CIVILITY IN AMERICAN LIFE – AND THE LACK THEREOF

This topic has been on my mind pretty much non-stop since the first of the year, and I know I have blogged about it before, but I was forcibly reminded of it recently when I was nearly pushed into traffic by self-absorbed joggers (three different times) on the Las Vegas Strip whilst walking with my sister at 8:30 a.m. on a Friday morning, trying to find a drugstore.

The lack of civility has been skyrocketing since the early 90s when Bill Clinton began his campaign for the presidency, accompanied by the incredibly vicious and unlovely assistance of James Carville and his henchwoman in crime, the ever despicable Hillary Rodham Clinton. And lest one immediately jump forth and accuse me of defamation of character, I would posit that it is merely “definition” of character – or lack thereof.

There is virtually no civility left in political discourse. How can there be when Dr. Howard Dean, is the chairman of the DNC? As he has famously said, “I hate Republicans!” Having said that, his incivility is easily predicted and he never disappoints.

Most political campaigns seem to be going “negative” rather than emphasizing a positive agenda. Why not? The Democrats’ agenda is: “I hate President George W. Bush and all Republicans.” Do they have a POSITIVE plan to deal with the terrorists’ threats against our country? If they do, I haven’t heard it. Do they have a POSITIVE plan to secure our nation’s borders? Again, thunderous silence from the left. Does the left care about anything other than regaining power, thus enabling them to “stick it” to President George W. Bush and Republicans? I can only characterize this as highly dangerous juvenile behavior – and uncivil in the extreme.

It used to be that office holders or potential office holders in this country spoke TO the electorate – not AT the electorate. What’s the deal? Are we chopped liver? Do they assume that we are too stupid to understand their message and thus, they refuse to tell us what it is – other than hatred of the status quo? These people who have called us MORONS since the 2000 election, now feel perfectly secure in asking us to vote for them? Talk about lack of civility! Talk about lack of common sense. Talk about abject stupidity on their part! And yes, that was uncivil – but justifiably so.