In the ”60s, a very prominent actor came into his own becoming the leading actor of that decade and remained very popular throughout his acting career. Sidney Poitier was the first black actor to win the Academy Award for Lead Actor in a Motion Picture (1963) with his portrayal of handyman, Homer Smith, in the highly acclaimed movie, “Lillies of the Field.” He followed that up with three outstanding performances in 1967 starring in “To Sir with Love,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “In the Heat of the Night.” It was his character in “In the Heat of the Night” that allowed reprisals in two sequels in the ’70s, one titled “They Call Me Mr. Tibbs.”

I recall that title whenever I hear anyone refer to a person who carries a title by only their last name. Growing up, we were taught to have respect (without having to agree) for people, but also to have respect for the positions people held, or the title that they held. I’ve just begun living in my seventh decade on this earth and I still see my old dentist out and about from time to time and call him, “Doc.”

I have always referred to priests as “Father,” nuns as “Sister,” police officers as “Officer,” and persons who were my superiors in certain situations (unless they told me otherwise), which I may have been in, as “Sir,” or “Ma’am.” It is out of respect for what they have achieved, whether I like them or not, or agree with them or not, I should respect the office or position they hold, especially when there are so many who choose not to put themselves out there to do the jobs, or hold the positions mentioned here.

When I substitute teach and leave my end of the day report, I often address the teacher I filled in for as Miss, Mrs., Ms., or Mister even if these educators are younger than my own children, which many of them are.

When I was in the classroom, there were times when I was called by my first name by parents. I had no problem with that, if I knew that person before our relationship as parent and teacher took place, or if I told that person to call me by my first name. I always referred to parents as Miss, Mrs. Ms., or Mister, if I was talking to them, unless of course, they told me to call them by their first name, and I was only comfortable with that if, I knew that person very well through interaction in the classroom (often times, the same people volunteer and you get to know them better) or we have met somewhere in the bleachers of athletic fields, or in the seats of auditoriums at concerts, or at tables near each other at local restaurants. Quite often, I stayed with the Mister, Mrs. Ms., or Miss though.

Since I’ve grown older, I’ve always tried to refer to people in places which I feel are important by their position and their name. I wouldn’t think of calling a person in charge of something, or the holder of an office, or a person in a position, by just their last name, and I don’t particularly like it when someone does it to me, especially parents and even students, and that happens a lot more than some people think. Our president is not Obama, he is Mr. Obama, or President Obama, or Mr. President. (And the same went for President Bush (both of them), President Clinton, and on back to President Washington.) Whether some like him or not, whether some agree with him or not, as citizens of this country, it’s my opinion that we need to respect the office and the position and address or discuss the person in that position and/or office respectfully.

At one point in the movie “A Few Good Men,” Jack Nicholson’s character, emphatically asked Tom Cruise’s character to refer to him as “Colonel,” and said that he thought he had earned that respect. Then his character said something a bit disrespectful to the judge hearing the trial, and the judge told him (Nicholson’s character) that he should refer to him (the judge) as “Sir,” or “Your Honor,” because he thought he had earned it. In my mind, President Obama has earned the respect of the title, just because he has stepped up to take on the responsibility of serving in that position. Is he perfect? No. Has everything he has tried been successful? Again, No. Is (are) the person (or persons) criticizing him perfect? I dare say, no. Have everything the criticizers tried in their lives been successful? Again, I dare say, no.

I think, looking back, you’ll find flaws with every president we’ve ever had, but doesn’t that say every one of them was human? Why do we think that everyone is going to be perfect? I’m a local baseball official. I’ve umpired games from Little League all the way up to college in my many years as an official. I see, now, where Major League Baseball has expanded instant replay. I don’t like that proposal, as it takes away the human element from the game. Players don’t always play perfectly, coaches and managers don’t always coach and manage perfectly, but, to many, it usually comes down to an official’s call that costs a team the game. Officials don’t favor one team over another. They don’t go into a game or contest with a vendetta against a player, coach or team. They go out there and try to do the best job they can do, and yes they make mistakes. But too many people like playing the Blame Game.

Human beings make mistakes. Presidents are human beings, therefore, presidents make mistakes. They’re not perfect. Do we wish they wouldn’t make mistakes … of course, but bottom line is, they make mistakes like everyone else does.

They’re human beings, just like players, coaches, managers, umpires, complainers and criticizers, in other words, all of us. If you want to be referred to with respect and by your title, rather than just your last name, and have earned the right to be addressed that way, then Do Unto Others … And to you Mr. President, if someone refers to you by just your last name, you have the right to stand up and come back with, “They call me, Mr. Obama.”