Today's Oprah show featured the topic of civility and rudeness in society. After various audience members swapped horror stories of bratty behavior, one of Oprah's guest's was Dr. P. M. Forni of Johns Hopkins, who wrote Choosing Civility. (Hmm, this might explain the two Choose Civility bumper stickers I saw this weekend; perhaps these people were coming from such a workshop in Howard County.) An unspoken undercurrent of Dr. Forni's soothing words is the implication that without civility, society itself unravels.
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An odd coincidence is that the final presidential debate is tonight--a forum that will be a referendum, in part, on John McCain's civility toward Barack Obama in particular, and the American public in general (or lack thereof). Apparently, McCain's rudeness toward Obama--in the previous debates, ads, and stump speeches--has come back to bite him, as today's New York Times reports, "Poll Says McCain Is Hurting His Bid by Using Attacks."
Let's see which McCain comes out tonight--for if he behaves like McNasty, he will lose, whether or not he wins the election. (Thank you, Wonkette!)
Showing posts with label Choose Civility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Choose Civility. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Friday, July 22, 2005
Enough Already...
More explosions in London, pushing and shoving in high places, Newt and Hillary getting along; what's going on here?
Of course, it is a relief that the most recent bombings were small in nature, and that London police have shot a would-be suicide bomber, but a shoot-out at a busy exchange in broad daylight is still unnerving. (Of course, explosions are always unnerving, whether caused by a bomber or by a bug bomb.)
Diplomatically speaking, or not, the jostling of diplomatic personnel and press in Sudan is not only rude, but betrays a prickliness, a touchy defensiveness about--can it be--the situation in the Darfur region?
On another note (yet still a weird one), there's talk that Newt Gingrich and Hillary Clinton actually agree on some health care issues, which can only mean one thing: that the health insurance situation in this country has reached dire straits, indeed.
One more instance of a political about-face: the UN actually showing some backbone, criticizing Zimbabwe's wide-scale razing of "slum" areas. I wonder if that august organization actually meant to criticize "urban renewal" (oops!), although it's doubtful that Mugabe wants to renew anything.
Finally, columnist John Kelly has some advice for tourists, which many year-round residents could benefit from, as well.
Of course, it is a relief that the most recent bombings were small in nature, and that London police have shot a would-be suicide bomber, but a shoot-out at a busy exchange in broad daylight is still unnerving. (Of course, explosions are always unnerving, whether caused by a bomber or by a bug bomb.)
Diplomatically speaking, or not, the jostling of diplomatic personnel and press in Sudan is not only rude, but betrays a prickliness, a touchy defensiveness about--can it be--the situation in the Darfur region?
On another note (yet still a weird one), there's talk that Newt Gingrich and Hillary Clinton actually agree on some health care issues, which can only mean one thing: that the health insurance situation in this country has reached dire straits, indeed.
One more instance of a political about-face: the UN actually showing some backbone, criticizing Zimbabwe's wide-scale razing of "slum" areas. I wonder if that august organization actually meant to criticize "urban renewal" (oops!), although it's doubtful that Mugabe wants to renew anything.
Finally, columnist John Kelly has some advice for tourists, which many year-round residents could benefit from, as well.
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