CH-CH_CH-Chia!

If you haven’t been under a rock for the last 20 years, you’ve seen the commercials. They start around Thanksgiving for something called a Chia pet. It is a clay animal figurine, which when wetted down and spread with some kind of seed goo, grows a grass like plant that makes it look like the animal has sprouted a fur coat. Well, lately I have seen a commercial for something called Chia Obama. It is a clay bust, actually two versions, of our President Obama. If you spread the seed goo on it’s head, grass will sprout and “hair” will grow. He appears to grow an afro. Now some will see this as an innovative profit maker and a perfect example of capitalism at it’s best, someone taking an already supposedly successful idea and tweaking it to take advantage of the popularity of our new President. Some, like my husband who is not a fan of our President, think it is funny. Then there are those who love the idea of hope and change and will buy anything with the likeness of their idol. I am sure the makers of this product are hoping to appeal to each of these groups.

Then there is someone like me. I find this product curious and troubling. I find the fact that someone thought of this and then decided it was, in fact, a good idea symbolizes a lack of respect for things most people of my generation used to revere...let's say the office of the President. Now mind you, I didn’t vote for President Obama, and I do not agree with much of what he is trying to accomplish, but I do respect the fact that he is the President. He is the leader of the most powerful nation in the entire world! What does it say to the rest of the world that some of us spend our dollars to choose between a “happy” Obama and a “thoughtful” Obama on which to grow a grass afro?

I thought maybe it was a joke, but I typed in www.chiaobama into my yahoo search engine, and there it was. Try it.

I started thinking and wondering where this attitude of what I consider disrespect all started. For me you can trace this trend back to the old TV series “Laugh In” when Richard Nixon went on and popped out of a door and said “Sock it to me?” Later the downward spiral continues when the Presidential campaign gurus of former President Bill Clinton had him appear on MTV. In a student town hall type gathering, he was asked the question “Boxers or Briefs?” The fact that a young lady asked the question was shameful, but that he answered even more so. He then appeared on Arsenio Hall’s late night talk show playing the saxophone. In the 2008 campaign, Senator Obama appeared on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show as did Senator McCain. Suddenly, it became all right and even desirable for potential Presidents to hawk their candidacy like used car salesmen. Even since being elected I seem to remember President Obama appearing on the Tonight Show. Now this is a show which has Hollywood actors, bad comedians, segments on how completely ignorant average people on the street are, inane skits, and all other means of “entertainment” for the masses. Is this the forum in which we want the world to view our President? Lately, I have seen President Obama in a commercial urging comedian George Lopez to make a move to late night television. I have no idea if this was edited to look like he is there with Mr. Lopez or not, but the result is the same. Our President is in a commercial promoting a comedian…and not a very funny one at that!

My husband would tell me to “Lighten up Frances!” but things like this just irritate me. The office and the man deserve a certain amount of respect. The President is charged with commanding it. In order for that to happen, he must exhibit some sort of reverence for the office himself. Only then will this translate to gaining the respect they deserve from the rest of us. It is President Obama who can change this, and I hope that he does.

Well, well, well, how about that? Maybe there is something to this change and hope stuff after all!