AMERICAN CIVILITY

Simply be nice and pleasant

Respect for one’s own behavior is the cornerstone of civility. Understanding is part of the foundation of civility.  

Making the effort to learn how we manage our emotions and the effect they have on others leads to developing emotional intelligence.  

Empathy is an outgrowth of understanding, akin to walking the proverbial mile in someone else’s shoes, which goes a long way (pun intended) toward developing better human relations.  

Simply, being nice and pleasant toward others is inherent in civility.  

“Nice” is innate behavior and can’t be taught so it is up to the individual to identify a way to coexist well with others, respectfully.

Ultimately, all of this begins with good parenting and developing a positive value system.

Quite frankly, these are topics that should be taught at the elementary school level because my personal observations tell me that basic respect and manners are fast eroding in this country.

Joel Turner

Stop blaming others

Improving civility in America is possible only if we decide to think as individuals and follow the golden rule.

Today, the name of the game is blame.

Very few take responsibility for anything anymore. It is too easy to blame the government, the police, the teacher, my wife/husband, ex, my boss and on and on.

There is a definite dearth of role models for civility in the mainstream television reporting of any event that involves politics.

Incivility shows up in those TV news commentaries when there are more than two people being interviewed and they start interrupting, which kills the debate for me.

We have lost the ability to laugh at ourselves, as evidenced when (due to political correctness) shows such as “Saturday Night Live” slid into the sewer of political satire.

When the presidential debates became nothing more than “gotcha games,” they became the catalyst for today’s incivility.

Barney Richards  80478

Become a better advocate

For anyone who’s engaged with politics today, arguments are impossible to avoid. But we shouldn’t view arguing as a platform for changing minds or making the other side feel bad.

Instead, try approaching every argument as an opportunity to represent your beliefs in their most persuasive form. It’ll force you to re-examine your own evidence, stay polite in the face of disagreement, and deepen your understanding of your own beliefs.

You may not “win” the argument, but you’ll become a better advocate — and any bystanders will see your side for the better.

Sam Warwick,  Denver Colorado

Home in Fraser

Civility is start, not the end

We ask how the United States can become more civil, but we too often fail to acknowledge that for our country to progress, we need more than mere civility.  

While we could certainly use more civility in our personal interactions, civility needs to not be the end result but merely the catalyst for addressing our country’s issues.  

We need to ask ourselves a few things:  

Are we willing to address our country’s past and make amends for the wrongs it has done to marginalized groups?  
Are we willing to listen and accept what others are telling us when they say there are real problems in this country that need to be addressed?  
Are we willing to embrace and ensure fairness and equity even if forced to take a difficult look at ourselves in the mirror?  
If so, let civility guide us.      

Mark Braxton  Evergreen

 

Create Conversation Day

There are many novels written about the South. Its beauty, passion and the manners instilled in people as children to follow them all the days of their lives.

The importance of revering God, country and the elderly.  

It was always important to know how to converse with others, especially strangers. We were taught to speak to people if we made eye contact regardless of whether they spoke back.  

We were encouraged to serve our country or others less fortunate. These lessons crossed all races, socio-economic and religious sectors.

I am proud that many still value service to country, others and the elderly. But, face-to-face conversation has been replaced with social media.  

How easy it is to offend or dehumanize those you cannot see to plant the seeds of hatred, ignorance and intolerance.

Maybe we need a federal conversation holiday, a day dedicated to talking and relearning our Southern values.

Patti from Dothan, Alabama