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It’s the office that’s important

One of the great freedoms we enjoy as Americans is the right to disagree with our politicians. If you need a reminder, all you have to do is ask our current president, Donald J. Trump, or the last two men who held the office before him, Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

And, while your perception of whoever the current occupant of the White House at any given time is certainly determined by where you fall on the political spectrum, we ask that you take a moment to reflect on the presidency itself.

Today is Presidents Day, and it should be a chance to reflect, to honor and to give thanks. It should be an opportunity to remember that while our president changes every four or eight years, our democracy continues to set a standard that is the envy of the rest of the world. The office itself serves as testament to the peaceful transfer of power and to the symbol of leadership that resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C.

The holiday is the combination of days that originally had been set aside to honor Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but has become much more — it’s a chance to remember each of the individuals who has held the office, and the sacrifices they and their families have been willing to make to ensure our country’s institutions continue to function in an orderly manner.

That’s something that we all too easily take for granted, especially in an age when constant criticism has become the norm.

Despite what some might think, the office of the presidency has great power and respect, and is the first place the rest of the world turns to in times of crisis.

We have just come through one of the most divisive political campaigns in recent history, yet we should remember that the system worked — votes were cast, Trump was elected in accordance with the rules our Founding Fathers established when they wrote the Constitution and he took office on Jan. 20, surrounded by living former presidents and many others, including Hillary Clinton, whom he defeated in November.

It’s a reminder that the office and what its stands for always has been bigger than any person who has ever held it, and stronger than any person or group who has ever attacked it.

That’s the lesson we hope everyone learns today.

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