The term civility means courtesy and politeness.[1] According to the Institute for Civility, the term civility refers to the ability to disagree without disrespect and to seek common ground as a starting point for dialogue.[2] Civility is required for our government to work as it encourages free and open discussion to address issues and solve problems. For our democracy to continue, civility is therefore essential.
Why is this important?
Why do we need to know this?
Our democracy has faced challenges.
In 1858, one year after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its 1857 decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford affirming that African Americans were not and could never be United States citizens,[3] Republican Senate candidate Abraham Lincoln said at an Illinois State Convention, “a house divided against itself cannot stand”[4]. It was a phrase derived from the Gospel. In 1861, he became the sixteenth President of the United States, during a time when several southern states sought secession from the Union. A Civil War followed. Because of the leadership of President Lincoln, democracy survived.
What about now? Civility is also about the peaceful transition of power from one president to the next. This transition reminds us that we are governed by the rule of law as contemplated in the first words of our Constitution, “We the People”. It is that civility that is a hallmark of our democracy. However, on January 6, 2021, an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol occurred as Congress met to certify the results of the 2020 election. In all, 147 lawmakers comprised of 139 Republican House members and 8 Republican Senators voted to overturn the election of President Biden.[5] Of note is that in 2016, according to the Cato Institute, 7 House Democrats objected to the certification of votes to President Trump, but since no Senate Democrats joined them, these objections were never formally considered.[6]
Is this civility?
Last month, a U.S. Senator challenged the president of the Teamsters to a physical fight during a Senate hearing[7]. A threat like this when I was 10 years old would have resulted in my suspension from grammar school.
Is this civility?
While discord may work in the short term and provide a dubious advantage at best, for one political party over another, the long-term effect is the continued erosion of our democracy. Some countries look upon the United States hoping that our democracy will fail. As I discussed in a prior article, when Benjamin Franklin was asked whether the new country was a republic or a monarchy, Mr. Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”[8]
President Reagan often referred to the United States as a “Shining City on a Hill”, a phrase derived from a 17th-century Puritan sermon.[9] It is a reference to America’s standing as a beacon of hope to which other nations can look for moral guidance.[10] Are we still that shining city?
History repeats itself. We can disagree, and we can express our opinion. That is our 1st Amendment right. We have more in common than what separates us. Our future is in our hands.
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