The Need for Civility

 Is there anyone on the planet, besides Trump supporters, that are sorry the President and his wife tested positive for Covid-19?

Sometimes I wonder.

Reactions range from rejoicing to bland well-wishes to conspiracy theories that he isn't really sick -- he just made it up. (Even the New York Times suggested he might be scrubbed from the ballot, because of the diagnosis.) Nancy Pelosi said she hoped he'd recover -- then stuck in the knife with a sort-of polite version of 'It served him right.' (If you can call her words "brazen invitation" that.) 

(Ahem, Mrs. Pelosi... This apparently is a light case. Trump doesn't seem to be that ill, something his doctor confirms. He plans to continue duties while he's in quarantine. Besides, Mike Pence stands in the way. Other Trump staffers may have tested positive -- but Pence and his wife both did not.)

I'm not exactly a supporter, Republican or Democrat, but I do see a crying need for civility in these rude times. I'm tired of journalists who are supposed to be impartial, making it very clear which side they support. Another reminder: that's what got you into trouble with the Jake Sandmann incident.

"Looking back now, how could I have possibly imagined that the simple act of putting on that red hat would unleash hate from the left and make myself the target of network and cable news networks nationwide?" Sandmann wondered. "While the media portrayed me as an aggressor with a relentless smirk on my face, in reality, the video confirms I was standing with my hands behind my back and an awkward smile on my face that hid two thoughts: One, don't do anything that could further agitate the man banging the drum at my face. And two, I was trying to follow a family friend's advice never to do anything to embarrass your family, your school, or your community."

After CNN dished out $250 million to settle a lawsuit, one of their commemtators labeled Sandmann "a snot nose entitled kid from Kentucky." Didn't learn much from this, did you...

Facebook right now is full of the worst kind of name-calling, denigration and insults I can ever remember -- dished out to anyone who disagrees with the person doing the name-calling. Total strangers! Incredible. People are losing their jobs, being suspended and disciplined over everything from blatant hatred to disagreeing...even if done reasonably politely.

I would love to say that We the People are the main aggressors here, but the recent debate between Trump and Biden looked more like, as a friend said, 'two eight-year-olds fighting on the playground.' We watched the whole thing, but after more than an hour of interruptions, bragging about 'how I would have done it better' (regardless of whether you could prove that or not); dragging family members into it; blaming for everything, regardless of what it was; cutting off the person speaking (including Chris Wallace); chorusing "that's not true," "No, you're the worst president ever," "shut up, man" and multiple 'fact'-stretching... I was sick of it. 

     On both sides. 

Biden supporters would like to say that President Trump was the bad guy -- but Biden was in there too, helping out. A lot. 

Why would I want to vote for either man, given this dual juvenile performance? 

A gentle reminder: insulting someone will NOT win them to your cause. We learned this the hard way when we had teenagers. (I suspect I did it in my teen years, as well.) Don't ridicule someone -- then ask them for a favor. Or figure it won't bother them emotionally. (I've written on this before.) Don't assume they'll throw up their hands, see the error of their ways, and join you in your Noble Cause. 

Because they won't.

The only person who has not been slinging mud so far is the Vice President. It will be interesting to see how he and Kamala Harris do in their debate Oct. 7 -- 

If I can stomach the nerve-wracking possibilities, that is. 

Meanwhile, I am going to do the best I can to discuss life without calling anyone -- including total strangers and those who know me -- a dribbling moron or power-hungry idiot. I will not be announcing that either Biden OR Trump are evil and pawns of Satan -- because, quite honestly, the only Person with the true knowledge or power to damn either one is...

 God. 

If you're not God, I will assume that you have the civility to do so, as well. 

* * * * * * *

P.S. Please get well, Mr. President and Mrs. Trump. You've got a lot of work ahead yet this year, and you need to be healthy for it, including studying up on manners for the next debate. It will only help you. 

from tuliptime.com

    Meanwhile, Mr. Biden, here's your chance to haul out the Encyclopedia of Manners and do the same.

Make us proud, guys. Make us proud.