Several months ago, I wrote an article about the apparent demise of civility. It was based on the premise that plain old good manners seem to have been left by the wayside. It would appear that the situation is getting worse and not better. That causes me to ask, once again, why?.
Let’s take the Health Care Bill, for example. When did this country sink so low, or get so much of the “I’m right and you’re wrong, and there’s no half way to meet for discussion” attitude? When did we decide it was okay to resort to throwing rocks, sending intimidating email, and leaving threatening voice mail, and the like to our elected officials just because we happen to disagree with the way they voted?
Anna Quindlen wrote in the November 2 issue of Newsweek, “If the American people want the President to be more like the Barack Obama they elected, perhaps they should start acting more like the voters who elected him.” I could not have said it better.
Our country was founded on the principles of voting into office those who would speak for us; those who would follow the direction we told them we wanted. We average Americans have not lost the power of the vote, we’ve just become too lazy to use it. If we don’t like something, let’s change it – not shoot the messenger.
The radical right and the radical left are equally at fault, and the centrist gets criticized for taking the high road. It appears that we can no longer have a conversation and respect someone else’s opinion, it must be our way or we stomp away irate.
Sorry folks, but I have to take issue with this attitude of I’m right and you’re wrong. One thing my parents instilled in me was to never discuss politics or religion with a friend, because chances are the friendship would come to a quick end. Why can we all not accept that opinions are just that – they are opinions – they are not right, nor are the wrong, they are merely thoughts expressed in words. Just because we choose to disagree, does that give you (or me) the right to pull out the gun? Will that settle the problem? OMG, I hope not, because that would mean that things have reached the stage of ultimate chaos. That’s a world I do not want to inhabit.
Please, my friends, the next time you disagree with someone’s words, stop and think about what you may say before you say it. Wouldn’t we have a much better world if we all took the high road and said something to the effect of, “I appreciate your right to your opinion. It’s not the same as mine, but you are entitled to it.” Then politely end the discussion and enjoy your cup of coffee with your friend.
Make sense? I hope so…
