“Every action done in company, ought to be with some sign of respect to those who are present.”
— George Washington, “Rules of Civility”
Our president is criticized at every turn.Whether we agree with the man or not, we need to realize that at the moment he is the president. We need to accept that and do our best to rather than vilify him, realize he is the one we elected.
There is the saying, “We get the kind of government we deserve.” So if this is so, do we need to think that perhaps he is simply a reflection of us, today’s society?
However, it is difficult to not feel some anxiety about the fact that the leader of our country is a man who has belittled someone with special needs, has spoken with vulgarity regarding women, called everyone who disagrees with him degrading names, separates children from their parents, who has all the attributes of narcissism, seeks to destroy our environmental protections, and the list goes on.
So perhaps we need to look to ourselves, our own narcissism, crude language, and determination to have our needs met without regard for the effect it will have on others,or our concern for others and our environment as long as it does not interfere with our desires.
A leader of a country must not have only a plan that contributes to the well being of all its citizens but also be an exemplar of civility. Within the realm of civility is respect for all human beings. We were all created by the same God, so in the very least, we treat ourselves and others with respect and perhaps, pine for those who have lost their way. Just maybe it begins with us to become the models of civility.
Politically speaking, I am not a liberal, nor am I a right-wing conservative. I choose to believe I am part of the human race that truly believes and attempts to practice the Christian tenets of love others as yourself, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I would not want to be degraded, called names or shamed about a disability, and I choose to use language that respects and elevates my fellow human beings. That being said, I truly pray that the art of civility will return to my fellow citizens of this great country with respect for the divinity that exists in the hidden depths of all of us.
Norma Lindemann
Santa Clarita
