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I am a retired English teacher and department head, the mother of three grand mother of four, and have been married to the same man for 52 years. I subscribe to Dr. PM Forni's concept of Civility. I was born in South Philadelphia and grew up in the 'burbs. I love soft pretzels and cheesesteaks, the Phillies, the Eagles, and San Diego. I love being Mom, Aunt Kathy, Nona Kathy, and Teacher. I spend a lot of time in my gardens in the spring and summer, and in the winter I plan what I'm going to plant. I also am an avid reader and photographer.

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Sunday, April 18, 2010

Prelude to Thuggery

This rather eloquent quote is from Michael Gerson of The Washington Post.

"The most basic test of democracy is not what people do when they win; it is what people do when they lose.  Citizens bring their deepest passions to a public debate - convictions they regard as morally self-evident.  Yet a war goes on.  Abortion is yet legal.  A feared health-reform law passes.  While no democratic judgment is final, respecting the temporary outcome of a democratic process is the definition of political maturity.  The opposite - questioning the legitimacy of a democratic outcome; abusing, demeaning, and attempting to silence one's opponents - is a sign of democratic decline.  From the late Roman republic to Weimar Germany, these attitudes have been the prelude to thuggery."

I just hope it's not too late...

10 comments:

Linda said...

Thanks for posting that. I had not read it.

wispy willow said...

Omaheck! This post has me thinking. I am stupified at the jabber that has filled the airwaves this past year. Politics has become so undeniably ugly, with each side intent on vilifying the other. I have a difficult time finding a voice of reason. It is even to be found spilling from the Oval office. I'm sorry to say that I have reluctantly come to think we have a President that has not used his time at the podium to breed an atmosphere of intellectual understanding, but has rather continued to carry himself more like a candidate, or worse, a stand up comic than a statesman.

I can only hope that a small, but reasonable and well informed calvary will arrive in time to save us.

Enough. I don't know you well enough to have climbed on this soapbox.

I've read several of your posts and find your site both interesting and delightful. Mind if I continue to drop in now and then?

I'm mom/caryn... found you on Linda's site.

Jay said...

On virtually every topic, people are just screaming at each other and nobody is listening.

Two Minute Takes said...

Respect for one another should come first, respect for the democratic process would then naturally follow would it not?

Kimberly said...

EXCELLENT!!!

George said...

I also hope that it is not too late for reason to prevail. Unfortunately that requires that both sides be willing to listen to the other. I'm not sure that is the case in our country today.

Gilly said...

Can't really comment on US politics (UK is tricky enough!) but just wanted to say Hi!

A Slice of My Life said...

In the infamous words of Rodney King "can't we all just get along?"

It's sad that we don't seem to be able to. Honestly, we're all on the same side folks! Ugh.

Sweet Virginia Breeze said...

People have become so passionate about their views and so intolerant of opposing views. No one seems capable of intelligent and constructive discussion of the issues.

beachgirl said...

I had the pleasure today of talking to some insurance company execs. They love the Obama health plan debacle. Who would have thought. They stand to gain, gain , gain.
They also say the Dr's will do great on the plan. It was like talking to aliens. Wow.