War is the ultimate incivility, the violent breakdown of any ability or willingness to disagree rationally. The world is seeing where that can lead in the insanity and brutality of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Peace-loving nations are watching in horror as Russia’s army, backed by its leader’s threat of a nuclear response if other nations intervene, is demolishing cities and murdering civilians in the pursuit of its leader’s fever dream of reassembling the old Soviet Union.
Madness, we say. Yet many roads may lead to war unless people exercise restraint.
Such restraint was once demonstrated in America by democratically elected representatives who introduced their public disagreements with others by referring to an opponent as “my good friend across the aisle.”
This kind of civility in political speeches sometimes seemed like an old-fashioned flourish suited only for an earlier time. It’s a flourish that elected officials and all Americans need to reclaim in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection in which a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to overturn the presidential election.
Americans must again learn to disagree civilly and to model that behavior for younger generations.
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, is the latest example of a rising tide of incivility in the U.S.
During President Biden’s State of the Union speech this week, she shouted at him as he began to speak about his son, who died from cancer that may have stemmed from exposure to toxins when he served in the military in Iraq and Kosovo.
Democrats responded in kind. They booed her and one shouted, “Kick her out.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, engaged in less visible, but no less uncivil behavior during the same speech. She live-tweeted allegations and objections during Biden’s speech and demanded that he resign.
In another egregious example of unacceptable behavior by an elected official, Idaho Republican Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin last week delivered a pre-recorded speech to a white supremacist group in Florida. The Associated Press reported that she said, “she needs ‘freedom fighters from all over this country that are willing to stand up and fight’ even when that means fighting ‘amongst our own ranks.’”
In 2020, McGeachin was part of a video made to object to restrictions implemented to stop the spread of COVID-19. In it she appeared holding a Bible and a handgun.
Is it any wonder that Idaho elected officials have reported high levels of bullying, harassment and threats through emails, social media and phone calls? Is it any wonder that some have quietly resigned or decided not to run again?
America is unified in decrying the war in Ukraine. We must become unified in stopping incivility in our own nation before it leads us down a road that ends in violence.
Let us return to referring to people with whom we disagree as “my friend across the aisle.” We must ultimately be friendly opponents or risk becoming deadly enemies.
“Our View” represents the opinion of the newspaper editorial board, which is made up of members of its board of directors. Remarks may be directed to editorialboard@mtexpress.com.
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(18) comments
How come we never hear anything from Biden ?
He just delivered the SOTU last week, and is scheduled to speak publicly today. He’s also been a bit tied up lately trying to prevent an apocalypse
The SOTU is a political rally. Why is Biden lying to us about the supply of oil and where we buy it from ? Why would we buy oil from Russia, Venezuaela, Iran or Saudi Arabia ? Why can't the US be energy independent like we were before Biden became president ?
Is The U.S. Energy Independent?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2021/11/14/is-the-us-energy-independent/
AP, no it’s not anymore because Biden destroyed it and is now currently buying oil from Russia
Haha, tied up trying to prevent an apocalypse? What a joke. He cant even prevent chaos in the country he allegedly leads. The world is laughing at him and the American people have no respect for him.
I don’t want to hear democrats complaining about a breach of decorum in the House during a SOTU. When Nancy tore up Trump’s speech she and the rest of the democrats that cheered it lost all morale authority to complain about others in the House.
IME, hold those you agree with ideologically (it’s no secrete you are ideologues) accountable then maybe you’ll have some credibility to write something like this. The truth is, the left doesn’t want bipartisanship or civility. The democrat party has been fully radicalized and has implemented Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals which is meant to destroy the one across the aisle.
Do you consider your constant insults and mistruths civil?
What about what I said is untrue? And if it is true, how is it an insult?
." The truth is, the left doesn’t want bipartisanship or civility." So the left are the ones with armed militias storming the capital?
The democrat party has been fully radicalized, With Bobert and Green?
Actually everything you've said is untrue. Seems to be your style.
Funk, Jake, I am calling the IME and the democrats hypocrites. That is true regardless of what you believe about January 6 or your opinion of what Bobert and Green did. Hypocrisy is a common theme on the left. The American people see right through it and are sick of it. You'll see the evidence of that in November.
"Hypocrisy is a common theme on the left". But flat out lying is the norm for the right.
"You'll see the evidence of that in November." Only if the fascist right can rig the elections. Other wise you guys are toast.
Sure thing Funk. You cant defend the Democrats as civil or their abysmal record and pulling numbers so you deflect instead of pointing out where I've lied or give any support that the Democrats are headed for anything but a disaster in November.
“Rules for Radicals” is a guide for the underprivileged to gain political and economic power. It is not a guide to “destroy the one across the aisle”, and most certainly does not promote storming government buildings to overturn lawful elections.
It would help your reputation if you presented more balance in your editorials. As you are “my friend across the street” would you say that Pelosi’s ripping up the SOTU speech was just as uncivil as Boebert’s outburst ? I could read your commentary with more of an open mind if provided a viewpoint with a broader perspective than your one sided partisan positions. Did you write an opinion piece back then denouncing her actions as uncivil ? Personally, while I find Trump despicable, I found her action equally despicable.
No. While performative, it was not disruptive.
Welcome to the discussion.
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