I was distractedly listening to CNN while cooking up some holiday goodies Monday night when I heard the President dealing with the immigration hecklers in San Fransisco.   Apparently he was there to talk about immigration and many standing behind him  as he spoke were members of an immigration advocacy group.  One or two began to shout, asking him to exercise his executive powers to help their cause.  Many began to chant.  He took it in stride.

I understand their passion for their cause.  But he is the President.   On the other hand when will those folks ever again get this close to someone they believe can fix their problem?  So they chose to make a statement.   Were they brave?  Or were they stupid?

I have an issue I feel the same passion for.  I have often wished that I could just sit down with someone as powerful as the President and explain things, ask for help.  But I’m sure I could never, ever, heckle him at a public function.  Protest outside the venue perhaps, but never to his face, never interrupt his speech.  In fact I don’t think I could interrupt any public official’s speech.

So I’ve been thinking about this.  Thinking about the public officials I’ve met, the ones  I’ve asked politely to help us in our cause.  Thinking about how little progress I’ve made.  Wondering just what exactly it would take for me to be brave enough to demand that help publicly, even rudely.  Maybe polite doesn’t work.  But who knows if rude works either.

What about you?  Do you have something that matters enough to you that you’d heckle the President of the United States?  Do you think it was brave of them?  Or stupid?

I’m undecided.