Getting serious about civil discourse

[MaggieMae]

Once again, two presidents are coming together to address a common problem. They're giving voice to the hysterics that pass for political debate today.

National Institute for Civil Discourse to open at University of Arizona

Former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush will serve as honorary chairmen of a new center at the University of Arizona that will focus on civility in political debate, university officials will announce Monday.

The National Institute for Civil Discourse - a nonpartisan center for debate, research, education and policy about civility in public discourse - will open Monday in Tucson. It was created in the aftermath of the Jan. 8 shootings in the city where six people were killed and 13 injured, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

Former Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor and former Senate majority leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) will serve as honorary co-chairmen. Board members will include former secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright; Kenneth M. Duberstein, chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan; Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren; Trey Grayson, director of Harvard University's Institute of Politics; and former representative Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.).

"This institute is the right people in the right place at the right time," said Fred DuVal, vice chairman of the Arizona Board of Regents and former co-chairman of Giffords's finance committee.

The center will be funded with private donations, and $1 million has already been raised, said DuVal, who will head the working board of the institute, which is his brainchild. The institute plans to organize workshops and conferences in Tucson, Washington and elsewhere nationwide, and will bring together leaders from across the political spectrum to develop programs to promote civil discourse.

"Our country needs a setting for political debate that is both frank and civil," Bush said in a statement.

 

[Anachronism]

LOL. Civility in political discourse makes about as much sense as trying to take score-keeping out of youth sports. The whole idea that I, or anyone else with political viewpoints they rigorously believe in should be forced to stand around and listen to the comments of an individual we have nothing in common with based solely on the idea of being polite to them is ludicrous. Why waste that time when you know nothing they say will change your mind?

 

[Wry Catcher]

Once again, two presidents are coming together to address a common problem. They're giving voice to the hysterics that pass for political debate today.

National Institute for Civil Discourse to open at University of Arizona

Former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush will serve as honorary chairmen of a new center at the University of Arizona that will focus on civility in political debate, university officials will announce Monday.

The National Institute for Civil Discourse - a nonpartisan center for debate, research, education and policy about civility in public discourse - will open Monday in Tucson. It was created in the aftermath of the Jan. 8 shootings in the city where six people were killed and 13 injured, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

Former Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor and former Senate majority leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) will serve as honorary co-chairmen. Board members will include former secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright; Kenneth M. Duberstein, chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan; Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren; Trey Grayson, director of Harvard University's Institute of Politics; and former representative Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.).

"This institute is the right people in the right place at the right time," said Fred DuVal, vice chairman of the Arizona Board of Regents and former co-chairman of Giffords's finance committee.

The center will be funded with private donations, and $1 million has already been raised, said DuVal, who will head the working board of the institute, which is his brainchild. The institute plans to organize workshops and conferences in Tucson, Washington and elsewhere nationwide, and will bring together leaders from across the political spectrum to develop programs to promote civil discourse.

"Our country needs a setting for political debate that is both frank and civil," Bush said in a statement.

Great idea. I wonder, is the University of Arizona a campus wherein students are allowd to carry firearms? Seems a risky proposition if it is.

 

[del]

LOL. Civility in political discourse makes about as much sense as trying to take score-keeping out of youth sports. The whole idea that I, or anyone else with political viewpoints they rigorously believe in should be forced to stand around and listen to the comments of an individual we have nothing in common with based solely on the idea of being polite to them is ludicrous. Why waste that time when you know nothing they say will change your mind?

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
--Herbert Spencer

keep up the good work.

 

[MaggieMae]

LOL. Civility in political discourse makes about as much sense as trying to take score-keeping out of youth sports. The whole idea that I, or anyone else with political viewpoints they rigorously believe in should be forced to stand around and listen to the comments of an individual we have nothing in common with based solely on the idea of being polite to them is ludicrous. Why waste that time when you know nothing they say will change your mind?

Then carry on with screeching and name calling and embellishing and lying. There will always be some who do that; hopefully once people become ADULTS, they try to restrain themselves, but apparently growing up is a diminishing endeavor. Ironically, with all the noise, all we're doing is "wasting time." Or haven't you noticed...

 

[MaggieMae]

LOL. Civility in political discourse makes about as much sense as trying to take score-keeping out of youth sports. The whole idea that I, or anyone else with political viewpoints they rigorously believe in should be forced to stand around and listen to the comments of an individual we have nothing in common with based solely on the idea of being polite to them is ludicrous. Why waste that time when you know nothing they say will change your mind?

By the way, most people don't care about your ignore list.

 

[del]

LOL. Civility in political discourse makes about as much sense as trying to take score-keeping out of youth sports. The whole idea that I, or anyone else with political viewpoints they rigorously believe in should be forced to stand around and listen to the comments of an individual we have nothing in common with based solely on the idea of being polite to them is ludicrous. Why waste that time when you know nothing they say will change your mind?

Then carry on with screeching and name calling and embellishing and lying. There will always be some who do that; hopefully once people become ADULTS, they try to restrain themselves, but apparently growing up is a diminishing endeavor. Ironically, with all the noise, all we're doing is "wasting time." Or haven't you noticed...

does this mean i have to stop being outraged?

i don't know if i'm prepared for that.

 

[Anachronism]

By the way, most people don't care about your ignore list.

That's fine since beyond myself I could count on one hand the people here that I care about and have fingers left over. Like most things in my life, the sig is there for my benefit, not anyone else's.

 

[Anachronism]

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
--Herbert Spencer

keep up the good work.

For me it's more contempt OF investigation than prior to. But thank you for the compliment anyway.

Then carry on with screeching and name calling and embellishing and lying. There will always be some who do that; hopefully once people become ADULTS, they try to restrain themselves, but apparently growing up is a diminishing endeavor. Ironically, with all the noise, all we're
doing is "wasting time." Or haven't you noticed...

We waste a ton of time. Mostlfitarguing over things which less than a century ago our forebearers wouldn't have wasted 10 minutes on. Why is that? you ask. Very simply because they had two concepts/words which we now hold great disdain for.... Right and Wrong. They were societal concepts while needn't even be spoken. They were understood and accepted withou need for debater discussion. Now, in a valueless world of moral relativism those ideals no longer exist and every point must be considered, no matter how ridiculous it is.

 

[signelect]

The discourse on today topic remind me of the old days of CB radio. It wasn't too long after they were on the market that you couldn't let your children listen to it because the language and threats were so bad. It never ceases to amaze me how brave some people are when you can't get your hands on them. Before I write something I ask myself if this is something I would say to their face. I am not surprised at the Westboro Church now that they are considered law abiding idiots. Not so long ago it was against the law to accuse people of things that were not true. Now the Supreme, and I use that word loosely, Court says that they have that right because of the 1st amendment.

 

[xotoxi]

By the way, most people don't care about your ignore list.

That's fine since beyond myself I could count on one hand the people here that I care about and have fingers left over. Like most things in my life, the sig is there for my benefit, not anyone else's.

Could you please add me to your ignore list?

Thanks.

 

[California Girl]

 

[California Girl]

LOL. Civility in political discourse makes about as much sense as trying to take score-keeping out of youth sports. The whole idea that I, or anyone else with political viewpoints they rigorously believe in should be forced to stand around and listen to the comments of an individual we have nothing in common with based solely on the idea of being polite to them is ludicrous. Why waste that time when you know nothing they say will change your mind?

Then carry on with screeching and name calling and embellishing and lying. There will always be some who do that; hopefully once people become ADULTS, they try to restrain themselves, but apparently growing up is a diminishing endeavor. Ironically, with all the noise, all we're doing is "wasting time." Or haven't you noticed...

does this mean i have to stop being outraged?

i don't know if i'm prepared for that.

Does this help?

 

[Anachronism]

Could you please add me to your ignore list?

Thanks.

Sorry. I don't do requests. Even very polite ones. You'll have to earn your way onto it.

 

[xotoxi]

Could you please add me to your ignore list?

Thanks.

Sorry. I don't do requests. Even very polite ones. You'll have to earn your way onto it.

Then go fuck yourself, asspacker!

 

[California Girl]

Could you please add me to your ignore list?

Thanks.

Sorry. I don't do requests. Even very polite ones. You'll have to earn your way onto it.

Then go fuck yourself, asspacker!

That won't get you on the list. You need to logically demonstrate just how big a total fucking idiot he is. It usually takes 3.... maybe 4 posts to achieve 'ignore list' status.

 

[MaggieMae]

LOL. Civility in political discourse makes about as much sense as trying to take score-keeping out of youth sports. The whole idea that I, or anyone else with political viewpoints they rigorously believe in should be forced to stand around and listen to the comments of an individual we have nothing in common with based solely on the idea of being polite to them is ludicrous. Why waste that time when you know nothing they say will change your mind?

Then carry on with screeching and name calling and embellishing and lying. There will always be some who do that; hopefully once people become ADULTS, they try to restrain themselves, but apparently growing up is a diminishing endeavor. Ironically, with all the noise, all we're doing is "wasting time." Or haven't you noticed...

does this mean i have to stop being outraged?

i don't know if i'm prepared for that.

Outrage that produces no solutions is counterproductive. When did just yelling at each other ever solve anything?

 

[MaggieMae]

By the way, most people don't care about your ignore list.

That's fine since beyond myself I could count on one hand the people here that I care about and have fingers left over. Like most things in my life, the sig is there for my benefit, not anyone else's.

Sure.

 

[California Girl]

Then carry on with screeching and name calling and embellishing and lying. There will always be some who do that; hopefully once people become ADULTS, they try to restrain themselves, but apparently growing up is a diminishing endeavor. Ironically, with all the noise, all we're doing is "wasting time." Or haven't you noticed...

does this mean i have to stop being outraged?

i don't know if i'm prepared for that.

Outrage that produces no solutions is counterproductive. When did just yelling at each other ever solve anything?

Dammit, Maggie, I hope you don't expect us to all play nice!

 

[MaggieMae]

does this mean i have to stop being outraged?

i don't know if i'm prepared for that.

Outrage that produces no solutions is counterproductive. When did just yelling at each other ever solve anything?

Dammit, Maggie, I hope you don't expect us to all play nice!

Hey, when even you and I can still disagree but stop calling each other fucking bitches, anyone can!!