Incivility

Dan Rather has decided that he is no longer interested in unbiased journalism. He is now 100% left and anything done by the right is an abomination. He published a document with his definitions of incivility and of course, it only pointed out the opposing side’s negative behaviors.

So, while I certainly don’t agree with everything that is happening under the current guard, (and I try very hard not to be a “whatabouter”) I thought that perhaps if I changed a few words I could make a point. Both sides are sorely lacking in civility. Both sides are doing only what suits their needs and damn those that dare see things differently.

I don’t agree with everything my party does, and you don’t have to either. It is possible for a Republican to be pro-choice. It is possible for a Democrat to want stricter immigration controls. Even as a Libertarian, I understand that some level of taxation is necessary to have a functional government.

Maybe once we have pointed out the bad things as seen by each side, we can begin to find ways to seal the divide and get to work solving the issues facing America and not just screaming and yelling.

All I ask is that you read these points from both sides with an open mind and ask yourself if many are not equally true…and potentially disturbing. Just because they work to support your side of the issues, doesn’t make them excusable.

The entirety of Dan Rather’s post:

“President Trump and the GOP bemoaning a lack of civility is a hypocritical farce. It spurs an almost uncontrollable bout of forehead slapping in disbelief.

But let’s be clear about what incivility really looks like:

Incivility is lying to impugn the citizenship of the first African American president.

Incivility is threatening and mocking reporters and attacking the First Amendment protections of our free and independent press.

Incivility is destroying the environment and ignoring climate change.

Incivility is countenancing corruption and venality in the highest reaches of the White House and its cabinet.

Incivility is our government’s response to Puerto Rico.

Incivility is undermining a merited investigation by respected law enforcement officials and maligning the notion of an independent judiciary.

Incivility is cozying up to dictators and attacking our allies and friends.

Incivility is ripping children – even those too young to know their parent’s name – from immigrants legally claiming asylum.

Incivility is endeavoring to have millions of Americans lose their health insurance.

Incivility is creating a false equivalence between Nazis and counter protesters.

Incivility is using peaceful dissent from NFL players as a pretense for stirring the deep waters of racial injustice.

Incivility is using Twitter to lie and bully.

Incivility is just having the pathology to constantly lie in the first place.

Incivility is gas lighting your fellow citizens on issues big and small.

Incivility is trying to bar entry to the United States on account of religion.

Incivility is ignoring science and reason.

Incivility is trying to run roughshod over our constitutional protections.

These are but a few of the real incivilities that plague our moment in history. They are the actions of a man and his enablers who feel no compunction about destroying the bonds that have held this improbable nation together. We will only succeed if we have a civil society. And anything or anyone who attacks that cherished American ideal must be considered… uncivil.”

My response:

“Dan Rather commenting on a lack of civility is a hypocritical farce. It spurs an almost uncontrollable bout of forehead slapping in disbelief.

Incivility is lying and conspiring to impugn the legitimacy of the election of our sitting American president.

Incivility is threatening and attacking the Second Amendment protections of our right to bear arms and those who support it.

Incivility is utilizing the press to push a biased and skewed version of events to serve your party’s interests.

Incivility is countenancing corruption and venality in the highest reaches of the DOJ.

Incivility is hoping for the outright failure of the current administration, even if it costs all Americans.

Incivility is purposely stretching an investigation in an attempt to gain party votes for mid term elections.

Incivility is accepting when one president allows a terrorist regime to temporarily suspend its nuclear programs while also supplying them with spendable cash to get around their sanctions yet condemning the next president for attempting a peaceful resolution while accepting nothing less than total disarmament.

Incivility is using the pain of children of illegal (funny that word always gets left out) immigrants as pawns in a game of politics when more than 2,000 American children die every year at the hands of abusive parents.

Incivility is endeavoring to have millions of Americans forced to pay for the insurance of others.

Incivility is creating a false equivalence between Nazis/Fascists and Republicans.

Incivility is telling people of color that thinking or believing anything different than what the left feeds them is counterproductive for all people of color, stirring the deep waters of racial injustice.

Incivility is attempting to bully institutions into denying speakers because they have differing viewpoints.

Incivility is just having the pathology to constantly lie in the first place.

Incivility is misleading your fellow citizens on issues big and small.

Incivility is trying to allow unlimited illegal entry to the United States to pander for votes.

Incivility is smashing evidence with a hammer.

Incivility is trying to run roughshod over our constitutional protections.

These are but a few of the real incivilities that plague our moment in history. They are the actions of a party and their enablers who feel no compunction about destroying the bonds that have held this improbable nation together. We will only succeed if we have a civil society. And anything or anyone who attacks that cherished American ideal must be considered… uncivil.”

Perhaps we can look at some of these and understand why each side sees so much fault in the other. Instead of behaving like six year olds (though I know some pretty fantastic six year olds who behave better than many adults) with the “He touched my sandwich so I drank his juice” sort of arguments, we could look to finding that common ground.

Maybe, just maybe, people like Pelosi could admit that more people having jobs and taking home more money than they were just a few years ago is actually a good thing. If I was anyone making public comments on outcomes of policy today, I would probably ask myself, “How would I respond if this was something my party had put in place?”

Could that lead to policies that build on top of the successes of some of these policies? Is it possible that any administration that comes in could utilize existing successful programs instead of a complete rip and replace?

I don’t know, but I would like to think that we still have the capacity as humans to start working together and listening to one another. Let’s stop assuming that the guy on the other side is an idiot because he voted differently than you. Listen to each other’s opinions, you certainly don’t have to agree…but maybe you will learn something.