Patriotism Trumps Protocol

Captain America is usually so cooperative with and respectful of those he interacts with--whether they be S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, or his fellow Avengers, or those in various branches of the military, or ordinary civilians--that it's a little shocking sometimes to see him become cranky, or lose his temper, or throw his weight around. Jack Kirby's Cap worked fluidly with both civilians and figures of authority, while John Byrne's Cap tackled his missions calmly and kept a clear head--and the film version of Captain America seems generally unflappable. As a result, we're not used to seeing Cap ride roughshod over others, and it's a little disconcerting when he does.

For instance, I wasn't thrilled that Cap thinks that "Captain America" doesn't need to bother with an appointment or a waiting room--or politeness:

And he certainly doesn't need to ask to see someone, when a demand will do. After all, might makes right, when you're Captain America:

SHIELD particularly rubs Cap the wrong way, since they're not crazy about the latitude he feels he's due within the organization:

(Granted, this loudmouth needs to be on a leash. I don't think you need to use the butt of your weapon to arrest a helpless prisoner.)

But let's not stop with one guy. Let's make sure every SHIELD agent either backs off--or bows, right, Cap?

Y'know, Cap, would it hurt you to occasionally wear that badge that Fury once gave you? Not every agent realizes you have carte blanche when you're at SHIELD H.Q.:

But, let's try other branches of authority, where a crisis situation is in play. Why bother reaching for your Avengers Priority card, when you can just blow off the ranking officer in charge, in front of his men?

And if you're feeling the need to explain yourself, doing so after you've escalated the situation is a little condescending, isn't it?

Or, put another way: What would you be telling any Avenger who acted like you just did?