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Our president has never seemed more of an exasperated dad than at yesterday's LGBT rights reception at the White House. An invited guest heckled Obama during his speech, and he was having none of it. Not while the guest was eating his hors d'oeuvres, anyway.
"No no no no no no no," Obama said wearily, but with a smile, from his podium when the heckler wouldn't stop shouting. "You're in my house." But the protester persisted. "You know what?" Obama said. "It's not respectful when you get invited to somebody... [interruption] You're not gonna get a good response from me by interrupting me like this. I'm sorry."
And then he added a "Shame on you." There was also finger wagging.
No need to be sorry, Mr. President. We get it -- because we say this to our kids all the time. "Child, this is MY house, and you will live by our family's rules!" "Son, we speak respectfully to each other in this family." "Sweetie, if you want me to help you, you're going to have to ask me nicely." That's what this little moment reminded me of.
More from The Stir: 10 Ways to Stop Saying 'I'm Sorry' All the Time
The heckler, Jennicet Gutiérrez, was finally escorted out -- she was a trans woman and undocumented immigrant from Mexico who wants to bring attention to abuses carried out by immigration officials. And while I think Obama was completely justified in scolding her, I also know that being polite is rarely the most effective tactic for an activist.
For the record, Obama later said he has no problem with hecklers, "but not while I'm up in the [White] House." He added, "My attitude is, if you're eating the hors d'oeuvres ... and drinkin' the booze ... anyway, where was I?"
It is unconfirmed if Gutiérrez was actually eating the hors d'oeuvres and drinking booze at the reception. But I would think a glass or two of bubbly might give you a little extra courage to yell in the middle of a White House reception.
You guys. Can't Obama get through a nice speech and reception without you kids pulling these shenanigans? SIGH.
See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.
How many times have you said something similar to your kids?
Image via YouFirstNews/YouTube
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