How clever of Democrat Hans Dunshee to use a column on political civility and honesty to imply that only conservatives lack those qualities. (Sunday guest commentary, “Civility protects everyone’s right to expression.”)
Rep. Dunshee mourns the loss of “civility” in political discourse and expresses concern that consequent name-calling, demagoguery and half-truths weaken free speech. True enough. Yet, in the midst of his admonishments about respecting all points of view, he cherry-picks examples of incivility exclusively from the ranks of conservatives.
He accuses Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck of lying for ratings, but mentions nothing of liberal equivalents like Rachel Maddow or Keith Olbermann. He disparages Rush Limbaugh as “anti-democratic,” but doesn’t wag a finger at Air America or MoveOn.org. He characterizes U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson and other passionate critics of socialized medicine as “bullies” bent on “intimidation,” but has apparently forgotten about the shameful treatment of President Bush by the anti-war rabble and by many Democrats on Capitol Hill. At least Rep. Wilson admitted to his incivility and apologized.
Is Rep. Dunshee simply trying to outmaneuver the opposition by implying that incivility and distortion are functions of the conservative mindset — that liberals and Democrats and their policy positions are inherently more virtuous, and therefore above incivility? It certainly sounds that way. Yet, even a cursory review of the state of public discourse proves that is not the case. Exactly how does this one-sided critique differ from the sort of half-truth-telling he says he’s against? “Civility” is more than a tone of voice.
Reed Purcell
Everett
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