In the Public Arena- Civility

In the public arena
It's an ambiguous task
To decide who is civil
And who's being an *ass

The language, the tone
The color of faces
Our character's shown
During political races

Civility is when
Opinions are spoken
With the playing field even
And minds laying open

As we separate issues
From factions or people
We debate and progress
And soar with the eagles



*as in the biblical meaning- donkey
Civility lecture tour at Salt Lake library Thursday night
By Amy Choate-Nielsen

Deseret News
Thursday, May 27, 2010


Incivility can be manifested "in the language, the tone, the shouting and the red faces and the malicious glee at someone else's discomfiture," said Alexander Morrison, executive director of the Alliance for Unity in Salt Lake City.

Determining what qualifies as civil or uncivil behavior in the public arena is an ambiguous task, said Republican Senate candidates Tim Bridgewater and Mike Lee...

Civility in separating issues from people when discussing differing opinions is a precursor to compromise and progress, and it's a necessity, Lee said.

But public protests and being involved are just as important, Bridgewater said.

"I think by and large the ability to protest is as American as apple pie and can be done very civilly," he said. "People must speak up."

But they must be careful about what they say, says BYU political science professor Kelly Patterson. More people are paying attention to politics these days because of more easily accessible media. The average person is turned off by shrill politics, he says.

Though it is essential for Americans to be involved and voice their opinions, there is one way to know if the discourse is civil, Patterson says.

"Follow the golden rule," he says. "That kind of internal restraint probably couldn't do much harm."