Was there group disrespect for the president?

[spotbird]

There seemed to be some sort of narcotic administered to the students at West Point. Even after the event some pretended to yawn, and during the speech many pretended to be asleep. Is there no respect for the chain of command anymore?

[polichick]

1. Maybe they were bummed out by the message. nt

[valerief]

2. I think the president disrespected America by escalating war. nt

[debbierlus]

15. +100

[Bluebear]

3. They were envisioning their future. nt

[HipChick]

7. That's what they chose

[Bluebear]

16. nice

[JVS]

26. Let them eat MREs

[flvegan]

4. Not a bright future as cannon fodder. Why respect the words?

[babylonsister]

5. I heard several rounds of cheers. Did you? nt

[MissDeeds]

6. Maybe the real question is

"Is there no respect for the troops anymore?"

[polichick]

13. That really is the right question! nt

[Sukie]

8. These are young folks who are up at 5 in the morning.

They were literally tired. Nothing more, nothing less.

[itsrobert]

18. more likely 4am

They had to get their studies, details, fitness in and on top of that get ready for the President. Everything had to be perfect.

[JimWis]

28. I agree Sukie. For them it is like 4 years of boot camp. I remember

in boot camp. Every time you got to sit down, which was rare, you had to work hard not to doze off. These cadets have been going hard all day. Simple as that.

[HarveyDarkey]

9. Didn't watch it, just listened

so I missed the visuals. Wasn't impressed by what I heard.

[imdjh]

10. I'm thinking that those who nodded out will be spoken to on the subject of respect...

... as soon as the video is reviewed. But I don't think it was deliberate. I think it's late in the day for these folks, the room is probably warm, and they probably nodded out. I would under those circumstances. When I start nodding, it's all over.

[Captain Hilts]

11. They're run ragged this time of year. They yawned through GWB at a speech too. nt

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kitkat65]

20. Then they must have seen right through Bush and Cheney, right? n/t

[TwilightGardener]

23. You're arguing with a tombstone.

[kitkat65]

31. Yeah, I figured it was coming, it was so obvious.

Buh-bye, huh?

[Walk away]

27. They spent eight years being duped by an idiot.

I'm sure they are nice kids but honestly.....

[sharesunited]

14. Do you know when reveille sounds at the Point? Those kids are pooped!

[CTyankee]

17. Why does nobody seem to think this is serious business, requiring serious thought and

meditation? I thought they were serious, that's all, except for a very few who sat on their hands and did not applaud some of Obama's points.

It was a somber moment. I think Obama set the stage very seriously and appropriately. I await further elaboration...

[Lost-in-FL]

19. West Point.

These cadets are awake from almost 4am to 10pm 6 days a week non stop. They are usually getting ready to go to bed about this time.

[C_Lawyer09]

21. I was absolutely floored

At least five cadets sleeping? The President of the United States! Commander in Chief! Sleeping?! I hope they get their bags smoked! I even saw a Colonel going nighty night. Never saw anything remotely similiar. You'd think they just finished a three day patrol, unbelievable.

[gateley]

22. I posted elsewhere that some of them looked bored -- I didn't realize some

were feigning sleep.

Contrast those faces to those full of excitement and hope on the people to whom he usually speaks. Granted, war is horrific and not something to get excited and hopeful about, but honestly -- they looked like my classmates and I looked when we were forced to attend some school function.

Especially being in the military, I think I would have been hanging on his every word to try to understand the reasoning and desired outcome, whether or not I agreed with the escalation.

I just don't know what to think. :shrug:

[C_Lawyer09]

29. Unprecedented

I've never seen anything remotely close to that display. You make a great point, and then of course there is military bearing, discipline, respect. I'm absolutely dismayed. West Point, the supposed cream of the crop. I was part of a Battalion formation listening to Colin Powell in the 1990's. Ninety percent of the formation was finishing up a three day Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise. Half of those had been up for 36+ hours conducting Joint Airdrop Equipment Inspections and pulling malfunction duties on several of the Fort Bragg drop zones. I didn't see a person nod. I'm dismayed.

[Hannah Bell]

32. i'd bet servicepeople have nodded off at pres speeches before.

i think what's unprecedented is the camerapeople chose to go to those folks.

[lies and propaganda]

24. "Hey, yall MIGHT DIE."

Now, what dont you like about my speech? look alive people!

[xchrom]

25. this OP and #22 have got to be

some of the weirdest i've read on DU.

WHAT THE FUCK -- THEY WORK HARD, HARD, HARD ALL DAY -- THEN THEY HAVE TO LISTEN TO SOME POLITICIAN AND PUT ON AN ACT FOR YOU?

oy.

[Adsos Letter]

30. Spot on.