Civility

The political world is astir
And public trust is waning
As economies falter
The hearts of men are raging

Where are the voices of moderation?
Who will balance these times of extremes?
What will calm all agitation?
As society unravels more at the seams

Anonymous and unsourced news...
The media favoring strife
Politicizing- dominating rules
Midst fractured community and family life

What has happened to virtues and manners?
That make for a peaceful coexistence
A civil society, for longevity, matters
And is founded on the character of it's citizens

A healthy democracy is maintained
Through diverse means of equilibrium
A patchwork of competing interests
Helps set up an onward momentum

Ultimately, the fabric of a great land
Is based on the integrity of its people
For its through this outward manifestation in man
That rigorous debates are based on righteous principles

Fidelity, charity, generosity
Are pathways of service and trust
Humility and responsibility
Help us interact civilly, thus

When a spirit of good will prompts our thinking
Efforts unite for problem solving
Ultimately these thoughts continue linking
Until gratifying results are evolving

The moral basis of civility
Is and has ever been the Golden Rule
The ethics of reciprocity
Works... as through pluralism we are schooled

Let us eliminate the weakness of one
Standing alone to find a solution
And combine efforts that things get done
As of cooperation there is no substitution

The Mormon Ethic of Civility
click on the title to go directly to the News Room for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints- 16 October 2009 LDS.org...
"Echoing this mode of civil engagement, President Monson declared: “As a church we reach out not only to our own people but also to those people of goodwill throughout the world in that spirit of brotherhood which comes from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Speaking of civility on a personal level, Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught Latter-day Saints how to respond to criticism: “Some people mistakenly think responses such as silence, meekness, forgiveness, and bearing humble testimony are passive or weak. But, to ‘love [our] enemies, bless them that curse [us], do good to them that hate [us], and pray for them which despitefully use [us], and persecute [us]’ (Matthew 5:44) takes faith, strength, and, most of all, Christian courage.”