deals With Edwards' Affair") We feel very badly for her, and while this may indeed be her reasoning, we believe that by staying with him, she is not treating herself with the respect she deserves.
Magna Sententia means respecting only those who earn it, which does not include dishonest politicians who are embroiled in sex scandals. Yes, the right thing to do is often the most difficult, but only when we openly admit our wrongdoings can we move forward in redeeming ourselves.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others Respectfully
And Respecting Only Those Who Earn It
It goes without saying that rapper Kanye West, the self-described "voice of this generation," has an insufferable ego. We had hoped that after South Park's "Fishsticks" episode aired back in April, he would finally get a grip on reality and his arrogant, just plain disgusting attitude, as he claimed he would on his blog. (To read his exact response, please see "Kanye West Admits To Getting 'Murdered' By 'South Park,' Promises To Deflate Ego.")
Apparently not.
This Sunday at the MTV Video Music Awards, 19-year-old country singer "[Taylor] Swift was in the midst of her acceptance speech for Best Female Video when [. . .] West rushed onstage, grabbed her microphone and let loose an outburst on behalf of singer Beyoncé Knowles, who had lost out in that category." ("MTV Awards: West Disrupts Swift's Speech; Tribute To MJ") You almost have to see it to believe it:
In stark contrast to West, Knowles graciously handled the situation and tried to make up for what was in no way her fault: After winning Video Of The Year, the biggest award of the evening, she did not use the time allotted for her acceptance speech. Instead, she "invited Swift onstage and gave the teen singer her moment in the spotlight."
One of the tenets of Magna Sententia is to respect only those who earn it, and when undeserving celebrities like Kanye West show such a lack of respect for others, we must vote with our dollars.
The music industry should really blacklist West for his pitiful behavior, but if they don't (and it doesn't seem likely), perhaps he would act better if he laid off the pre-show Cognac.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others Respectfully
And Respecting Only Those Who Earn It
The goal of Magna Sententia is to unify our country with the common values of responsibility, respect, and realistic expectations, values that every citizen can get behind despite our differing backgrounds, religious beliefs, and political affiliations. Hulk Hogan's comments in the latest edition of Rolling Stone present the perfect opportunity for us to examine one of the key elements of Magna Sententia's Axiom of Respect, respect only those who earn it.
Using his status as a professional wrestling star, Hulk Hogan has leveraged his vivacious personality into numerous television and film roles, product endorsements, restaurants, as well as a variety of other business ventures. He has been so successful that many consider him an American icon, and it would be almost impossible to find someone in this country who does not at least recognize his face.
Undoubtedly, it is easy to think that we all know him, even though we really don't. Just like many celebrities today, Hogan is "respected" by the American public for superficial qualities that have nothing to do with his real character (what we refer to as "surface attributes and public actions").
In the Rolling Stone interview, Hogan said this about his nasty divorce from his wife, Linda:
"I could have turned everything into a crime scene like O.J., cutting everybody's throat," [. . .] "You live half a mile from the 20,000-square-foot home you can't go to anymore, you're driving through downtown Clearwater [Florida] and see a 19-year-old boy driving your Escalade, and you know that a 19-year-old boy is sleeping in your bed, with your wife . . . I totally understand O.J. I get it." ("'I Totally Understand O.J.,' Hulk Hogan Tells Rolling Stone")
Does that sound like the "family man" Hogan has presented to the public for the last twenty years? Not to us!
All too often, we respect public personalities in every area of their lives simply because of their surface attributes and public actions. Following Magna Sententia, on the other hand, individuals respect only those who earn it. It is perfectly acceptable to admire people's surface attributes and public actions, but please do not confuse your admiration with respect unless your personal experience with them has shown you that they are worthy of your respect. Just because someone can play football well, act in a box office hit, sell millions of albums, or get enough votes to become President of the United States, it does not mean that we know them well enough to truly respect them.
Let's all take a step back, stop blindly giving our respect away, and start making people earn it!
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others Respectfully
And Respecting Only Those Who Earn It
On March 18, 2009, 45-year-old Jonetta Collinsworth, mother-in-law of NFL running back Ryan Moats, passed away from breast cancer. ("Exclusive: NFL Player Ryan Moats and Wife Talk to 'GMA'") Dreadfully, in a sickening display of unbridled authority, Dallas Police Officer Robert Powell prevented Moats and Collinsworth's father, Earl Johnson, from reaching her deathbed because Moats "reportedly ran a red light while rushing to Baylor Regional Medical Center":
"Moats said he tried to get his family to the hospital as quickly and as safely as he could, using his hazard lights and trying to make drivers around him aware that he had an emergency. 'I didn't run through a red light,' he said. 'I stopped at the red light and I asked for permission of the other drivers to let me go. They saw me with my hazards on so they let me go.'"
Officer Powell pursued Moats to the parking lot of the hospital, and when Moats' wife, Tamishia, exited their vehicle and tried to explain the situation, Powell pointed his gun at her and "yelled at her, 'Get in there, let me see your hands. Get in there. Put your hands on the car.'"
Luckily, she and her aunt eventually managed to escape inside the hospital. However, Powell "with his gun in his hand, refused to let the 26-year-old football player [and Johnson] go inside." Even though "Moats pleaded for understanding" and "a nurse from the hospital and another police officer" explained to Powell that Moats was telling the truth, Powell continued to detain Moats. By the time Powell wrote Moats a ticket and let them go, 13 minutes later, Collinsworth had died.
Yesterday, Powell resigned from the Dallas Police Department, and he can be sure that everyone is glad to see him go. For those following Magna Sententia, Powell is the epitome of an authority figure unworthy of respect. Unfortunately, his actions make all police officers look bad and cast doubt on the very figures our society counts on "to protect and serve," making it more difficult for honorable police officers everywhere to do their job. Additionally, Powell's young family will undoubtedly face public humiliation because of his ugly behavior when only Powell himself is to blame.
It should be mentioned that Ryan and Tamishia Moats continue to handle this horrid situation with a poise and grace that would be beyond most of us. They set an admirable example, one that our society desperately needs.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others Respectfully
And Respecting Only Those Who Earn It
Early last Sunday, "pop star" Chris Brown allegedly committed domestic violence against his "pop superstar girlfriend" Rihanna. ("Fast Fallout: Chris Brown Ads, Music Pulled") As in all cases of domestic violence, it is sad to think that someone could be so cruel as to physically harm a loved one. In this instance, however, the sadness is magnified: How could a successful, "clean-cut," "wholesome" 19-year-old, who "hate[s]" his stepfather for abusing his mother, beat up his beautiful, talented, and equally successful girlfriend, leaving her injured and alone in a Los Angeles park at 12:30 in the morning?
While stars are coming out to support both Rihanna and (shockingly) Brown (note to Terrence Howard and Rapper T.I.: how could you support someone who beats up his girlfriend?), this situation is a prime example of why Magna Sententia dictates that you respect only those who earn it.
To many, Chris Brown was "like the all-American guy." "He sang hit songs ('Kiss Kiss,' 'Forever'), danced circles around the competition (with moves comparable to those of Usher and Michael Jackson) and made inroads into the acting world ('The O.C.' and 'Stomp the Yard')." While these are all admirable surface attributes, they are not indicative of his character.
Perpetrators of domestic abuse should be severely punished, and if found guilty, so should Chris Brown. Many times, prosecutors find it difficult to adequately punish abusers because their victims refuse to cooperate. For this and many other reasons, it is extremely irresponsible for Terrence Howard to say, "Chris is a great guy. He'll be all right. And Rihanna knows he loves her." Because Howard cannot know that Brown didn't do this, his remarks essentially condone Brown's alleged behavior. Sorry, but love doesn't leave you in the hospital, and any woman with an ounce of self-respect knows this.
We cannot overlook detrimental behavior as a society just because someone happens to be famous. We cannot overlook detrimental behavior as individuals just because we love someone.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, please seek assistance immediately. There are many safe houses throughout our country that can help you escape your abuser. (The number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which is open 24 hours a day in all 50 states, is 1-800-799-SAFE[7233].) You deserve better - and so does Rihanna.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of The Magna Sententia Weblog
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
