Some things never change. I do not wish to engage in a weeks-long battle of wits (which, based on prior experience, I know would happen), so I will simply say that this will be my final post on the subject of civility.
Perhaps the best example of that which I think we should aspire to is the relationship between President Ronald Reagan (Conservative) and Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill (Liberal). These two men led our country, one as President, one as Speaker, from polar opposite sides of the ideological spectrum. They continually fought with ferocity for the policies they believed in, however, they (usually) avoided making it personal. The running joke was that "before 6p.m. it's all politics; after 6p.m. we're friends."
The bottom line is this: The free and open exchange of ideas is not analogous to a math problem. While there are many strongly held positions, when it comes to ideas, there usually is no absolute truth. The point is to encourage people to read, to think, and to inform themselves such that they become more engaged in what's going around them. Petty invective and personal attacks do nothing of the sort.
Showing posts with label Respect. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Respect. Show all posts
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Respect: A Warning
On the surface, the idea of starting a blog with four people of varying perspectives sounded like an interesting idea. Four men. Four lawyers. Four friends, devoted to a respectful yet impassioned debate, chronicling the political, social, and economic issues of the day. It sounded like a good idea.
What was I thinking?
These are tumultuous times. Such as they are, it was my fervent hope that we had moved beyond the petty squabbles, and that we might engage in a serious debate. However, it was no sooner than the inaugural post that we had devolved into the all-too-familiar scenario whereby motives are questioned, and sincerity is called into doubt, simply because of a different point of view.
Whether it be by insulting and demeaning those with whom one disagrees, by attacking the sincerity of those who are concerned about the size and scope of government, by mocking those who are consumers of commentary (of any stripe), or by attacking a religion that from art, to science, to education, to medicine, was in large part responsible for shaping what we now know as "Western Civilization," let this serve as a warning. It is unbecoming of a serious person, not to mention a forum that prides itself on welcoming divergent points of view, and I will have no part in it.
Just in case that isn't clear enough, let me try it one more time. If we cannot restrain ourselves from engaging in a childish display of rhetorical chess, I will gladly quit this forum. I work far too hard to justify spending the time banging my head into the wall.
What was I thinking?
These are tumultuous times. Such as they are, it was my fervent hope that we had moved beyond the petty squabbles, and that we might engage in a serious debate. However, it was no sooner than the inaugural post that we had devolved into the all-too-familiar scenario whereby motives are questioned, and sincerity is called into doubt, simply because of a different point of view.
Whether it be by insulting and demeaning those with whom one disagrees, by attacking the sincerity of those who are concerned about the size and scope of government, by mocking those who are consumers of commentary (of any stripe), or by attacking a religion that from art, to science, to education, to medicine, was in large part responsible for shaping what we now know as "Western Civilization," let this serve as a warning. It is unbecoming of a serious person, not to mention a forum that prides itself on welcoming divergent points of view, and I will have no part in it.
Just in case that isn't clear enough, let me try it one more time. If we cannot restrain ourselves from engaging in a childish display of rhetorical chess, I will gladly quit this forum. I work far too hard to justify spending the time banging my head into the wall.
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