No shouting: Congressman out of line, but frustration is personified

A president should be used to opposition -- sometimes it is overt like Wednesday's outburst from a South Carolina congressman during President Obama's speech and sometimes it is just rudeness during appropriate applause periods during a State of the Union address.

And the president handled the inappropriate response from Rep. Joe Wilson with class.

Wilson has since issued an apology -- and he should have -- that was not the place for such a reaction or comment.

But the congressman's reaction represents the passion a lot of Americans feel when it comes to health care reform and whom they can trust to give them the real story about what it will mean to them -- and what it will cost.

And in some sense, we should be glad this issue has pushed so many who might not otherwise have become involved in a debate about the future of their country to take notice -- no matter which side they are on.

If more Americans paid attention to decisions that are being made in Washington, perhaps there would be more accountability on the part of the people who represent them and not quite so much distrust when it comes time to make some tough decisions.

Wilson might not have had his finest moment Wednesday, but his passion and boiling over distrust are what are being expressed in many homes across this nation.

And if the health care debate is going to move forward, someone has to acknowledge those feelings of the citizenry -- and listen to their concerns.

Otherwise, it is really is back to square one.

Published in Editorials on September 10, 2009 10:52 AM