When you look up the word "ethics" in Google, the first thing that pops up is a box with a dictionary definition. It states that "ethics" are "moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity." When I was a kid back in elementary school, I was told by my 1st-grade teacher, Mrs. Vininski, that we should treat others the way we want to be treated; such is the "Golden Rule."

And yet, for the past three-and-a-half years since AP Government, I have witnessed my share of the worst insults thrown at and by those in the public eye. For years, I have witnessed so many politicians and people of power, representatives of the US government (our government), ones who are supposed to promote the well-being of all Americans in the land of the free and the home of the brave, degrade others and themselves, like eight-graders taunting each other at recess. But the differences between eighth-graders and grown adults are that the adults should know better. The adults should be the ones reinforcing themselves, especially each other, in a professional manner that others may look up to. And yet, that's not really the case and many scenarios.

Take for example Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who back in 2012, tweeted "Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel." So pop question: In this specific scenario, what does it mean to generalize an entire populace of a horrific lie of hatred, animosity, and anger? If you guessed "anti-Semitism," congratulations! Pat yourself on your back! It's unacceptable to stoop down to a level where you have to grovel down to insults and lies just so you can make a point. It's not common courtesy to do deal with agendas, especially coming from a person of political power.

Which brings me to the elephant in the room, our very own President Donald J. Trump. Calling immigrants "drug dealers and racists," insulting Ms. Clinton as "Crooked Hilary," mocking the late Vice President Joe Biden, denouncing many outlets as "fake news" (even though there is much evidence behind their claims, which he denies), and especially sexist remarks to women of "[grabbing] 'em by the pussy," the list goes on, and on, and on, and on. It's deplorable how our President, the leader of our country and the man who is supposed to promote respect and decency, has no filter. The comments he has made about others are disgusting and should not be accepted as okay. Doesn't really help that Melania is running an anti-cyberbullying campaign to the youth, while she is a part of the groups that Trump has bashed in the past (being a female immigrant from Slovenia). And the fact that his (adult) children--Baron Trump excluded from this narrative for obvious reasons--aren't really so great at spelling R-E-S-P-E-CT either. In fact, few months ago, Trump Jr. insulted teachers nationwide by calling them "[losers] that are trying to sell [us] on socialism from birth."

But let's go on something on a lighter note. One thing that I found admirable last week was when Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defended her debating opponent, Bob Inglis, when someone in the audience heckled him as a "moron"; she immediately halted the debate and called him out on their immaturity. It's this sense of maturity that separates adults from man-children, this anger that comes from hearing this kind of dumb shit and acting a keen professional manner.

I hate Twitter, I really do. The only reason why I started one in the beginning was to participate in last year's Coffee Run and get a free t-shirt (no regrets). But it's a platform where many politicians rant on social media like there's no tomorrow or regrets. That being said, it doesn't stop many politicians from being incredibly crass and shady. There's the reality that what is posted on the Internet stays on the Internet forever. And one thing I've learned about one thing social-media savvy Americans will do to politicians is to scroll down pages of posts spanning years of development and find the most controversial out of the bunch to identify a really insincere person. It's the satisfaction of exposing the truth that many Americans find appealing.

So in other words: don't be racist. Don't be misogynistic or misandristic. Don't be homophobic or transphobic either. Be respectful of other religions and creeds. Politicians should be respectful leaders who should strive for what's best for all Americans, not be disrespectful in the worst manners possible.

In the words of AOC, "Let's debate, not debase."