Ministers, should they respect the people or the people respect them?
By yusufcarlos
@yusufcarlos (43)
Malaysia
July 9, 2009 11:33am CST
I've had a meeting today with one of the ministers in my country. I had an appointment at 1430 but had to wait more than 2 hours to meet him. First though that came to my mind is, this guy have no respect for people's time.
The personal assistant wasn't even apologetic about me wasting time there. He didn't even offer me a seat or water while waiting.
I had enough and said loud enough for everyone in the room, "Hey, why don't I wait here in the corridor until you have the time to invite me to that empty sofa. Or is that for ministers only sofa?"
When finally I got the chance to talk to him he told me that he had a friend to see soon so we better get this done soon. OK that was the final straw. I told him, I waited for more than two hours to meet up with him and he had damn well listen to what i have to say and the hell to your friend. He can wait two hours like I did. Last I checked i'm a contributor to your salary and in effect I'm your ultimate boss! Hah, he was to stunned to say anything after that.
Anyway, these ministers who we gave the power to be leaders believed they're above the rest of the people and expected the normal people to just follow along or listen to what they say. These ministers must always remember who put them there in the first place and what for. We didn't elect them to be our lords, they should serve us and not ignore us.
Ministers, should they respect the people or the people respect them? I'll only respect ministers who think everyone is equal and did the job well.
3 responses
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
9 Jul 09
Hi, yusufcarlos!
If these people weren't very much self-involved, they wouldn't go through all it takes to be in office. When they do get the position, they seem to forget immediately the days when they were "normal" people. One in my area was sort of like that one day, and I reminded him I had been his teacher in high school, and if he didn't behave better, I'd go back and undo his graduation. Of course, that's not possible and I wouldn't do it if it were, but he got the point. We had a very fruitful discussion. However, since then, his assistant always seems to claim he had an emergency and isn't there, even though we had an appointment. I almost e-mailed him to remind him he'll be up for election again soon, but I know he's well aware of what he does, and I was asking him to deal with something I knew he didn't want to touch!
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
10 Jul 09
That's why it's so important for us all the be involved in politics!
@yusufcarlos (43)
• Malaysia
10 Jul 09
Hello cobrateacher. Yes, i know what you mean. We have politicians here promising the people the stars and moon. And when they're elected they conveniently forget (most probably some rich company dangled a better carrot for him to forget about his promises).
@Swashbuckle (305)
• United States
9 Jul 09
Ministers and preachers are teachers of the Bible. They should be respected to a certain extent but as soon as one does something against the Bible, that's the end of that!
@yusufcarlos (43)
• Malaysia
10 Jul 09
Hello Swashbuckle. Sorry for the confusion, the minister i meant is a politician elected by the people to protect and serve the people who voted for that person. In a way i agree that they should be respected because we don't know how hard or difficult is the job and it is nearly impossible to make everyone a happy camper.
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
9 Jul 09
Good for you for telling him that. These people put themselves up for office to serve the population who elect them so their public duty should take precedence over social arrangements during work time. Respect doesn't come as a perk of their job, they have to earn it like everyone else. It sounds as though both he and his staff treated you with a total lack of common courtesy. The respect should be a mutual thing. (I would have just sat on the sofa anyway)
@yusufcarlos (43)
• Malaysia
10 Jul 09
Hi Wizzywig. Normally i'd just sit as you said, but that assistant's behaviour or indifference got to me. So, I waited for an opportunity to shame him by waiting for a proper number of audience. :)
