My thoughts… from an apolitical point of view… to Sarah, Glenn, Rush, Chris, Keith, Sean, et al

I am in the ironic position of agreeing with Sarah Palin: “Vigorous and spirited public debates during elections are among our most cherished traditions.  And after the election, we shake hands and get back to work, and often both sides find common ground back in D.C. and elsewhere. If you don’t like a person’s vision for the country, you’re free to debate that vision. If you don’t like their ideas, you’re free to propose better ideas.”

The rest of her January 12 statement reassures that she, as with many of you, have missed the key issue, as well as missing an opportunity for taking the high road, regarding the political climate in our country. The key issue is not who is saying what; nor what your party affiliation is; nor whether you lean left or right; nor, really, what the intent of your words or actions are. The key issue is that inflammatory rhetoric and imagery, accompanied by veiled or obvious references to violence, have become a political staple. The bombastic commentary and postings you love so much easily drive an emphasis on emotionally- charged confrontation.

In many cases you are playing to the emotions of the masses instead of pursuing reasoned discourse. In many cases it is not “vigorous and spirited public debate” or being “free to debate that vision.” Instead what we hear is belittling those who disagree with you, emotionally charged imagery with little or no purpose, close-minded demagoguery, and diatribes on how to best disrupt the process of public debate. It is one thing to disagree on and debate an issue, it is quite again something else to insult, belittle, blame and threaten. Something I heard once, “If you have to holler real loud to get your point across, your point is not worth getting across.”

Your concern cannot be “Did one individual take MY words too literally or misinterpret them, leading to an act of incredible violence?” Instead the question you need to reflect on is “Am I creating an environment that breeds over-reaction and leads the wrong people down a path because they think they have the tacit approval of media personalities/ politicians?”

The bigger question for you is “What good is all my loud noise really accomplishing, if anything at all?” I listen to your noise on the radio, watch it on TV or read your words and my immediate reaction is “Idiots“… even if the ideas being espoused are valid and you are not an idiot. If it were a bit quieter we might have some hope of actually getting something done. I am reminded of the popular 70’s image of a bearded protester waving a big sign that said “The End Is Near.” Everyone ignored him because he was an obvious whack job, without even considering if the end might actually be close by.

What most of you are missing, or ignoring, is the opportunity to take the higher road, to rise above the fray. How hard is it to say “Some of the things I have said might be taken the wrong way. I will think before speaking and avoid statements that inflame rather than debate.”  I was impressed with the CEO of Fox News, Roger Ailes, statement, “I told all of our guys, shut up, tone it down, make your argument intellectually.  You don’t have to do it with bombast.  I hope the other side does that (as well).”  Regardless if he really meant it, the statement resonates true. It is time to bring civility back into the political arena.