How to think as a civil society
JANUARY 2, 2015
To the Editor:
According to the dictionary, “civility” means being polite and courteous.
So, really, most everything we know about acting polite and courteous we learned in kindergarten, so to speak, as kids learning how to get along in school and entering the adult world.
In England in the House of Commons, known for its loud unrestrained behavior, recommendations to enforce civility were defeated last year and in years past.
Why? Members of the House believe that uninhibited speech helps to ensure the continuation of a flourishing democracy because it encourages the free expression of ideas.
Yet their society has a much lower incidence of violent crime.
Are we to expand the definition of civility to include illegal acts, or are we going to limit civility to mean acting polite and courteous?
And how about our town meetings? How restrained do we want members of the public to be in their speech?
What is the relationship between civility and a civilized society?
These are questions we have to ask ourselves as we think about civility.
Diane Palacios
Ridgewood