Pleeeeeaze.

President Donald Trump made an appearance at an event not scripted to be a worship service – of him – and he got booed, lustily and heartily, by thousands.

Rude?

Come on.

He also had to endure chants of “lock him up, lock him up” from the crowd at the World Series game between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros.

Disrespectful?

Give me a break.

Is contemplating the notion of disrespect actually possible when speaking about a man who stood and smirked at campaign rallies while his fans chanted “lock her up, lock her up” about Hillary Clinton?

Short answer: No.

Some commentators expressed dismay at the booing. Some expressed sadness. Some commentators actually expressed surprise that Trump was booed. Fox's Dana Perino said, "I never thought he would get booed. I thought Americans won't do that, Americans would cheer."

Booing is a free speech tradition

I, in turn, can only express dismay, sadness and surprise that such guilelessness exists among any of my brothers and sisters in the media.

Back in the day I would go every year during spring training to Scottsdale Stadium, find a cozy spot in the lawn behind the left field wall and boo Barry Bonds.

Not because of the steroid accusations. (Not at first, anyway.) But because he left the Pittsburgh Pirates for the San Francisco Giants.

This all changed one spring when my son was a little boy and a few of his buddies came along with us to a game, and while the kids were leaning over the left field fence (the playing field is recessed) Bonds came over to them and had a friendly little chat, thrilled the kids and … ruined everything. For me.

He was no longer a player I could boo, although other fans did not share my opinion.

As is their right.

The president himself supported the football fans who relentlessly booed quarterback Colin Kaepernick for taking a knee during the national anthem in the name of social justice.

All manner of individuals in all manner of professions have been booed, including presidents.

Hoover, Truman and Bush were booed

It is almost a rite of passage for a president to be booed at a ballpark. It has happened for generations. Herbert Hoover. Harry Truman. Each of the presidents Bush. Barack Obama.

Of those in my lifetime, I don’t recall any whining about rudeness or lack of respect. Now, it’s possible – even likely – that none of those previous presidential Bronx cheers came close to approaching the decibel levels of the divisive catcalls Donald Trump and his minions in the luxury box (including Arizona’s own full-time presidential lackey Republican Rep. Andy Biggs) pretended not to hear.

That’s just how it is.

I’ve worked a long time at a job for which I regularly receive some level of sneering jibes, taunts, condemnations and profanity-laced tirades.

When asked if such things bother me I point to some words of wisdom spoken by Hall of Fame outfielder Reggie Jackson.

He said, "Fans don't boo nobodies."

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.