CAPTAIN AMERICA: UNCIVIL WAR
Jul. 2nd, 2018 05:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
defrogNow that Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kirstjen Nielsen and Stephen Miller can’t get a table at restaurants, the GOP is now up in arms about the lack of civility in public discourse.
Ironically, the subsequent “debate” about this on social media is sort of proving their point, though not in the way they probably think.
And … well, look.
1. Lack of civility in public discourse has been a problem since at least Twitter was invented. It’s certainly been a problem since at least Rush Limbaugh got a talk radio show – or really since Reagan was elected. Or maybe since the 60s. We can certainly trace it back to William F Buckley and Gore Vidal.
Point being, it sure took Republicans long enough to notice.
2. That’s admittedly besides the point since I don’t really believe the GOP cares about civility for its own sake. Because let’s be honest here – you can’t really support Trump, Fox News, Ted Nugent and the NRA and expect me or anyone else to take you seriously when you complain about lack of civility in politics. They only care that the incivility is being directed at them.
3. However, as the saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right. And personally speaking, if the choices are being a dick and not being a dick, I choose not to be a dick. I’m more than happy to let the MAGA Party be the dick. It’s a differentiator I’m happy to let them own.
4. That’s basically what the “civility” argument boils down to, for me. I don’t define “civility” as avoiding arguing with MAGAs or telling them to their face how wrong and terrible their ideas are, or not protesting and calling out injustice when we see it. By all means we should. And it doesn’t mean you have to be friends with people you’d rather not be friends with. It’s really about to what extent you make it personal, and to what extent yr willing to be a dick to people you disagree with.
And when you start actively calling for incivility, it's valid to ask just how far you want to take that incivility, given that the Left has already established quite clearly that it's morally and socially acceptable to punch a Nazi in the face simply for being a Nazi. So if we also postulate that Trump is Hitler and the GOP are Nazis, does that mean we’re good to punch Republicans in the face? How about Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kirstjen Nielsen? How about the next time they try to get a table, someone decides to punch their lights out?
To be clear, I’m not advocating that. And I’m not saying anyone else is (that I know of). I’m just posing the question. Because given the amount of fury and anger and hatred being projected at the GOP right now – no matter how understandable it might be – I’m not convinced that incivility will stop at politely denying the GOP entrance to a restaurant. Sure, it may not get to the point where the Left starts shooting up baseball games – but we can’t rule that out, either.
Point being, when you meet incivility with incivility, it tends to escalate, not the other way round. And when it gets out control, it’s on you.
5. The main argument in favor of incivility towards the GOP is that they have finally gone full-on Nazi, or close enough as makes no odds. In other words, we are not talking about the usual political disagreements over taxation, social programs or foreign policy. We’re talking about Trump’s implementation of hateful, savage and increasingly cruel policies that are racist, fascist and disastrous on so many levels that – according to the Left – civility is no longer an option. Because we tried civility with Hitler and look what happened.
Honestly I think that’s just an excuse to scream and yell obscenities at anyone who votes GOP, and to justify whatever actions end up being taken against Republicans, whether it’s refusing them service in restaurants, punching them or worse. All it does is reduce everyone to cartoon supervillain stereotypes rather than human beings. You know who else does that? Nazis.
6. On a purely tactical level, personally, I don’t think Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kirstjen Nielsen or anyone else should be denied service in a restaurant just for supporting Trump’s policies because (1) it just gives them an excuse to play the victim card without having to actually make something up, and (2) it’s stooping to their level of vindictiveness. Michelle Obama once said, “When they go low, we go high.” I don’t believe kicking Republicans out of restaurants fulfils that instruction.
7. Some have argued that being civil to Repubs is pointless because they’re not civil already, and they won’t change if we play nice. The first part is true – the second part will likely be true in many cases. But here’s the thing: being dicks to them won’t change things either. Being dicks to Repubs generally results in them doubling down and ratcheting up their own dickishness, and they’ll feel 100% justified in doing so.
8. And here’s the other thing: for all their whining, a lot of MAGAs would much rather the Left be dicks to them. Stephen Miller certainly would. He lives to “trigger the libs”. So does Trump. So does his hardcore MAGA/NRA fanbase. They want the Left to be angry, and they don’t mind if it escalates because that’s an arena they are very comfortable in.
John Lennon told us this decades ago:
The same goes for incivility in this case.
So basically I’m not falling for this whole “we must be uncivil” kick. I’m not going to play their game on their terms. Civility must be a differentiator if we’re ever going to claw our way back from the cesspool of polarization we’re wallowing in now. The alternative may well be zero tolerance for the opposition, in which case the next election may be the last if the losing side refuses to accept their loss because Too Much Is At Stake.
And if that happens, then that’s the ball game.
Don’t be a dick,
This is dF
Ironically, the subsequent “debate” about this on social media is sort of proving their point, though not in the way they probably think.
And … well, look.
1. Lack of civility in public discourse has been a problem since at least Twitter was invented. It’s certainly been a problem since at least Rush Limbaugh got a talk radio show – or really since Reagan was elected. Or maybe since the 60s. We can certainly trace it back to William F Buckley and Gore Vidal.
Point being, it sure took Republicans long enough to notice.
2. That’s admittedly besides the point since I don’t really believe the GOP cares about civility for its own sake. Because let’s be honest here – you can’t really support Trump, Fox News, Ted Nugent and the NRA and expect me or anyone else to take you seriously when you complain about lack of civility in politics. They only care that the incivility is being directed at them.
3. However, as the saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right. And personally speaking, if the choices are being a dick and not being a dick, I choose not to be a dick. I’m more than happy to let the MAGA Party be the dick. It’s a differentiator I’m happy to let them own.
4. That’s basically what the “civility” argument boils down to, for me. I don’t define “civility” as avoiding arguing with MAGAs or telling them to their face how wrong and terrible their ideas are, or not protesting and calling out injustice when we see it. By all means we should. And it doesn’t mean you have to be friends with people you’d rather not be friends with. It’s really about to what extent you make it personal, and to what extent yr willing to be a dick to people you disagree with.
And when you start actively calling for incivility, it's valid to ask just how far you want to take that incivility, given that the Left has already established quite clearly that it's morally and socially acceptable to punch a Nazi in the face simply for being a Nazi. So if we also postulate that Trump is Hitler and the GOP are Nazis, does that mean we’re good to punch Republicans in the face? How about Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kirstjen Nielsen? How about the next time they try to get a table, someone decides to punch their lights out?
To be clear, I’m not advocating that. And I’m not saying anyone else is (that I know of). I’m just posing the question. Because given the amount of fury and anger and hatred being projected at the GOP right now – no matter how understandable it might be – I’m not convinced that incivility will stop at politely denying the GOP entrance to a restaurant. Sure, it may not get to the point where the Left starts shooting up baseball games – but we can’t rule that out, either.
Point being, when you meet incivility with incivility, it tends to escalate, not the other way round. And when it gets out control, it’s on you.
5. The main argument in favor of incivility towards the GOP is that they have finally gone full-on Nazi, or close enough as makes no odds. In other words, we are not talking about the usual political disagreements over taxation, social programs or foreign policy. We’re talking about Trump’s implementation of hateful, savage and increasingly cruel policies that are racist, fascist and disastrous on so many levels that – according to the Left – civility is no longer an option. Because we tried civility with Hitler and look what happened.
Honestly I think that’s just an excuse to scream and yell obscenities at anyone who votes GOP, and to justify whatever actions end up being taken against Republicans, whether it’s refusing them service in restaurants, punching them or worse. All it does is reduce everyone to cartoon supervillain stereotypes rather than human beings. You know who else does that? Nazis.
6. On a purely tactical level, personally, I don’t think Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kirstjen Nielsen or anyone else should be denied service in a restaurant just for supporting Trump’s policies because (1) it just gives them an excuse to play the victim card without having to actually make something up, and (2) it’s stooping to their level of vindictiveness. Michelle Obama once said, “When they go low, we go high.” I don’t believe kicking Republicans out of restaurants fulfils that instruction.
7. Some have argued that being civil to Repubs is pointless because they’re not civil already, and they won’t change if we play nice. The first part is true – the second part will likely be true in many cases. But here’s the thing: being dicks to them won’t change things either. Being dicks to Repubs generally results in them doubling down and ratcheting up their own dickishness, and they’ll feel 100% justified in doing so.
8. And here’s the other thing: for all their whining, a lot of MAGAs would much rather the Left be dicks to them. Stephen Miller certainly would. He lives to “trigger the libs”. So does Trump. So does his hardcore MAGA/NRA fanbase. They want the Left to be angry, and they don’t mind if it escalates because that’s an arena they are very comfortable in.
John Lennon told us this decades ago:
“When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game. The establishment will irritate you – pull your beard, flick your face – to make you fight. Because once they’ve got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don’t know how to handle is non-violence and humor.”
The same goes for incivility in this case.
So basically I’m not falling for this whole “we must be uncivil” kick. I’m not going to play their game on their terms. Civility must be a differentiator if we’re ever going to claw our way back from the cesspool of polarization we’re wallowing in now. The alternative may well be zero tolerance for the opposition, in which case the next election may be the last if the losing side refuses to accept their loss because Too Much Is At Stake.
And if that happens, then that’s the ball game.
Don’t be a dick,
This is dF
