Civility

The Reality Of Racial, Ethnic And Misogynistic Division On The Anniversary Of Martin Luther King, Jr’s Holiday And 90th Birthday Commemoration

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Today is the celebration of the heritage and message of the Reverend Dr. Luther King, Jr, who was assassinated in 1968; had a national holiday established in his honor in 1986; and whose 90th birthday would have been last week on January 15.

King spent his life trying to unite people, and promoted the civil rights movement, but sadly, in the age of Donald Trump, the reality is one of racial, ethnic and misogynistic division, which is daily encouraged by the 45th President, who revels in dividing people, and disrupting society.

It is highly discouraging to see the kind of hatred that includes the murder of black churchgoers in South Carolina; the murder of gay men in Orlando, Florida; the death of a woman in Charlottesville, Virginia at a white supremacist rally; the slaughter of Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue; and the rampant antisemitism, Islamophobia, and misogyny being exposed daily of prominent public figures.

We are more divided now than we have been since the 1960s, and this after an eight year period where many thought there had been great progress in race relations and civil rights, and something must be done to defuse this dangerous situation which now exists in America.

We owe it to the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. to do the best we can to bring down the temperature of the stresses and tensions which are destroying all internal civility in America.

Donald Trump Taking America On Road Of Total Diplomatic, Economic, Constitutional, and Environmental Disasters By His Egotistical Child Like Behavior: Time For Action Now!

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As 2018 comes to an end in a few days, it is perfectly clear that President Donald Trump is taking America on the road of total diplomatic and economic disasters by his egotistical child like behavior.

Trump is endangering our friendship and alliance with such nations as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Israel by his reckless courting of the leaders of Russia, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, his worship of their authoritarian leaders.

His lack of realism in American foreign policy is emboldening North Korea to continue to develop nuclear weapons; for Russia to develop new nuclear weapons as well; for Saudi Arabia and Turkey to wield power in the Middle East that endangers Israel’s security; and for the relationship with our neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to become the worst in a century.

His economic policies are leading us toward a Great Depression, and the destruction of our agricultural economy through the imposition of protectionist tariffs, which never benefit workers or consumers.

His authoritarian bent endangers the rule of law and obedience to the Constitution, and his failure to accept the environmental realities of global warming endanger the nation and the entire planet.

His lack of civility undermines what all parents should teach their children, to be respectful and tolerant toward the opposite gender, as well as people of all religions and nationalities.

The President is the worst role model imaginable, and the corruption and scandals surrounding his administration will soon be investigated in detail by the Democratic Party, and accountability will finally occur.

Donald Trump Stokes Fear, Prejudice, Insecurity, And Lies To Promote Republican Hopes To Keep Congress: Time For Public Reaction Of Repudiation

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Donald Trump is attempting demagoguery in his hope to keep the Republicans in control of Congress.

He is telling us that the Central American migrant caravan of women, children, the elderly, the disabled, and some men, walking thousands of miles looking for a better life, and escaping violence, poverty, and dangerous gangs in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, is actually a bunch of criminals, terrorists, and drug promoters, and includes dangerous Middle Eastern type people.

He is telling us that transgender people are a threat to our society, and wants to clamp down on basic civil rights of people that are treated as if they are not human beings, by so called “good Christians”, who are actually biased, prejudiced, and corrupt right wing evangelicals who do not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

He is telling us that he is insisting that we pursue a new nuclear weapons buildup, since he is ripping up the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty signed by the Republican President Ronald Reagan with Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987, even though Reagan is seen by the GOP as a icon.

He is telling us that we are going to see a quick tax cut for the middle class very soon, even though Congress is not in session, and will not be doing any such thing, but is simply a tactic to fool stupid Trump followers who might suddenly be realizing that Trump and the Republican Party are out to take away coverage for pre-existing conditions in health care. They might also realize that the Republican Party is out to destroy Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, if given control of both houses of Congress once again by voters who have no sense of reality.

Donald Trump lies incessantly, and stokes fear, prejudice, and insecurity, and it is past time for the American people to react with a smashing rejection of everything Trump and his party represent, as they have undermined any sense of civility. Instead, they tell us that there are riots in California provoked by Democrats, but no sign of such violence, all just in Trump’s diseased mind.

Trump’s racism, nativism, Islamophobia, homophobia, promotion of fear, and refusal to speak one iota of truth all call for total repudiation two weeks from now.

The Nightmare Year Of Donald Trump, But Suburbia, Women, Minorities, White Collar Educated, Those Under 45, And Independents Are Organizing To End The Trump Presidency

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A year ago on this date, Donald Trump “won” the Presidency, with 26 percent of all eligible voters backing him, 46 percent of actual voters, and losing the popular vote by nearly 3 million to Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, and having 8 million others voting for third party candidates, therefore having 11 million more people voting against him than for him.

No President who has won the Electoral College but lost the popular vote has done so poorly, as compared to John Quincy Adams losing to Andrew Jackson by 38,000 votes in 1824; as Rutherford B. Hayes losing to Samuel Tilden by 252,000 votes in 1876; as Benjamin Harrison losing to Grover Cleveland by 110,000 votes in 1888; or George W. Bush losing to Al Gore by 544,000 votes in 2000.

Also, Trump’s Electoral College victory with 304 electoral votes is only 46th of 58 national elections.

The past year, since his victory, has been a horror in so many ways, as Donald Trump has accomplished nothing in legislation, but has undermined a century of progress under Republican and Democratic Presidents from Theodore Roosevelt to Barack Obama in domestic and foreign policy.

He has abused his executive authority to declare war on the environment, promoted discrimination against immigrants and Muslims, advocated the end of government regulation of business, undermining on civil liberties and civil rights, disarray in our foreign relations with our allies and our enemies in the world, destroyed the concept of civility and common decency, and damaged the image of the Presidency itself.

But he has also demonstrated a level of scandal and corruption far greater than the corruption which took place under Ulysses S. Grant, Warren G. Harding, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan.

His appointees, with a few exceptions, have been a total disgrace, making them the worst cabinet in performance and ethics we have ever seen.

Assuredly, Donald Trump will be the second President, after Richard Nixon, to be forced out office in the next year by the Mueller investigation of Russian collusion, obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution.

The reaction against him among intelligent voters is already evident from Tuesday’s off year elections, as suburbia, women, minorities, white collar educated, those under 45, and independents are organizing to end the Trump Presidency and punish the Republican Party that nominated him, have collaborated with him, and are conspiring to enrich the wealthy yet once again, as they did under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. In so doing, the Republican Party has declared war on the middle class, and shown no compassion for the poor, the sick, the disabled, and senior citizens.

A major wave election in 2018 is in the offing, as the goal is to destroy the cancer of the Trump Presidency, although some of the damage he and his party have done will take decades to eliminate totally from the nation’s domestic and foreign policy.

This is a major national tragedy, a setback that the nation will pay for long term.

The Undermining Of Civility In America Long Lasting Damage, Setting Us Back From Progress Which Had Been Made In The 1950s, 1960s And 1970s

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Civility is a lost art in America, with the two major political parties no longer able to work cooperatively for American advancement.

We now live in a society in which most people only read, watch, and listen to those who profess their religious and political beliefs.

A dialogue in which both sides respect their opponents is no longer conceivable, and one wonders what event will unite the American people and allow a return to reasonable discourse.

Will we ever have a President who is able to appeal across party lines and party beliefs?

In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, there was a lot more bipartisanship on many issues, and much more “crossing the aisle”, rather than straight party line votes.

Members of Congress used to spend weekends with “friends” and their families despite different party labels.

That sense of camaraderie and shared commitment to do what is good for the nation is totally gone in 2017.

“Bad Blood” is now the norm, with little interaction, and even basic courtesies and manners are no longer utilized.

The 4th Of July In The Trump Era: America Has Lost Its Way!

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Today is the 241st anniversary of Independence Day, declared in 1776.

America was a great experiment in being a republic, and over the nearly two and a half centuries since, America ended slavery; opened its arms to scores of immigrants from all over the world; expanded the right to vote to all citizens over time, no matter what race, religion, nationality, or gender they were; promoted a social safety net; and expanded public education to all.

The Constitution was expanded to face modern realities; and both major political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, contributed to the advancement of tolerance and justice and equal opportunity; and the Supreme Court became a body that dealt with expansion of civil liberties and civil rights.

There were many detours along the road to today, but overall, progress was made, and a sense of optimism reigned.

And then, September 11 occurred, and the nation’s politics veered from one viewpoint to another and then to what is now present, a dark view of our nation, its people, and the world.

We live in the Trump era, which is in process of delaying, deleting, and destroying so much progress that has been accomplished in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

We are seeing race, religion, ethnicity and gender being used in an abusive manner to take away basic civil liberties, civil rights, common decency, and a sense of civility.

We are seeing the wealthy becoming the most stratified group in American history, and the middle class, created in the 20th century, destroyed, and the poor being treated in a shabby fashion.

One political party, the Republicans, has become the party of negativism, hatred, prejudice, and pure nastiness, and we have seen the shift of the Supreme Court toward a hard right conservatism that brings back memories of the Gilded Age Supreme Court.

It is as if we are in a time warp, and have reverted to 140 years ago!

So while we celebrate our national holiday, we have a lot to mourn, and it MUST make all of us determined to fight and resist with all our abilities combined, to resolve this crisis in a constitutional manner, with the removal of Donald Trump from the Presidency, as a tyrant and authoritarian figure who has met his match with our Constitutional remedy!

Donald Trump Demeans The Presidency With His Offensive Personal Twitter Attacks, And Totally Undermines Sense Of Civility!

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Donald Trump, the ultimate bully, somehow managed to demean the Presidential campaign of 2016, bringing it down to a lower level of civility than any Presidential campaign in American history, and the American people, or at least the 46 percent who voted for him in the “right” places so as to award him the Electoral College, chose to overlook it,

But the incorrigible Donald Trump, who has spent his life treating people this way since he was a child, has refused to stop, and has engaged in character assassination against any and all critics in his public statements and on Twitter, with no sense of embarrassment, or any willingness to apologize in his 161 days in the Presidency, and has brought the level of ethics and morality down to an all tome low.

He has become a burden to the nation, and undermined trust in all nations around the world, which used to look at the US as a beacon of hope.

He has endorsed dictatorships and tough tactics, and ridiculed our allies and friends, and has, in particular, showed total lack of respect for women, in a way that creates future generations of men who will think it is just fine to act the way he does, when it is not at all acceptable.

Donald Trump has become the Demeaner in Chief; the Misogynist in Chief; the Bigot in Chief; the Liar in Chief; and brought the Presidency to an all time low of behavior, and he should be widely condemned for it by all decent people.

If any corporate leader or any public figure acted in this way on a regular basis, he would be summarily dismissed, or denied any privileges or respect, and we are nearing the time when it could be argued that his behavior is a sign of mental illness that is dangerous, and a good reason to impeach and remove him, as a disgrace to the office he holds!

A Donald Trump Victory’s Effect On Civility and Manners In American Society, Including Its Schoolyards: The Promotion Of Bullying!

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Donald Trump is such a destructive force in so many ways!

One of the worst aspects of the Trump success so far is its effect on civility and manners in American society, including its schoolyards.

Young people are seeing a candidate who uses foul language, and who says whatever comes to his mind without any filter, utilizing insults, and employing racism, nativism, xenophobia, and misogyny.

Trump makes bullying and narcissism and egotism seem normal and acceptable.

Rudeness and lack of consideration of the effect of language on others has become a norm.

The effect on young males of school age and even in colleges is to show less respect for others who are different than them in their race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.

Why should young men and boys have respect for girls and women when Donald Trump does not?

Why should bullies in school yards stop their harassing of others when Donald Trump is the champion bully?

The Trump effect will be to create new social problems for parents, teachers, law enforcement officials, and society in general, as boys and young men with heightened testosterone will have license to say and do whatever they wish, as, after all, Donald Trump has been accepted as the Republican Presidential nominee by hateful, ignorant, poorly educated people who represent the worst elements of American society.

God forbid that Donald Trump becomes President, as the cancer he represents will permeate American society and undermine American internal domestic security, as well as national security in dealing with the outside world.

We will have to worry that we will alienate our friends in the world; encourage military confrontations and war with our enemies; and face the likelihood of growing tensions and possible warfare at the US Mexico border of 1,989 miles!

Most certainly, we do not need problems with our neighbors, as we already have enough challenges with other nations around the world!

The Tea Party Movement At Five Years: What Has It Accomplished?

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The Tea Party Movement reached five years of age in the last few days, and the question is what has been accomplished?

The Tea Party Movement has led to the following:

Complete stalemate and gridlock in both houses of Congress.

The weakening of the power of the Speaker of the House John Boehner to the level it was in 1910 after the “House Revolution” against Speaker Joseph Cannon.

The loss of a potential Senate majority for the Republican Party twice, when it seemed possible.

The undermining of the American economy and America’s image in the world.

The promotion of racism, misogyny, nativism, and hate and confrontation.

The undermining of national government in favor of sectionalism and secession.

The growing inability of President Obama to gain any kind of cooperation from the opposition party, unseen since the time of Andrew Johnson.

The loss of any reasonable civility between the leaders of the Republican Party and the President of the opposition party.

The growing split between the two major political parties in a manner unseen since the Civil War-Reconstruction Era 150 years ago.

The growing personal threats of assassination against President Obama, unseen at this level since the time of Abraham Lincoln.

But there are signs that the American people have had it with the Tea Party Movement in the Congress and in the state governments.

This is a clear cut warning for those promoting this divisiveness and anarchy, that the time for return to civility has arrived, and that if those in government now refuse to see the handwriting on the wall, then they will be repudiated in 2014 and 2016!

The Tragic Loss Of Civility: An American Crisis

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America is in the midst of a crisis–the tragic loss of civility!

It is well known that in society at large, there is road rage much too often, and lack of manners and civility in relations among people in retail establishments, college campuses, sports and entertainment venues, and everywhere else where people mix and congregate.

But when one sees a Joe Wilson displaying rudeness in the halls of the House of Representatives; Serena Williams conducting herself in a terrible manner during a tennis match; and Kanye West interrupting a triumphant moment for a young musical talent who has just won an entertainment award–then we have the right to condemn and deplore such awful behavior, as these people, whether well known or not, are still, by being involved in public affairs of different types, burdened by a higher standard than the average person who does not make the news headlines.

There is absolutely no excuse for displays of this type of behavior by anyone, but particularly for those who are public figures and often are seen as role models for the rest of us. Therefore, it is proper that Joe Wilson was reprimanded by the House of Representatives, and every single Republican should have joined in that condemnation, not just the handful who had the courage and decency to do so. It is also right to fine and suspend Serena Williams, and to condemn and ostracize Kanye West for his atrocious behavior.

This issue of civility is something all of us need to work on, and we must teach our children the importance of having respect for others, whether people of authority or just our fellow human beings. There is absolutely NO excuse for such outrageous behavior as we have seen too much of recently.