The Lack of Civility

Thinking back over the past year, and on the events in Tuscon, AZ this weekend, I found myself reflecting back over some things I wrote this summer. We don’t yet know the motives of the deranged mind of Jared Loughner — but whatever they were, we need to heed this wake up call about the tone of the political debate in this country. Talk of 2nd Amendment remedies, and bullseyes on websites targeting members of Congress, are the kinds of inflammatory rhetoric and free speech that if not tempered, will likely lead to more political violence and represent a real threat to our democracy and our way of life.

Below are my thoughts from the beach this summer. The only thing that has changed is that the murders in Tuscon have brought us a step closer to the political abyss. Let’s hope we as a nation take this opportunity to take a step back.

For my family, a week at the beach has become the vacation of choice. As our family vacation comes to a close this week in Myrtle Beach, SC, I have been wondering what it is that makes our time at the beach so special. We come as a family to the beach without any cares. Thrown in with hundreds of other families, everyone is here for similar reasons, mostly to relax and unwind. We come from all over the country, often from many lands around the globe. All are welcome and there is virtually no conflict between individuals of every race, religion, age, and background.

I find myself thinking about the mess we are in here in America. And I fear the reason we are in such turmoil as a nation is that we’ve lost something very important. Something that can still be found here at the beach. Above all there is tolerance. No one is looking for someone to vilify – or if they are, they are keeping it to themselves. You almost never hear people talking politics at the beach, or if you do, it seems always to be the kind of civil discussion that leaves everyone smiling and respectful of one another.

When you think about it, there is less and less civility in our public discourse. It’s a shame because the issues that are before us as a nation are indeed weighty. We should be fully engaged in discussions about war and peace, our social contract, how best to educate our children, and how to regain our competitive edge in an increasingly interdependent and competitive world. Unfortunately, what we see more and more is angry, hostile, and disrespectful name calling and vilification. This is not the way a great nation manages its affairs. It’s the way a declining nation behaves. With any luck, we will come to our senses as a nation, and return to the kind of civility that our times require.