# R. Lee Ermey dissing Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 4, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706 "2012-02-04T00:42:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/21 "2012-02-04T02:56:38Z")
And I’m back with hating him. One must be flexible, as I believe as I think I said it once before: He’s an elderly asshole. He can be fun, but shouldn’t be taken seriously. ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/22 "2012-02-04T02:57:02Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I swear I am getting full blown deja vu about this. > Free speech is free speech, especially political free speech. > I disagree with the self-appointed guardian charade, but as long as he is a citizen I can’t fault him for it. > > Now mind you, I wholly disagree with him, but that is another matter altogether. Did anyone say he wasn’t allowed to say it? To me at least it’s just the inappropriateness of the venue. Not a free speech issue. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/23 "2012-02-04T02:58:37Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > For all we know he was reading from a script; he’s just an actor, like Chuck Norris who’s become a Right Wing hero for some damn reason or another. Script or not, what does it matter? I don’t think backhanding the President was appropriate there. Even though he deserves a few backhands. : ) ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/24 "2012-02-04T03:06:16Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Script or not, what does it matter? I don’t think backhanding the President was appropriate there. Even though he deserves a few backhands. : ) What if it was a Glenn Beck fundraiser for USO & Toys for Tots? Backhanding the President would practically be a requirement. If I hated myself enough to watch that video w/ the sound on I guess I could learn who sponsored it but…I don’t care to. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/25 "2012-02-04T03:18:15Z")
This is over a year old. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/26 "2012-02-04T03:21:36Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > This is over a year old. I just saw it tonight. Your point being…? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/27 "2012-02-04T03:30:03Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > What if it was a Glenn Beck fundraiser for USO & Toys for Tots? Backhanding the President would practically be a requirement. If I hated myself enough to watch that video w/ the sound on I guess I could learn who sponsored it but…I don’t care to. I have no problem backhanding the president. He deserves nonstop backhands if you ask me. I just don’t like the juxtaposition with Toys for Tots, the USO, or the Marines. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/28 "2012-02-04T03:52:41Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > I have no problem backhanding the president. He deserves nonstop backhands if you ask me. I just don’t like the juxtaposition with Toys for Tots, the USO, or the Marines. YMMV. I didn’t ask you and cannot concur that our President is deserving of any ‘backhanding’ (not to mention the implication of physical violence is inappropriate considering the subject). No one here likes the juxtaposition, I’m merely arguing that w/o knowing the venue or sponsors it’s possible that it is more appropriate than it appears to you. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/29 "2012-02-04T03:54:42Z")
Ermey is a massive douche. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/30 "2012-02-04T03:56:45Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I just saw it tonight. Your point being…? Just adding data. Some people may be looking for responses to this outburst and wonder why there aren’t any recent ones. The fact that it happened 13 months ago is relevant. ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/31 "2012-02-04T04:15:21Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Just adding data. Some people may be looking for responses to this outburst and wonder why there aren’t any recent ones. The fact that it happened 13 months ago is relevant. It makes him more of a douche, IMO. Election year, it’s easier to let something like this slide because of the heightened partisanship. In other circumstances it’s massively dickish. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/32 "2012-02-04T04:17:32Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > …so I think we should all rise up and we should stop this administration from what they’re doing because they’re destroying this country. > … That isn’t a call to vote bums out of office, that is a call for unlawful rebellion, implying violence. And he’s not on an FBI surveillance list? Must be because he white. ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/33 "2012-02-04T04:18:19Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > He is a retired DI who played his profession in the film _Full Metal Jacket_. He was medically discharged after about eleven years in the Marines; I don’t think he has retirement status. Also, when he’s addressed by his rank, he’s called a Gunnery Sergeant, but that’s an honorary title and he was discharged as a Staff Sergeant. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/34 "2012-02-04T04:31:52Z")
Isn’t he the guy that made the “reacharound” a part of our popular vocabulary? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/35 "2012-02-04T04:50:55Z")
> [@Fantome](#): > > He was medically discharged after about eleven years in the Marines; I don’t think he has retirement status. > > Also, when he’s addressed by his rank, he’s called a Gunnery Sergeant, but that’s an honorary title and he was discharged as a Staff Sergeant. I thought all DIs were Gunnery Sergeants. What was the medical discharge? I presume it is being shot and not having permission to die. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/36 "2012-02-04T05:12:21Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I thought all DIs were Gunnery Sergeants. No, you have to at least be a Sergeant (E-5). > [@](#): > > What was the medical discharge? It’s not something it’s easy to find info on the internet, so it’s pretty certain it wasn’t for anything heroic. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2012, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/37 "2012-02-05T06:52:04Z")
Well, I’m an outlier, but more than wishing Toys for Tots could be above political sniping, it bugs me that he saluted the crowd. A military salute is not appropriate for a civilian in jeans to a room full of civilians. If he was just some joe blow actor, it wouldn’t bother me, but a former marine know better. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2012, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/38 "2012-02-05T07:32:03Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > So, anyone else militantly unsurprised that a former Marine Corps DI has political views opposed to Obama, and he’s not exactly on board with what the current administration is doing? 😛 That might be unremarkable, but shit like “They’re driving us into bankruptcy so they can impose socialism on us.” is a lot worse than stupid. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2012, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/39 "2012-02-05T07:33:26Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Ermey is a massive douche. The best part of him slipped down the crack of his Mama’s ass and turned into a stain on the sheets. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2012, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706/40 "2012-02-05T07:48:14Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Well, I’m an outlier, but more than wishing Toys for Tots could be above political sniping, it bugs me that he saluted the crowd. A military salute is not appropriate for a civilian in jeans to a room full of civilians. If he was just some joe blow actor, it wouldn’t bother me, but a former marine know better. R. Lee Ermey is a folk hero to Marines. A truly iconic figure. I think he is kind of given a pass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-lee-ermey-dissing-obama/611706.md?page=3)