What happened to the word RESPECT?

A shameful incident happened yesterday while President Arroyo was giving her inspirational speech in a graduation ceremony in Cavite. It seemed that a certain student named Maria Theresa Pangilinan didn’t believe that Mrs. Arroyo’s speech would be inspiring, so in the middle of the talk, she suddenly stood up and shouted "Oust Gloria!" while holding a banner "No to ChaCha!"

It was shameful because Pres. Arroyo obviously got shocked and irritated. That was such an insult coming from a young graduate in a public setting. It is entirely different from the protests and rallies happening in the streets, because this time, it was quite very personal, and utterly surprising.

It was also shameful because it shows that we don’t have respect for our leaders anymore. Or perhaps for people, in general. If someone can do something like that to the President, then someone can do that to anybody.

While I did not vote for Pres. Arroyo during the last election, I give her my sympathy for what happened. I believe there is a right time and a right place for everything. What the graduate did was, for me, totally uncalled for.

Then again, what happened to the word RESPECT?

Anyway, I think respect is also what these people need. Give it to them.