Sep
11
On Civility
September 11, 2009 | 21 Comments
I think we should thank left-wing bloggers, columnists, politicians and other various celebrities for expressing so much concern lately over conservative expressions of “anger” and “incivility.” Their honest concern for our political well-being is truly appreciated, and what better teachers do we have than leftists when it comes to civility, decorum, and truth telling in the public arena.
(And don’t forget this from Al Gore.)
(And speaking of Sarah Palin, let’s just link here for starters.)
Oh, how could I have forgotten:
Update: Welcome Instapundit readers. My first Instalanche – what a treat!
Update (x2): Jay Anderson has shamed me. I forgot about this one.
Comments
21 Comments so far
For examples of leftist politeness, read the comments about Afghanistan on The Daily Kos. Then, read comments on Lucianne or on any other conservative website.
You’ll be hard-pressed to see more profane, blunt, crude comments than those made by the Left.
Of course, they think most conservatives are whackjobs. Speaking of whackjobs, some leftists really do think George Bush or his people wanted 9/11 to happen.
You’ve barely scratched the surface, our Democrats are all complete hypocrites, I believe it’s a party requirement (along with not paying taxes.)
“The real problem is that we’ve got the worst political class in American history.” –Glenn Reynolds
I don’t mind bluntness or even a spirited argument, but when it comes to profanity, obscenities and outright hatred, it ceases to be discourse or conversation. In the past 8 years the left threw off all pretense of civility, after the ultimate loss of the 2000 election left them weeping, wailing and gnashing their teeth.
I don’t even mind when someone points out a lie or fallacy being used by the other side. But when I can tell that the person I’m speaking with is not open to reason and has let his emotions take over from his brain, I consider him a waste of my time.
I don’t like vile and profane name-calling either. Although I can’t be sure I haven’t resorted to name-calling, I don’t use profanity and whatever names I use relate to a person’s vacuousness rather than just general execration of him and hope something bad will happen to him.
Here’s all the reason I need to be uncivil. Especially when Jamie Gorelick is still walking around unquestioned.
I think we need a whole new system. They are both messing up. Too much $$$$ spent. Too many rights for Non-Americans, take from seniors already first time in history no cost of living but both parties will get theirs. They can’t even handle Indian Health and VA Health right now the whole nationNo immigrants or aliens – right they will make them all legal!!!!
For the longest time, I have been wishing that the Right figure out that the Left can dish it out, but cannot take it.
They retreat and whine quickly with the slightest ballsiness from the Right. That is why it was so great when Arnold called them girlie-men.
I think there should be more toughness from the Right. If we believe force was the solution to fight terrorism, then why not use more (verbal) force to fight the leftists here (who are mostly the same thing)?
Civility is not a suicide pact.
Leftists giving lessons on civility is akin to Bill Clinton giving a lecture on marital fidelity.
And then there’s my favorite — Ted Kennedy about Iraq, “Lie after lie after lie after lie.” Which was the lie that gave the lie, if you will.
M
What? You couldn’t find “Judge Bork’s America”?
There’s another typical Dem utube of Rep Pete Stark (see Powerlineblog.com for example to get a link).
What goes around comes around.
While it is refreshing to see the left get its “comeuppance”–it is even more important that we realize that the GOP is hardly disciplined in any sort of constitutional sense, either.
Wilson apologized . . . for telling the truth. Why? That is idiotic! The GOP “McCain’s” things–pretending to be conservative when they do nothing but ply and play the system, which is why he lost so badly to a political neophyte.
BTW–pay very close attention to Billy O’Reilly. He is no constitutionalist, he is an O’Relly-ite. He is MSM trying to act “conservative”–but he is neither. He is just hawking books and hats and floormats.
Pay attention to Ron Paul. He pays attention to the Constitution.
Wilson didn’t apologize for calling Obama a liar, he apologized for rudness, for shouting out, for being like a Democrat.
Agree with DavidT – Wilson apologized for his bad manners in interrupting the President’s address, nothing more. As he should have. There’s no reason for the (mostly) rational people on the center-right to join in the insane hate-fest that the hard left and Democrat Party (but I repeat myself) seems to have become in the last 8 years.
Thanks for all who have stopped by and commented. I am going to try to put up another post with more substantive thoughts if I get a chance this weekend, but a couple of quick hits:
It’s true that we shouldn’t descend into chaos and try to simply out-shout the other side. There is a place for decorum in the political world. That said, the “Oxford debate club” approach to politics is incredibly naive. The other side is playing for keeps and we need people who have stiff backbones.
And I think people have a very romantic idea of how politics used to be carried out in this Nation. At least no one now is dueling or caning people on the floor of the Senate.
“At least no one now is dueling or caning people on the floor of the Senate.”
A pretty good argument could be made that a threat of physical violence could rein in some of the most egregious political behavior and slander. It would also give a decided advantage to those who were superior marksmen–generally speaking that would be the side that supported the 2nd Amendment and not the gun control crowd.
Barney Frank: “CEOs and boards are joined at the hip… CEO’s pick the board.”
I did not know that. I always thought the board was elected by the shareholders and the board then hired the corporate officers. ANd the officers were charged with carrying out the will of the board, as expresed by the shareholders.
Silly me.
I’d like to see a little more give and take like the British Parliamentary system. I sometimes enjoy watching the PM engaged in debate with the other members of parliament.
That said, the “Oxford debate club” approach to politics is incredibly naive. The other side is playing for keeps and we need people who have stiff backbones.
Yes. Why is this so hard to understand for some?
Agreed, Pauli, politics is a contact sport, and if the GOP and conservatives generally have no stomach for a brawl, then they will continue to lose big as too-polite McCain did last election. Obama and his Chitown cohorts view politics as a de facto form of warfare, and have said so on many occasions. leftists often collapse when offered principled resistance with some backbone; they aren’t accustomed to being told “no” and react badly too it. It is a word we ought to acquant them with more often, don’t you agree?