What Ever Happened to
Civility? March 27, 2008
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates
I selected the above illustration
of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates to head this blog because for me it represents
a now long lost gentility that was the epitome of the dialogue of democracy.
Abraham Lincoln and Steven Douglas were as diametrically opposed as any
two politicians could be. However, while their opposition to the
other's contra view was always sharply expressed, they remained courteous
and countered each other alternately on a point for point basis.
I consider myself engaged
in a lifetime study of American Politics including my college major of
Political Science. I have read goodness knows how many political
themed books, including the complete “Making of the President” series by
Theodore H. White. Obviously the fluid dynamics of our political
process intrigues me.
Consequently it should
be no surprise that I have likewise always been fascinated by the ebb and
flow of our political dialectic and as far back as I can recall the tone
and nature of any partisan exchange was always based on civility.
Regretfully that is no longer the case. Gentility, refinement, and etiquette
have been replaced by vulgarity, boorishness and bad manners.
Alas and alack, I fear
civility may be dead!
My sense of when the tone
changed may well be marred by my ideology, but ever since the rise of the
“Neocons” (neoconservatives) in the 1980’s the tone and timbre of the political
dialogue is now drastically discourteous. Maybe it’s my flawed
perception but when one of the adversaries cannot provide evidence to support
their contention, substance gives way to cacophony and the voice-over volume
intensifies.
I have identified the
masters of this phenomenon from the news-talk shows on Fixed News as well
as CNN and MSNBC. A oft seen representative of the starboard
side is Brad Blakeman (Republican Strategist), and daily you can count
on this talking head (and others too numerous to list) to perform yet another
act of insolence. Reader, please note, this rant is not being written
to solely demonize Brad because obviously he is not the only culprit.
Nevertheless he would still get my nomination as the poster child for the
right wing tactic.
I watched Brad Blakeman
versus Chris Kofinis (former Communications Director for John Edwards)
a day or so ago on "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" the MSNBC news-talk program
moderated by David Schuster. The topic was the economy (what else
demands so much oxygen these days?) and Kofinis was trying to make a point
relative to the budget proposed by the Obama Administration. Rather
than offer a single cogent counterpoint or a contrary comparison, or for
that matter any alternative, Blakeman chose to shout down his rival.
Needless to say, Blakeman
with his volume surely overwhelmed the debate with an archetypal fascist
display of shouting down the opposition. Hitler’s brown shirts could
not have done it better! Brad’s recent stint on “1600” afforded yet
another piece of evidence that our dialogue has retreated into the repression
of all opposition, and extreme nationalism truly popularized during the
“Bushie” years!
Perhaps you can agree
with me that each continuing episode of shouting down an opposing viewpoint
provides an ever escalating substantiation of my concern, and surely supports
my verdict that civility is indeed dead!
