Citizenship
and Civic Life
Political
Civility
Based on reading from J. Cherie Strachan and Michael R. Wolf. 2012. ÒPolitical Civility.Ó PS: Symposium on Political Civility 45(03): 401-404.
From
Merriam-Webster OnLine (m-w.com)
CIVILITY:
1. archaic: training in the humanities
2. a. civilized
conduct, especially: courtesy, politeness
b. a
polite act or expression
COMITY
1. a. a friendly
social atmosphere: social harmony
<group activities promoting comity>;
b. a
loose widespread community based on common social institutions, <the comity
of civilization>
c. comity
of nations
d. the
informal and voluntary recognition by courts of one jurisdiction of the laws
and judicial decisions of another
2. avoidance of
proselytizing members of another religious denomination
COMITY
OF NATIONS
1. the courtesy and friendship of
nations marked especially by mutual recognition of executive, legislative and
judicial acts
2. a group of nations practicing
international comity
Rep.
Joe Wilson (R-SC) yells out ÒYou lie!Ó during
ObamaÕs healthcare speech before joint session of Congress, September 2009
Congressman
apologizes
Questions
for Political Science to answer
Is
political incivility really worse today?
What
impact does it have on politics?
They
go on to define what political civility is:
Political civility includes rhetoric
that facilitates an ongoing functional relationship among people who disagree
with one another, whereas incivility includes rhetoric apt to sever
relationships
(402).
Does
negativity from political ads Òspill overÓ
poisoning the political atmosphere?
See
last two articles in the issue – i.e., by John Geer and Wolf, Strachan
and Shea
The
first implies that:
ÒPerhaps
the permeable boundary between campaigning and governing simply cannot
withstand the weight of [the assault of negative campaigning]Ó (402)
The
second that intensely negative ads demobilize the voters seeking political
compromise and Òexacerbate the influence of this intense, vocal and rather
large minorityÓ (403)
What
do you think?
What
is the impact of political incivility on governance?
On you?
On
the publicÕs faith in our elected officials, our system of government?
See
Brunell, on ÒThe Bitch and the War HeroÓ in the 2008 Presidential
Election Cycle