The Washington Post wastes more opinion space by allowing Kathleen Parker to pontificate on the relative popularity of civility. Apparently, we’re no more uncivil than any other generation of Americans, but bloggers and social media make us seem so. What we need are more debate teams in our high schools. I kid you not.
Here’s a test. Tell me who is more civil:
Tom DeLay or Steny Hoyer.
Dick Cheney or Al Gore.
Sarah Palin or Joe Biden.
John McCain or Barack Obama.
Newt Gingrich or Nancy Pelosi.
The Tea Party Movement or Organizing for America.
I could go on. I could mention people like Catholic League president Bill Donohue, or Ricky ‘Man-on-Dog’ Santorum, or Reps. Joe Wilson, Steve King, and Michele Bachmann. I don’t think they’re giving out any prizes for civility to Sens. Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn. Unless you’re more interested in Civil War than civil discourse, I don’t think the secessionist-talking governor of Texas will be getting any gold stars. Is it civil to try to introduce legislation demanding to see the president’s birth certificate? This list could become pretty comprehensive.
Dick Lugar is civil. Olympia Snowe is civil. After that, the list of civil Republicans starts coming with caveats. What’s most lacking with Republicans isn’t even civility. It’s honesty. I can’t remember the last time I heard the Republicans issue honest talking points. Their default position is to lie. They lie about evolution and climate science and the budget and what is and is not in proposed legislation. They lie about the color of the sky. How can you have a civil debate with pathological liars? Why would you even try?
Once you understand what “civility” means, it all becomes clear.
To them, civility = “don’t cry out as we date-rape you”.
The Rules Regarding Civility in American political discourse.
It is perfectly civil for republicans to say anything, including lies and slanders about Democrats because they are Real Americans, Believe in Jesus Christ and are Patriots with traditional values. Should Republicans joke about killing Democrats and liberals its all in good fun.
It is uncivil of Democrats to point out these lies and slanders because Democrats are not Real Americans, are Godless atheists, are Traitors, and have no moral values whatsoever. Should Democrats express anger at “Republican jokes” and call it hate speech clearly they are unhinged and have mental health issues, at best. At worst they are simply sociopaths and scumbags intent on depriving Real Americans of their Freedom of Speech.
Hope that clarifies the situation for you.
Hey, let’s not forget Joe “You lie!” Wilson.
I mentioned him.
I don’t want to click on the link because I don’t want to read Kathleen Parker’s drivel. But, did she really suggest high school debate teams? If so, then, ya know what? I agree with her! As I recall the rules in Debate Club, we were not allowed to interrupt, shout our opponent down or simply make shit up. There is no doubt the current crop of Republican politicians and pontificators could have benefited from that training.
Civility is intentionally confused with gentility which is the code of behavior at a tea party at Tara. A bit of a southern sleight of hand. And that’s that. Life is a different matter and Kathleen Parker is really pulling our leg when she pretends otherwise because she’s a multimedia, zippo cosmoplitan, metrosexual sophisticate without equal. So, calling Ann Coulter. Whatever happened to her by the way?
Am I wrong or are BooMan and Steve both hitting harder at those lying hypocrites and pompous Republican turds that so afflict the body politic? Keep up the great work, both of you. Your articles are like a breath of sunshine on a dreary, wintry day.
Their default position is to promote the Party, and support its leading role in the Revolution.
“Truth”, in the old sense of ‘comporting with reality’ is a bourgeois concept and irrelevant in these times.
A statement that advances aims of the Party, the Vanguard of the Revolution, possesses revolutionary Truth, soaring above the old, earthbound dialectical opposites of ‘truth’ and ‘falsehood’.
All power to the Soviets of preachers and bankers!
Truth is Lies. War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery.
It seems pretty clear to me that within the House and Senate there is a disproportionately high percentage of members with serious mental health issues of clinical dimensions.
And the percentage is even higher amongst those on the extreme right and their delusional and denial-based mouthpieces in the media.
For reality-based folks it’s important to understand that these crazies are never going to get it; they’re never going to become rational or show any regard for the facts. Their very positions in the constellation of rightwing zeitgeist demand they remain at least as divorced from truth and reality as they are already. It’s the only card they have to play that gets them attention.
Our job should be to find ways to undermine the mechanisms by which these nuts are able to weaponize the ignorance of others. Sadly, those in congress with influence and authority who are best positioned to undercut the effectiveness of the rightwing cartoon crazies have enough of their own ‘detachment from reality’ problems combined with a surfeit of personal ambition that leaves little room for principle and an embarrassingly strong desire to maintain the pathetically shallow clubbyiness that passes for decorum in congress.