Sunday, January 16, 2011

I do not want civil discourse « Don Surber

I do not want civil discourse « Don Surber

If you let them set the rules, you've already lost. A rant worth reading.
Posted by Laserlight at 11:15 PM
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5 comments:

Blair Ivey said...

Unfortunatly for the Left the W. presidency gave us eight years to watch their version of 'civil' discourse in action. I wrote a post (http://bkivey.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/where-angels-fear-to-tread)on the predictable reaction of the usual suspects after the Tucson shooting complete with pictures of people 'not' adding to the climate of violence.

January 17, 2011 at 12:13 AM
Anonymous said...

Sure I'm an outsider, but I suppose I'm entitled to an opinion.

I have admired, in one way or another, most US Presidents. Even Mr. Carter had his strong suits, though some later-life shenanigans convince me he should have retired completely. I like Bush 1.0. I loved Ronald Reagan. I could, with the basic understanding that like all politicians he was a crook, abide Mr. Clinton.

But I was genuinely not a fan of Bush 2.0. He just constantly seemed to make a mockery out of what used to make America great and so many decisions were taken on his watch that were antithetical to what I believe are America's traditional strengths that I just cannot view his Presidency as a good one.

Mr. Obama, to me, has been ineffectual. Not the anti-Christ. Not the most evil thing to ever arrive in the world of Man. Just ineffectual. The US health care reform (argh!) has his fingerprints on it and is a disaster, but a) the system was a disaster before he touched it, b) whoever touched it could do no better, and c) his approach will fail just about as badly as things would have failed otherwise with another plan. US health care is beyond redemption, especially when the basic approach to addressing the issue is so systemically poorly conceived. So, Mr. Obama gets a 'you bore me' or 'the country is getting somewhat worse and he isn't addressing the problems' from me.

But both the right and the left have engaged in execrable conduct as far as any form of honest, meaningful discourse is concerned. I'm not going to defend the left, but the right has been inflammatory, dishonest, and disingenious as well. Neither side has a single thing to be proud of in this respect.

If adults are to solve problems, civility is a root necessity. Incivility will always result in deadlock, acrimony, and sabotage of any meaningful solutions.

January 21, 2011 at 3:08 AM
Laserlight said...

Certainly both sides have unbridled partisans, and that's been the case throughout history. The point, which you may have missed, is that the Left feels free to say anything, but they're trying to stifle their opponents. I'm not saying the Right shouldn't be civil; but certainly the Right shouldn't play by what the Left claims are "the rules" when the Left isn't playing by them.

January 21, 2011 at 11:31 PM
Anonymous said...

I don't think you have much to worry about from what I've seen from some of the people who choose to label themselves as being on the Right in the house or senate and moreso from those who do the same in the media or blogosphere. Civil discourse seems to be a rare commodity as does any depth of understanding.

January 24, 2011 at 3:35 AM
Laserlight said...

The lack of civility, and lack of understanding, applies to both sides.

January 26, 2011 at 12:19 AM

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